Tag: Sailing

Boating safety tips for smooth sailing

Keep your trip above board.

Cool water is a great relief as summer heats up. So, many people take to the rivers, lakes, and oceans on all sorts of vessels. While this usually results in a fun day out, never underestimate the power of water. Accidents happen. Fortunately, a little preparation and education can minimize risks for you, your friends, your family, and your water-loving pets. Here’s what you need to know, with tips and accident stats from the U.S. Coast Guard and other venerable bodies. Whether you’re piloting a motorboat, pontoon boat, canoe, or kayak, reduce your chances of collision, drowning, and other water-related hazards with these tips.

American yacht terrifyingly takes flight before capsizing during a race

Luckily, everyone involved in the crash was OK.

United States sailing team American Magic capsized in terrifying fashion during the America’s Cup Challenger Series on Sunday. All of the sailors were OK, but the ship was, for some time, at risk of sinking, per ESPN.

American Magic attempted what the broadcasters called “a very big maneuver” through rough conditions of wind and rain while leading in a race against Luna Rossa, an Italian group. The vessel, Patriot, flew into the air before capsizing violently.

Firemen, coastguard and the other three teams in the race hurried to aid in the recovery of Patriot and its sailors. Working together, the group used mobile pumps to empty the hull and stabilize Patriot before towing the boat to its base in Auckland, New Zealand.

The American team has until Friday to repair Patriot. That’s when the racing resumes. The only alternative is to use its first-generation race boat, which ESPN wrote “would likely place it at a disadvantage against its rivals.”

I, for one, have no idea why any one of those sailors would want to get on any ship, let alone that ship — ever again.

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Shark affects world-famous yacht race

Shark affects world-famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

The SHK Scallywag, a yacht from Hong Kong, was running in second place in the world-famous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race when a fateful collision with a shark Friday night prevented a podium finish for skipper David Witt.

YACHTING-AUS

For much of the day Friday, Scallywag led the 630-nautical-mile race from New South Wales to Tasmania before Comanche overtook it late in the day and crossed the finish line early Saturday morning to win the 75th edition of the race, which began Thursday.

Scallywag eventually wound up taking fourth because of the accident, finishing an hour behind second-place InfoTrack and 38 seconds behind third-place Wild Oats XI, a nine-time winner of the race. The top three are all from New South Wales.

“We hit a shark and it wrapped around the rudder,” Witt explained to the Australian Associated Press. “We had to drop all the sails and back the boat up to get the dead shark off the rudder. We lost about four miles. It basically cost us running second.

“We’re really, really disappointed because it’s probably the best the team has ever sailed.

“I’ve never been so upset with a result in my life because I know we didn’t do anything wrong.”

Also on FTW Outdoors: Spearfisherman dragged out to sea by great white shark

Witt was visibly upset about the incident and his fourth-place finish in the race, considered to be one of the most difficult yacht races in the world.

“It was my 24th [Hobart] race with still no win,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald. “It’s breaking my heart. These were some of the best conditions we’ve had, but we still didn’t win. I’m gutted we didn’t place in the top three.”

YACHTING-AUS

The collision with the shark occurred off the coast of Tasmania, crewman Larry Jamison told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“We were running downwind when we heard a bang,” he said. “We couldn’t steer the boat so I thought we had broken the rudder.

“There was a 2½-meter shark [8.2 feet] wrapped around the rudder, so we had a bit of drama getting the sails down and clearing the shark. He flipped away, but it cost us.”

Last year wasn’t any better for Scallywag, as a broken bowsprit forced its withdrawal from the race.

“We’ll be back,” Witt told AAP. “The boss is pretty determined. We’ve got 12 months to get over it I suppose.”

Photos by Glenn Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images.

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