Well it is a good thing he stayed with the boat! When we went by we saw him waving but were not sure if he wanted help or was just saying Hi. As we sped by under spinnaker, I was looking at the boat and looking for "the other guy" who I assumed was on the other side of the tramp. Once we passed by, I realized, there is NO other guy, he must have got separated and be upwind somewhere. So we snuffed and sailed back upwind to the boat, asked Auri (sp?) "Where's Pete??". He points up wind and says, "Back there." I looked up wind but with the whitecaps couldn't see you anywhere, so I asked, "How far?" He said something like, "Way back". So we took off upwind to look.

Andi sugested I stand up on the tramp to get a better look but I think he spotted you first. His eyes are 10 years younger than mine! What made me mad was when I asked you how many other boats had passed you by and you said, "All of them..."

When you see a boat on it's side and you KNOW there is a missing person, it is your duty to go and find them, just as you would like to be found if it were you. I looked around but saw no crash boats in the area (too busy elsewhere) so I knew it was us or nobody to find you.

I'm sure it will happen to many of us again the next time there is that much wind, people will get separated. I only hope somebody stops to ask if everything is ok when it does. It's a really crappy feeling to be in the water watching your boat drift away faster than you can swim for it! And you can get redress for the rescue when it's over.

John, great job on your rescue above, I know it's hard to get a motor boat near a sailboat without some damage to one or both. I was nearly -helped- to death one day out on my lake by a well meaning but inexperienced pontoon boat operator who thoght I needed help after a pitch-pole, but he nearly ran over my mast and then me! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Last edited by Timbo; 01/25/08 07:38 PM.

Blade F16
#777