The US Sailing Safety at Sea Committee awarded the Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal to the crew of a California Yacht Club Mark Set Boat for rescuing a disabled vessel in imminent danger of loss of property and/or life following the final race of the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta on July 15, 2025.
The medal was awarded on March 7, 2026, at California Yacht Club’s Opening Day Ceremony to skipper Drew Baldwin, with Official Citations for crew members Christina Tarantola and Rory Mach.
The medal was presented by US Sailing Board of Directors member Marie Rogers and former Board member and current Race Management Committee and Offshore Championship Committee member, Bill Stump.
The incident happened following the third and final race of the day when the mark set boat came upon a “bowrider” powerboat in distress along a perilous inlet in Alamitos Bay, California. The powerboat had lost power, and the skipper was unable to restart the engines. Given the sea state and its potential effects on the boat and its passengers, it was evident that the vessel was in danger. The team assessed the risk to themselves and the distressed vessel and agreed that the boat in peril posed a high risk of loss of the vessel and its seven passengers. The skipper of the mark set boat communicated to the members of the disabled boat their plan to tow them away from the jetty. While maintaining a safe distance, the mark set crew secured a towline and pulled the disabled vessel away from the rocks into safe water. Once safe, the mark set driver called a pan-pan and coordinated a handoff with USCG Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach. The roles of each team were: Drew Baldwin, skipper; Christina Tarantola, communications; and Rory Mach, towline.
Award recipient Drew Baldwin accepted the medal as well as certificates for Christina Tarantola and Rory Mach, who were unable to attend the presentation. Drew Baldwin spoke about the importance and responsibility we have to our fellow boaters to lend help when needed. “Often we’re so fixated on the task at hand or rushing to get home that we forget we are part of a community when we are on the water. So please, live up to your responsibility as a member of this community and remember it is our obligation to help one another. Because, even without rescue training and equipment, just by looking out for your fellow boater, you still can help prevent a tragedy, and maybe even save someone’s life.”
For their assessment of personal risk to themselves and to the boat in peril and the outstanding seamanship in the recovery of a vessel fighting the environmental and structural elements of a treacherous inlet resulting in the rescue of a disabled vessel, US Sailing is pleased to award the Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal to Drew Baldwin, Christina Tarantola and Rory Mach.
The Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal is awarded to any person who rescues or endeavors to rescue any other person from drowning, shipwreck, or other perils at sea within the territorial waters of the United States, or as part of a sailboat race or voyage that originated or stopped in the U.S. The medal was established in 1990 by friends of the late Mr. Hanson, an ocean-racing sailor from the Chesapeake Bay, to recognize significant accomplishments in seamanship and to collect case studies of rescues for analysis by the Safety at Sea Committee of US Sailing for use in educational and training programs. Any individual or organization may submit a nomination for a Hanson Rescue Medal. Visit the US Sailing Hanson Rescue Medal website for more information about these awards, including nomination form instructions and guidelines.