|
My report of this MOB incident is copied below:
"I lost my shoe overboard; luckily I made it back on!"
I discovered this entry when I was reviewing the Bermuda Race
Accident and Illness Survey that each yacht was asked to submit along
with their Certificate of Compliance when they finished the 2000 Race
and signed in at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in Hamilton. It was signed
by "L. Mangin" (Louis David Mangin, son of CCA member
Charles-Henri Mangin). This father/son team raced STRELLA ENCORE, a
brand new Hylas 54, in the Doublehanded Division of the Race.
After I found this comment I visited STRELLA ENCORE and asked
Charles-Henri and "L.D." for the details. I was told that L.D.
had indeed gone overboard and was quickly recovered by his father,
losing only his shoe. Early in the Race (when the wind was up) L.D. had
been forward to the mast and was heading aft, when a lurch tossed him
over the lifeline into the water. He was tethered to the jackline and
was dragged alongside. Charles-Henri was at the wheel. He told me that
his first reaction was to stop the boat by turning into the wind. He
then said that he could see L.D. dragging along and figured he would
grab a stanchion if the boat stayed on the heel, so he kept the boat on
a heel (falling off) and brought the deck closer to L.D. L.D. grabbed a
stanchion and pulled himself back on board.
Except for the lost shoe, nothing else happened. L.D. and
Charles-Henri called home after the Race and had Marguerite bring
another pair of shoes to Bermuda for L.D. For the entire visit in
Bermuda L.D. wore one brown and one white boat shoe. (I have a photo of
this, still in my camera)
Before I visited their yacht I downloaded the Nomination Form for the
Arthur B. Hansen Rescue Medal from the US SAILING Web Site and asked
Charles-Henri to fill it in for his MOB incident. He responded that he
didn't think this was necessary (or words to that effect). I dropped the
subject.
On reflection, I still think it is worthy of submitting for
consideration for the Arthur B. Hansen Rescue Medal and I plan to ask
Charles-Henri to reconsider. The lesson I see here is that L.D. was
indeed hooked on and the gear worked!
I also see how a quick thinking helmsman greatly facilitated the
rescue. There also may be room for discussing going forward/aft on the
high side. We need this type of story, in my opinion, to advertise
successes in Safety.
If this comes about, I plan to recommend that this award be given at
a conference tentatively called "Suddenly Alone" which I am
recommending that the CCA's Bonnell Cove Foundation set up this winter.
(This is in the embryo stage only right now).
In respect for Charles-Henri's privacy I think we should get his
permission to use this case as outlined above before we go any further
with this. I will call him and talk to him about it after he has had a
chance to read this account.
16 June 2000 Newport to Bermuda
Victims Name: Louis-David Mangin
Boat Name: Strella Encore
Boat Length: 54
Make Model: Hylas 54
Rescuing Skipper: Charles-Henri Mangin
Nature of this incident: MOB
Did a Mayday call go out: No
Was any injury sustained by the victim: N
Was a PFD worn: Y
What type: Mustang manually inflatable
What position was the victim working before they went in: Deck (this was
the double handed crew)
Was this day or night: Day
Wind speed: 30 knots apparent
Wave height: 4'
Water temperature: 68
Air temperature: 75
How much time did the victim spend in the water: Less than 30 seconds
Did the victims boat lose site of the victim: No
Was electronic MOB function used to locate the victim: N
Was a rescue swimmer put in the water: N
Did the victim have a strobe light or whistle: Whistle only
Was the victim able to help in the recovery: Y
Was a Lifesling aboard: Y
Was it used: N
Was the race sailed under ORC regulations: Y
If so what category: One
What happened:
The incident happened about 45 minutes after the start of the Bermuda
Race 2000. We had entered the double-handed category, and only my son,
Louis-David, and I were on board. Strella Encore was on a starboard tack
sailing 40 degrees from apparent wind at close to 9 knots. Apparent wind
velocity was close to 30 knots, and heel angle was close to 20 degrees.
My son, LD, had to go on the port side to pick up a line trailing in the
water. As he was coming back toward the center cockpit, a wave washed
him over the lifelines. I was at the helm and it took me a few seconds
before I turned my head to check whether LD was coming back into the
cockpit. I saw him being dragged in the water on the port side, and my
automatic reflex was to go toward the wind to stop the boat, but I also
immediately realized that the rail on the port side was in the water and
that if I would keep it in the water, LD, being 21 and quite strong,
would probably be able to come back on board by himself. I then healed
Strella Encore so that LD could grab a stanchion, pull himself up on the
toe rail, and then I sailed up wind so that by righting the boat, I
would scoop him out of the water. The whole affair lasted about 15
seconds, and the only damage was the loss of LD's left shoe. We
had problems with our SSB and could only report the incident to the race
committee two days later.
How did the victim get hoisted onto the deck: Through a unique use of
wind and heel.
|
