Around the World of Sailing

31 July 2002

Event News:2002 LTYC Annual Regatta
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0731/ms.htm

One choice for post Mackinac racing is to make the short
trip to Harbor Springs. Variously known as the LTYC Annual
Regatta, Harbor Springs or the U Gotta Regatta it's a 2 or 3
day event. Three days if you are in a one design class such
as One Design 35 or J 105, just 2 days if you sail under
PHRF.

The three one design divisions (J105,J120 and 1D 35) began
on Friday with moderate winds. Saturday all boats took to
the course with only 5 classes finishing a shortened course
in drifting conditions.

Sunday was the best day with over 20 knots of winds. Boats
got down to the big #'s in their headsail inventory. Damage
such as top masts falling off, and forestays giving way
occurred.

Winners were as follows:
Division I Overall Equation
Division II Overall Gosling
1D 35 Windquest
J120 Merlin
J105 Macho Duck

Links:
Results
http://www.ltyc.org/regatta_results2002.html

Theme Article: Sailing Tools- Carrying/Storing Your Tools
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0731/ms.htm

We'll finish our look at tools by considering ways to carry
and store tools.

For carrying tools such as knives, multi tools, flashlights
etc. on your person try the Nite Ize Pock Its. This product
which you can attach to your belt allows you to carry
multiple items in a convenient package. They also make a
version that allows you to carry items like a mobile phone,
or hand held GPS.

For carrying a more complete tool set many sailors use a
canvas 'riggers bag'. These are sturdy bags with a large
center compartment with smaller pockets on the side and ends
for sorting tools by size and use etc. The Torresen Marine
Ships store stocks these.

Whether fresh or salt water, boat tools have the chance of
getting wet. This can result in rust, damage and higher
replacement costs. A good way to keep them dry is via
waterproof storage.

Torresen Marine offers waterproof storage boxes that can be
used for tools, engine spares etc. They sell for $ 13.95.

Links:
Pock Its
http://www.niteize.com/pockits.html
Riggers Bag
http://www.bucketboss-store.com/cgi-bin/sgin0153.exe?CODIV=0153&UID=2002073109051071&T1=POR+06001&FNM=02&UREQA=N
Waterproof Box
http://shop.marinedieseldirect.com/cgi-bin/yanmar/TMIYANBOX.html

Event News: 100 Miler Report
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0731/ms.htm

Another post Mac option is to head west. In this case to
the Bay of Green Bay and the annual 100 Miler hosted by M&M
Yacht Club.

27 boats took this option and competed in the 67th annual
race. There were both spinnaker and non spinnaker boats.

Conditions were good allowing Twister to be first to first
at 1607.

The overall winner came from Division 2. The Block Island
41 Bantu added another slew of awards taking Division 2 and
the overall handicap title. The S2 7.9 Sadie Hawkins was
2nd and Dash another 7.9 3rd.

Division 3 was won by Tinka (Nightwind 35), 2nd was Spirit
of Adventure (C&C 37) and 3rd Oasis (Mirage 338).

The non spinnaker class was topped by 3 sailors who between
them may have sailed 100, 100 milers. Dick Boren's Catalina
30 Loki was 1st with John Bradley's Cal 34 2nd and Ed Nelson
in his custom 28 footer Challenge 3rd.

The Friday before the 100 Miler the Fritz Du Brucq regatta
was sailed. 2 windward leeward courses of 8 miles were
sailed with Sadie Hawkins the winner.

News: Boat Smart
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0731/ms.htm

Boat Smart is a weekly column written by Chief Tom Rau,
Group Grand Haven, U.S. Coast Guard and appears in a number
of newspapers. Chief Rau has been writing and promoting safe
boating since 1986. Many of his columns are taken from real
life experiences from Station St. Joseph/South Haven, where
Chief Rau is currently serving.

Coast Guard and Good Sams make live-saving rescues

By Senior Chief Tom Rau, Coast Guard Group Grand Haven, Mi

Friday, July 19, 2002, Holland State Park Michigan.
When I arrived at Coast Guard Station Holland, the 25-foot
inflatable rescue craft was approaching the boat slip.
Chief Reed, the boat coxswain, told me they were just
returning from a life-saving rescue that involved several
good Samaritans. Had I arrived earlier as planned, I could
have witnessed the joint rescue first hand. The fact is,
had I arrived earlier, we probably would have been underway
elsewhere, and nowhere near the harbor mouth where the
rescue took place.

It's nice then to believe I had something to do with this
life-saving rescue perhaps in some divine manner. Be what
may, one thing is for certain, if not for some good folks
willing to put their lives on the line, two people would've
died.

Now the story.

The 90-degree mid afternoon heat found Meghann Oudman, 19,
swimming in the waters off Holland State Park in a
designated swim area marked by a line of buoys that run
north about 300 feet out from the Holland channel seawall.

Meghann considers herself a good swimmer. "I was hot so I
hit the water." She joined other swimmers frolicking in the
4-6 foot surf. After swimming awhile she decided to return
to shore. "I started going back to shore, but I kept
getting pulled under and sucked out further. A moment
before, I had been thinking these waves are so cool; I want
to move to California to be a surfer."

Meghann found herself drifting towards the seawall. "I was
treading water about 20 minutes, then my legs went numb; I
grew tired from treading water…I ended up over my head. The
waves were bigger in deeper water. I was getting close to
the rocks so I hollered."

Her cries drew the attention of Larry Nasar, 43, and his son
Lawrence, 14. Ironically, twenty minutes earlier he had
warned her of the under tow. He could see she was outside
the swim zone and drifting towards the rocks. "My son swam
out to her when he heard her calls for help."

A man walking on the nearby pier also heard the girl
hollering for help. He yelled to a nearby jet skier.
Meanwhile the boy had reached the girl and was holding her
head above the water.

"I swam out to help my son, but was overcome by the waves. I
felt the water sucking me under like a whirlpool," said the
father. "I thought I was at the end of my string."

Marcus Gardiner, 29, also responded. "I saw her drifting
towards the rocks with her head tilted back. When I reached
her, she was in shock and couldn't comprehend what was going
on…she was deadly quiet." Now there were three people in the
water attending to the girl. "There was no way we could get
back to shore," said Gardiner, a British citizen who was
visiting family in Holland.

A jet ski with three people aboard also responded to the
girl's cries. Its operator, Troy Barsemeyer, 17, realized
that he was dangerously near the rocks. "I made several
sweeps around them but feared if I shut down the motor it
might not start before I drifted into the rocks." His ski
buddy, Erick Dozema, 17, jumped into the water, removed his
life jacket and passed it to Meghann. Troy and his other ski
mate, Danae Koolenga, 17, tossed their life jackets to
Meghann and the others. Koolenga, then spun around in the
saddle seat and dragged her feet in the water as Barsemeyer
made another pass. "I neared the girl in the water and
grabbed her hand but it slipped away."

Meghann then grabbed Koolenga foot. "I could feel she was
losing her grip, so I twisted around and grabbed her hand.
We pulled her away from the breakwater." Barsemeyer shut
off the motor so we could pull her aboard. "When we scooped
her aboard she had no strength. We were only ten feet from
the seawall. I was getting scared." said Koolenga." The jet
ski fired up. She lay limp cradled against my shoulder as we
headed for shore".

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard crew on a 25-foot inflatable
elected to execute a rescue from inside the seawall, away
from the rocks and pounding waves. Two crewmen with rescue
throwing lines leaped onto the pier. "When I saw the line
coming from above, I thought it was a line from God. If not
for that line, I would be dead," said the father.

Coast Guardsman Jay Douglas and Auxiliarist David Gaylord
pulled the three swimmers towards the rocks. "A wave
knocked me off one rock onto another," said Douglas who
weighs over 200 pounds. "The father was a big man and
weighed around 275 pounds. I hauled the son out, placed a
knee on his back to keep him from slipping away and hauled
the father onto the rocks with help from my crewman."
Gardiner and Dozema climbed out on their own. Coast
Guardsman Chad Everhart, an EMT, administered first aid to
the survivors who suffered leg and arm abrasions.

Moments later Douglas again launched the rescue line to
11-year-old Sean O'Hara, floundering off the rocks and
pulled him to safety.

Later, the father said: "I was really proud of my son. He's
autistic and all his life I've cared for him. Now he cared
for me and helped save my life and the girl's."

Gardiner, the Brit, told me that he had been in Australia
recently and had experienced riptides; the lake reminded him
of that experience except the wave action on Lake Michigan
"keeps pounding on you."

Chief Reed, coxswain of the rescue boat, spoke with Meghann
regarding the rescue and the autistic boy. "The boy was the
first one to help me," she said. Asked if he was a hero,
she replied: "I think everyone was a hero that day.
________

Water wise tips

Already this summer four people have died along Lake
Michigan beaches between Michigan City and Muskegon. The
most recent drowning of a 11-year-old boy near the
breakwater at Pere Marquette beach, Muskegon happened the
same weekend the good Samaritans in Holland made their
life-saving rescues. The following advice will help
prevent these tragic deaths.

*Do not swim alone.
*Have at hand a heaving line attached to a flotation device
so you can toss it to swimmers in need.
*Parents should never take their eyes off the kids.
*Do not swim near breakwaters or piers- under tows and wave
backlash can overcome the best swimmer and jagged rocks that
line breakwaters and piers can inflict lacerations, broken
bones, and head injuries.
*Pay heed to red warning flags (pennants) that warn of
dangerous surf conditions.
*Stay within designated swim areas.
*Many beach communities do no have lifeguards so be prepared
to taken action-have ready a rescue plan. Carry a whistle to
draw attention.
*Watch out for sandbars, they can abruptly drop off into
deep water.
*Do not allow kids to float out into deep water on rubber
rafts or inner tubes, especially in heavy surf. If they
separate from the flotation device, they could find
themselves in deep water.
*Never turn your back on Lake Michigan.