newbie posting his story

[mcsmd]

Ok here it goes,

Many years ago I was young and fit. A few month before I had sunk my boat in the South San Frisco Bay during an unfortunate blow on a race day (another story). So I was asked to crew on another 505 in the longest dingy race in the world. It runs from St Frances YC to the buoy just in front of the gate at the Presidio then down to the City, turn right and sail to Palo Alto. It was June, cold and blowing. There were about thirty boats racing with the SFYC crash boat in attendance.

Well we went over before the first mark, then again on the first spinnaker reach. When we lost it on the jibe, I looked at my skipper (who was older – maybe 35) and came to the conclusion he was hypothermic and not able to go on. I let the boat go turtle (mast down, bottom up) and dragged his cold body up on the hull to warm in the sun and dry out. After a while, the SFYC crash boat came by yelling over their horn that “we have 12 boats down and we are calling the Coast Guard”. The sun was out, we were out of the cold water, and only slowing drifting towards The Rock. I could see south past the corner of the City, and see a CG 44 footer coming up the bay. About 500 yards out, it suddenly stopped. A few minutes passed before it again went under way, but very slowly and weaving thru the water.

It never came up to us directly but started making a wide uneven circle around us. They yelled over to us that they had lost a screw and could not come closer. They then informed us we had to swim to them if we wanted to be rescued. I talked the skipper back into the water where he immediately lost it. Getting cold again freaked him so I wound up doing a lifeguard carry across 75 feet of very rough water to the side of the cutter. They started to drag him up the side when this coasty decided to save me. He threw-dropped one of those big orange hard throwing rings straight down on my head. The next thing I knew, I was being dragged up the side, seeing stars, and suffering a mean headache (I had a knot to prove it). Bare in mind, I was doing ok up until that point. The boson-mate running the boat was screaming at the coasty in question a series of four letter words I have never heard placed together in my life. He finished his screaming with the final words “G—D--- Reservist”.

We were wrapped in blankets and taken below. After my head pounding slowed down, I went on to the deck to see a second 44 ft. cutter approaching the turtled boat. They worked a three-inch line around this 300-pound boat and gunned the motors. This proceeded to rip out the forestay, hole the boat, and cause the before mentioned boson-mate on my boat to radio the same four letter words, a description of there national origin, and the fact they were reservists. I was equally mad and walked to the rail and jumped back into the water. As I swam back to the sailboat, I heard considerable loud discussion how a saved victim cannot refuse to be saved. I do not think there is a page in their manual of someone jumping back into the water. I swam to the boat, brought the mast up (I had only left it down for a stable and safe place to warm up the skipper), and demanded a ½ inch line to properly tie off for a tow back to SFYC.

As we were going back to SFYC, I looked back to see a CG chopper hovering above the cutter I had been on. I got the boat to the docks and the lift, and proceeded to do a slow lift and drain (the hull had taken water with the forestay hole). The next thing I knew, my skipper was also there. I asked him how he had gotten there and he replied “On the third cutter”. I asked why a third. “Because the first cutter was sinking.” “Sinking!!!!” I explained. It seems the cutter had completely warped their shaft on the lost screw and were taking water. I then asked what the chopper was for. He replied “to bring out gas, they had none on board.” “But why did they need gas?” “Because that was a diesel cutter with gas bilge pumps, and they had come out without any gas”

The moral of the story is – never need CG help on a reservist weekend. And that is how it took three CG cutters and a chopper to save my sorry behind.

[PeterMac]

Jeeeez mcmsd, that's a heck of a story :shocked: . How about fishing? You got any Tuna stories?

Welcome :grin:

[Popeye]

mcsmd...you have mail

[ 01-22-2003, 07:46 PM: Message edited by: Popeye ]

[mcsmd]

No tuna stories. Would have avoided that sad fact if it were not for the constant requests for a story. I have a river boat however, and will go out for coastal fish in it. But I need rides to the deep blue to get tuna stories. HINT HINT

[wak'm&stak'm]

Good one...welcome to the gang....nice to see another from Newport.

[Re:Play]

Mcsnd welcome and good story(bad experience) May the rest of your trips onto the big blue be much more boring.

[corrirod]

Great story and welcome aboard!

You think these people are brutal about getting a story wait until it's tuna time and their prodding you to quit your job to go 7 days a week! (oh wait, I guess nobody made me quit :whazzup: ) :grin:

[mcsmd]

It was not a bad experience. When we got back to the YC that night, my skipper had already spread the word and I was toasted till the cows came home. What a hang over. But after all, I had saved the boat from washing up on The Rock, sinking at the hands of the CG, or washing out to sea with the next tide change.

[OceanBlue]

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Welcome aboard!

[Popeye]

mcsmd....welcome aboard! Maybe you might want to make the TA meeting on the Julie Rose since you live in Newport. I'm sure we can set you up with a ride to Tuna Town!
Bruce

[El Shaddai]

Welcome!