|
Another crew member from High Maintenance, Dave Gerber, who
was trimming the spinnaker, also went overboard at the same time. Dave
surfaced much closer to the boat than I did and was able to return to
the boat and help right it. Dave drove High Maintenance to its
dock. Had he not been able to return to the boat, the two remaining crew
members would have had a great deal of trouble getting the boat back to
the slip safely in the heavy winds and because the spinnaker apparently
jammed and wouldn't come down. Dave deserves a lot of credit for keeping
his head about him, getting back to the boat, and making sure the other
two crew members and the boat made it back to shore safely. Also, the
other two crew members - Jennifer Jensen and Pam Grove - both remained
very calm throughout the whole incident and helped Dave get the boat to
shore. Crew members are Steven Dean, Ralph Corwin, Justin
Kelley.
I haven't had a chance to talk to our trimmer yet, but the best that
I can figure is this -
We were sailing downwind - with the spinnaker up - in about 20 to 25 mph
winds and some pretty serious gusts. Our trimmer - who is a much more
experienced heavy air sailor than I am - wanted to avoid sailing dead
down to prevent a jibe. I think we just got hit with a pretty good gust
that brought us up. I was trying to head the boat back down, but didn't
have any steerage. I had already let the main out and yelled at Dave to
break the sheet on the spinnaker but it was already too late. I'm not
sure if he tried to break the sheet and couldn't, or exactly what
happened, but the spinnaker was filled on the leeward side and I
couldn't get the boat to head down. And then we went over. The whole
thing happened very quickly, and it's funny that as I try to remember
what happened, it's not very clear to me. I'll be speaking with Dave on
Monday and will let you know what he has to add.
Date of incident:
10-13-99, approximately 6:50 p.m.
Victim's name, address, phone, e-mail:
Valerie Barnes
Was PFD worn? If so, what type?
Yes, Xtra Sport Challenger
What position on deck was the victim working at the time they went
in?
Helmsman
Did this happen in the daylight or at night?
Daylight
What was the wind speed?
20-25 mph, with gusts to 30+ mph
Wave height?
1 1/2 to 2 feet
Water temperature?
Unknown - approximately 60 degrees F.
Air temperature?
40-45 degrees F.
How much time did the victim spend in the water?
5-10 minutes
What are the names and types of the boats involved?
Victim boat: J/22, High Maintenance
Rescue boat: Pearson 26, Cygnus
What event was the victim's boat participating in?
Charlevoix Yacht Club Wednesday Night Race (Fall Series)
Was the race sailed under the ORC Special Regulations?
No
What recovery method was used?
Cygnus, the rescue boat, had to drop their sails and briefly
start their motor in order to get back to the victim quickly. The crew
members on Cygnus threw a line directly to the victim, pulled the
victim to the boat, and lifted the victim over the side and lifelines.
The reaction by the rescue boat was very quick.
What search pattern was used?
None. No search pattern was necessary as the rescue boat had a
visual on the situation and victim.
Was GPS or other electronic MOB function used to track or help locate
the victim?
No
Were other boats used in the search or recovery?
No; however, approximately three boats who had been sailing nearby
and saw the incident happen immediately started heading over to offer
assistance. Cygnus was the closest and hailed to the other boats
that they would be able to effectuate the rescue.
Was professional search and recovery support brought in?
No
Did a Mayday call go out?
No
Was a rescue swimmer put in the water?
No
Did the victim have a strobe light, a light, or whistle?
No
What color clothes were visible above the water?
Bright yellow jacket, bright purple PFD.
Was the victim able to help in the recovery? If so, in what way?
Yes. Victim was conscious and able to hold on to a line so that the
victim could be pulled to the rescue boat.
Was any injury sustained by the victim?
No - other than several large bruises.
How did the victim get hoisted from water level up onto the deck?
The rescue boat has a swim ladder that the crew lowered. Once at the
top of the swim ladder, three crew members on the rescue boat lifted the
victim up and over the lifelines and onto the deck.
Was a life sling aboard? Was it used?
Unknown if one was aboard. No life sling was used.
Do you give permission to have this story published?
Yes.
Can you provide copies of articles published about this event?
I do not believe any articles have been published about this event.
If they are, I will provide copies.
|
