First edition cover of Behind the Scenes cruising lifestyle newsletter from CruiserTV
CruiserTV has published its first newsletter about cruisers and the cruising lifestyle. This June/July 2016 issue of Behind the Scenes includes the April 2016 Ensenada Race MOB rescue story, as told by the crew of Foil who saved their shipmate’s life with the dan buoy.
Continue readingWatch this if you have wondered, what’s it like to be hoisted to safety by a US Coast Guard search and rescue team? This is a practice drill by professional rescue personnel using a reporter as their survivor.
The film shows several perspectives looking down at the water from a USCG rescue helicopter. Note how hard it is to see the MOB. And these rescuers knew where to look for him. Our dan buoy would have made easier the job of finding him.
Continue readingMOB perspective from water; photo © 2016 Longpre Photos
In the 2016 Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race (#N2E
), Foil, a Farr 40, sailed fast through the dark and windy night. Under spinnaker, she was making about 12 knots in winds gusting to 20 knots. Out by the Coronado Islands, the boat rounded down; helmsman Val G. went overboard. He broke his clavicle (collarbone) on the way. Foil owner, Gordon Leon, told crew to throw the dan buoy to Val.
After racing thousands of offshore miles and likely more than a thousand races on the Columbia River, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, Bora Bora and in Puget Sound over 30+ years, I fell off a boat for the first time. Why? How? Who cares? Here are the lessons I learned:
- It happens in an instant no matter how experienced you are.
- Read more…