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Around the World of Sailing
29 August 2001
The Great Lakes J/35 fleet held their 2001 Championship
August 25-26. Seven races were held with one throw out
allowed. Noble Buffalo rolled over the rest of the
competition with 6 - 1st and their throw out being a third.
Second was Touch of Grey with local racer Ragtime placing
third.
Theme: Boat Handling
Here's a boat handling idea from Olympic Medallist and
America's Cup winner Buddy Melges. He wrote about in his
book Sailing Smart.
It is a simple drill that can help you learn how your boat
handles. Simply sail downwind past a dock or buoy that is
one boat length away. As the stern passes the 90° put your
helm down.
If you know your boat and things have gone right the boat
should stop before contacting the buoy or dock. To gain
comprehensive boat handling skills practice this in all wind
and sea conditions.
Such a simple drill will help your build up a feel for your
boat that will serve you well regardless of situation.
Event News: Governors Cup Preview
The Governors Cup is an annual 2 day regatta hosted by the
Muskegon Yacht Club. Racing is held on Lake Michigan.
The Governors Cup is sailed on windward/leeward courses.
There is also the Lieutenant Governors Cup for Jib and Main
boats.
Recent class winners include: Wooly Bully, Wings, Entropy in
the S2 9.1 class, Asylum, the S2 9.1 Kato and Ricochet.
These boats along with Hippy Chick, Erleichda, Windancer,
Scooter, Spectra and Whistler will be competing.
As it's the last big regatta of the year in Muskegon, winning
provides an entire off-season of bragging rights.
News: Boat Smart
Recent less than boat smart activities
By Senior Chief Tom Rau, Coast Guard Group Grand Haven, MI
Over the years many people have suggested that I call this
column Boat Stupid. Believe me, at times I've been tempted.
I doubt, however, that command edit would okay it. Although
in light of some recent less than boat smart activities on
Lake Michigan and connecting waters my command might have a
change of heart.
Lieutenant Commander Anthony Popiel, Commander Group Grand
Haven, and Lieutenant Carol Stearns, Group Operations
Officer, edit my copy and both share a great deal of
experience as line officers in search and rescue. We agree
most boaters do boat smart. We just wish the ones that don't
would climb aboard. Let me share some recent less than boat
smart activities on Lake Michigan.
A week ago, I spent an afternoon aboard Station Muskegon's
25-foot inflatable rescue craft on a law enforcement patrol.
My running mates were Officer In Charge, Chief Hinken, Petty
Officer Jason Bernard, and Greg Patten, a veteran DNR,
agent. While eastbound on Muskegon Lake, we spotted a
32-foot trawler heading outbound towards the Muskegon
Channel. The boat had no registration numbers on the hull or
name on the stern. Within moments, we were along side the
trawler with our blue light flashing. Chief Hinken and Petty
Officer Bernard boarded the trawler. I maintained station
along side with the DNR agent.
During the inspection, the boarding team discovered that the
new boat, on its maiden voyage, carried only four life
jackets for the seven people aboard, lacked the proper
number of fire extinguishers, and carried no registration at
all. Lake Michigan weather called for 3-5 foot seas. Chief
Hinken terminated the voyage due to a lack of life jackets
and directed the captain to return to his moorings. The DNR
agent also cited him a registration violation.
On the following Monday morning, the Muskegon crew responded
to a boat collision on Lake Michigan that sent a boater to
the hospital in critical condition. Two18-foot Lund fishing
boats were racing outbound in tandem from Muskegon Harbor
when the lead boat suddenly slowed down. The trailing boat
climbed up the stern of the lead boat at 30 knots driving
its operator into the boat's console. Fortunately a Muskegon
Fire Department boat with a paramedic aboard was nearby to
assist the victim. They transported to a local hospital in
critical condition with facial and neck fractures and heavy
blood loss.
About that same time off Muskegon, three fishermen sat
disabled and adrift aboard an18-foot Bayliner. Oil loss had
led to an engine overheat and shut down. The three men
aboard began paddling for shore, but around 11 a.m. the wind
and seas picked up, pushing the boat further off shore.
Around 11:30 a.m. they dropped anchor in 200 feet of water,
but only carried 150 feet anchor line (ski rope). The anchor
did, however, slow down their drift. By late afternoon they
had drifted to Grand Haven where they watched a Coast Guard
helicopter pass overhead. But since no one had yet reported
the boaters overdue, the Coast Guard aircrew flew on.
The boat carried no visual distress signals, no radio, and
no cell phones although they all owned cell phones. Past
Grand Haven, they decided to pull the anchor aboard and
paddle for shore. They paddled continuously in vain while
further drifting south. At one point, seas reportedly
reached 10 feet and winds 25-30 knots. Exhausted from
paddling, they again dropped anchored at 11 p.m. to rest.
Then at 11:50 p.m. they again started to paddle. Finally, at
12:50 p.m. a Coast Guard aircrew spotted them. Loved ones
had reported them overdue at 5:25 p.m. A Coast Guard boat
crew out of Holland transferred them off their boat and
towed the boat into Holland. In all, they had drifted nearly
23 miles over 15 hours. When the Coast Guard crew found them
no one wore life jackets. They reported that at 11 a.m. they
passed within a 100 yards of a yacht; they waved their oars
but apparently went unnoticed by the yacht's crew.
I've been advising boaters for years that safety equipment
like visual distress signals, mean nothing until you need
them. I've also been advising boaters that Lake Michigan is
not a 'lake' but an Inland Sea that demands the same respect
of any great ocean. I discussed the ocean factor with
Lieutenant Stearns. Both of us share search and rescue
experience in Southern California waters. We agree that
California boaters seem far more aware of the potential
hazards of boating and swimming in coastal waters. I had
that message hammered home growing up in Los Angeles while
hanging out on southland beaches.
Another factor of Lake Michigan that leads to problems is
accessibility. Lake Michigan with its many connecting rivers
and bays provides easy access to the most unskilled boat.
This unfettered access to so much water could be why
Michigan leads the nation with registered boats (985,732).
That many boats combined with Michigan's seasonal boating,
which at best lasts four months, lends to less than smart
boating. Boaters simply don't experience enough time on the
water, which is more reason than ever for Michigan boaters
to enroll in a boating safety course.
There is one thing for certain, Smart Boaters are safe
boaters- what are you? For a listing of Power Squadron and
Coast Guard Auxiliary courses in your area visit Group Grand
Haven's web site at www.uscg.mil/ghaven click on 2001
Newsletter (page 3).
Note: Last week a 17-year-old male drowned near shore off
Warren Dunes, Lake Michigan. Red warning flags and public
announcements warned beach goers to stay out of the water.
The Coast Guard and local rescue agencies urge beach goers
to pay heed to these warnings.