On Friday evening, just two hours into the Storm Trysail Club's annual 185-mile race from Stamford, CT, around Block Island and back, Jamie Boeckel, was knocked from the foredeck of Bob Towse's 66-foot sloop Blue Yankee and never recovered. Though the crew of the boat was an experienced and talented group including former America's Cup racers and commentators Peter Isler and Gary Jobson immediately executed a man-overboard maneuver, and fellow crew member Brock Callen dove into the 50-degree water to support Boeckel, the sailor ultimately was lost at sea. Boeckel was not wearing a life jacket. Neither was Callen, who with extraordinary stamina was still able to hold his shipmate up for several minutes.



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There is much more to this story. Please stop what you're doing right now and go to the SailNet website to read the rest of Dickison's story - plus the first person sidebar from Blue Yankee by Dobbs Davis, who was in the **** when this tragic incident occurred.



Link to full article...



Alan Thompson

I20 - San Diego

Excellent observations and description of the accident. This article brought home the importance remaining vigilant even while doing the routine.



Sailors enjoy the freedom of the ocean and often overlook the consequences. Practice MOB drills. In rough conditions 20 minutes seems like five. Constantly try to think through even the simplest tasks. Imagine where you will be thrown or what you will collide with in the event of a sudden gust. Try to be prepared for anything to happen.



Too much safety gear is not enough in the right conditions. I participated in the 99 Farallon’s race where a competitor drowned while still being tethered to the boat. End of lecture I'll end with a recent quote "The ocean has no regret and no memory." I apologize for the serious note on such a beautiful day outside.



Bruce Williams

Very well written, especially the first hand account. While I agree that it reminds us sailors to take every precaution, I think it was a little tasteless to put a link to the sailnet store at the bottom with the tag "Self Inflating Life Jackets."



Not inappropriate, maybe just a bit out of taste.

thankyou Allan ,--

It could be any of us that sail, gone-if one does not understand this one should not venture offshore on any body of water.. -I,m so sorry for the family and commend the bravery of another crew to dive into 50 degree water to attempt rescue and crew for their immediate actions.



It is interesting that the Worrell 1000 and Les and Marks experiences are noted in the article {most all partisipants in the race over the years have similar experiences}__ with the recognition that we are prepared to survive the worst and DO ! as catsailors in the Worrell 1000 .Per example the last two legs this year around Cape Hatteras and specifically the last leg to Virginia Bch in 50 to 60 mph winds , good sized seas ,and cold water temps this year.



We all wear breathable DRYSUITS ,PFDs , EPIRBS , LIGHTS AND STROBE , RADIO, KNIVES ,MULTITOOLS and more, we are recognized by coast watch rescue teams and the Coast Guard as a group prepared to survive the worst in our 1000 mile race each year, now the Yachting fraternity in general is recognizing this also along with seamanship skills required.



Often the yachting crowd in years past and Am Cup type sailing commentators like Gary Jobson have described catsailors as quote "curious" unique " sailing cats that should never venture far from shore" ---

They now clearly need to race with us in a major distance or Worrell type race to understand the difference and adopt the readiness, equipement ,and preparation, for use similarly on all types of sailing craft.



Writting this in the hopes that a number of catsailors and teams in the Worrell will write about their experiences and pass on the knowledge of preparation , techniques,and survival when these types of conditions are unexpectedly encountered not only for fellow catsailors benifit but for all sailors . -What to do if your dismasted , --suddenly in high wind and huge seas of a sudden storm, --injured,-flipped , seperated from the boat, or have a similar man overboard ,-what were and are your experiences that allowed you to survive . I think of the vast knowledge and experience of several Worrell teams and hope they will take the time to share their boat prep , techniques used , and experiences,again that will benifit all and may save a future sailors life.



thanks , I,m sure Rick and Mary will run a special section on safety for this on Catsailor .

sail safe

Carl