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Nominators Name: James McBride
Event Name: W.D.Schock Memorial
Sponsoring Yacht Club: Newport Harbor YC
Date of Event: March 3-4, 2001
Event City: Newport Beach
Event State: CA
Date of Incident: March 4, 2001
Body of Water: Pacific Ocean
First Victims Name: Liz Sears (foredeck)
First Boat Name: Purple Haze
First Boat Length: 20'
First Boat Make Model: Santana 20
Second Victims Name: Alana Shearer (middle)
Second Boat Name: Purple Haze
Second Boat Length: 20
Second Boat Make Model: Santana 20
Rescuing Skipper 1: Ellen Parry Schmidt
Rescuing1 Boat Make Model: Santana 20
Rescuing1 Boat Name: "Purple Haze"
Rescuing1 Boat Length: 20
What was the nature of this incident: Crew overboard
Did a Mayday call go out: No.
Who responded: The skipper of the affected boat handled the whole thing.
Was any injury sustained by the victim: Hypothermia.
Can your story be published: Yes
Can you provide articles about this event: None.
Was a PFD worn: No
What position was the victim working before they went in: 1. Foredeck 2.
Middle
Was this day or night: Day
Wind speed: 10-12
Wave height: 4' est.
Water temperature: 55 F (est.)
Air temperature: 60 (est)
How much time did the victim spend in the water: 1. 10-15 min; 2. 2 min
What recovery method was used: Don't know
Did the victims boat lose site of the victim: 1 Yes 2. No
What search pattern was used: None needed; regained sight quickly
Was electronic MOB function used to locate the victim: No.
Was a rescue swimmer put in the water: No
Did the victim have a strobe light or whistle: No
What color clothes were visible above the water: Don't know
Was the victim able to help in the recovery: 1. No 2. Yes
What is the topside height?
Was a Lifesling aboard: No
Was the race sailed under ORC regulations: No
What happened:
The skipper is from Mission Point, San Diego area. And drove 90 miles
north to go to Newport Harbor. "Mission Bay Yacht Club"
While sailing to the racecourse, this Santana 20 hoisted its
spinnaker for pre-race practice. Weather overcast, wind 10-12 knots,
swells, water temp about 55 F. The 3-person crew was all female, with
experienced bow and helmsperson, and an inexperienced sailor in the
middle position. To clear a line, the bow person went forward, and fell
overboard, with spinnaker still flying. To initiate the man-overboard
recovery, the skipper directed the middle crew to douse the chute,
something she lacked experience doing. She started it down, lost her
footing on the wet deck, and fell overboard. At this point, the skipper
had her entire crew overboard without PFD's, and the spinnaker lowered
but not stowed, and no one available except her to handle sails, watch
for two heads in the water, maneuver the boat, and haul crew back on
board. Somehow she managed to do all this unaided. Returning quickly to
the middle crew, she got her on board -- not an easy task in a Santana
20. She then relocated the bow crew, and with the help of the middle
crew, got her safely on board. The bow person, not realizing she was
only the first of two overboard, asked why the rescue took so long --
but forgot the answer, suggesting at least mild hypothermia.
I was not a witness to this incident, but heard reports of it after
the fact. I have talked to the skipper, who verified that it took place.
I am not aware that the incident was reported to the race committee, but
I am confident that it can be verified by other participants (although
none were close enough to the scene to assist.) I am calling it to your
attention because it strikes me as an example of commendable seamanship
to lose your entire crew overboard with spinnaker up, and get them back
safely without engine or assistance. If you agree, let me know, and I
will provide the details marked "withheld" above.
What type hypothermia included: Mild hypothermia, not officially
diagnosed, probably affected the bow crew, the first overboard.
How did victim help himself back onboard: Middle crew, the first
recovered, was in good shape, and able to help haul the bow crew aboard
later.
How did the victim get hoisted onto the deck: Brute force
Clarifications from Ellen Parry Schmidt -
The night before racing, the skipper and crew talked about wearing their
PFD’s the next day and agreed it was appropriate, even though
complaints did exist about restrictions in the ability to look up and
getting hooked on things. After the chute was set, the skipper
went below to get the PFD’s out and placed them on the cockpit floor.
The throwable device was left below. Their course to the starting area
was off, so a jibe was called right after the skipper returned to deck.
The bow crew thought about getting her PFD on, and figured to do so
right after the jibe. On the way forward for the jibe, over she went.
The middle crew went forward to start a chute recovery and went
overboard, though the spinnaker sheet (3/8" line) was wrapped
around her arm and dragged her behind the boat. The skipper performed a
quick-stop, and with any weight on the stern quarter, the corned sinks,
so that the lift is about 1’ up the topside and the middle crew was
recovered in about 2 minutes. The Skipper and middle crew then doused
the spinnaker and sailed up wind to find and retrieve the bow crew. Back
on board, the bow crew did not seem to understand general conversation,
and later determined that she must have been suffering hypothermia.
There was a hand-held VHF radio on board, but it was not used. The boat
returned to shore, skipping the races that day. After warming/drying up,
they did go back out for a sail in the afternoon. A Santana 20 displaces
about 1350 lbs. and the keel is 500 lbs.
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