2023 Blackbeard Spring One Design: Heffernan Saves Sailor from Drowning!

It was your typical Bob, Bake and wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, Blow, Regatta. When the wind finally came in it was a hard shift to the left with a strong front, and caught many sailors unaware. Jim Heffernan and crew Lynn Marie were making their way up the first beat in that first wind blessed race of the weekend when Lynn Marie, new to sailing, spotted a sailor go overboard and his boat sail off. They immediately furled their jib, and headed to the sailor who was low in the water without a PFD. It was a struggle getting to the sailor. The high winds made positioning the boat to the sailor difficult and the sailor was quickly losing strength. Finally they were able to get the sailor to the leeward side, assess the best way to get him in the boat, and pulled him in tuna style. Lynn Marie, a whitewater kayaker with swift water rescue training advised him to rest, and got him an energy bar (calories) and cold water. He was unhurt but very tired despite a short period in the water. Close calls have a short fuse.

After a short rest, the sailor chose to be taken to his drifting boat versus the committee boat, much to the relief of his crew Sid Hale. It ended well but not by much. As in all near misses, there are lessons to be learned. First, as Bill Jarvis, P.R.O. emphasized, Rule 1.1 states, ” A boat, competitor, or support person, shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.” Please note, the use of the word ,”Shall” implying it is required. Jim Heffernan stated the following as lesson’s learned. PFD must be worn. They may seem uncomfortable but not as uncomfortable as drowning. Hailing the race committee with a radio would have brought more resources to the incident. Radios should be carried. Having a whistle to signal distress may have attracted other boats from the course to help. A throwable floatation device should be carried, and would have relieved the immediate stress of getting the sailor onboard. This was a dangerous situation; a life could have been lost. Fortunately Jim and Lynn Marie responded quickly and competently and saved us all the grief of another tragic loss.

It seems trivial compared to the rescue, but there was a regatta and it is important to recap the racing. Saturday’s wind underperformed the forecast of 4 to 11. It may have been 3 to 5, and slightly lumpy seas. There was current coming down the river, that settled in at WNW. It was light on the left side of the river, stronger on the right near the marsh. However there moments when the wind shift almost to the WSW. The right thing to do was the right side of the course. Pass the layline, and hope the current wouldn’t sweep you past the mark or into it. In the first race we started on the left side in one of the WSW oscillations. We looked like geniuses for a a minute, then it shut down and dropped us off in the current. We had to struggle to the right side where Intrepid ( Covington) and Anansi (Heine) were a long way toward the layline.

The second race was much like the first except Fetch (Johnson) got lost and arrived at the second windward mark fairly last. We rounded and could see the port jibe seemed to offer a better line, figured it couldn’t get any worse, and it didn’t. There was no third race much to everyone’s relief. We all hoisted our chutes and had the most enjoyable sail of the day.

The Sunday forecast was for 10 to 15, which arrived late in the morning. The first race was a bit of a mess. In the last minute of the start sequence the wind came in hard from the left. At the gun we headed up onto port tack behind a starboard tack but struggle to make the line. Intrepid was to windward of us, Anansi to leeward, and it was sprint to the mark. It was a planning tight reach on the way down. The race committee signaled for a shortened course which some of us missed, rounded the leeward mark, then returned to the finish.

Unfortunately for me I have no recollection of the second race. In the 3d race the wind had settled in and was steady, the RC had the course square. Since the new wind seemed to come from the left side of the course it seemed to make sense to start on starboard then tack onto port. By the second windward mark, Anansi had caught up with Fetch. They rounded in parallel with Anansi on the inside. Fetch headed down the course on starboard, Anansi waited then jibed onto port. Fetch jibed back, and was able to cross behind Anansi and set up on her port side with the wind just slightly from the left. The boats traded the lead several times but the tight reach from the leeward mark to the finish gave Fetch a slight advantage.

One final note, you may have noticed that not much has been said about Intrepid. She was often out and away and has now finished first 10 times in the last two regattas, an impressive string of wins. There is really not much more to be said.

The Blackbeard One Design is the second event of three that will be completed in August. It is a great club to meet at and and sail out of. It is a well run regatta and perhaps the best run boat club in the area. It is always a pleasure to come and race.