Apparently when it comes to rescuing people I am no Hoff.
This last Thursday I thought I would get a early start laying the marks for the TCYC Summer Shorts. I told the crew to meet me at Jericho Pier and I would pick them up after setting the windward mark. Everything was going fine until I reached the area off of the Jericho Sailing Centre. I came across a overturned NACRA F-18 (a sweet boat). It was on its side and there were two crew trying to rite it without success.
While not the exact boat I tried to aid this is what it looked like.
I went below and tried to raise Jericho Rescue on channel 16 but no luck. So I gave up that approach and offered to lift their mast up. When a cat is on its side the biggest problem is breaking the bond between the sail and the water so it can rite more easily. I maneuvered the WEASEL into place and was lazy and decided not to use the boat hook but rather lean over the side and grab the mast tip.
At first this appeared to be working until a wave or wind yanked me over the side of my boat. I hung on with one arm and was up to my belly in water. It was then that I felt the sickening lump of my iPhone in my pocket. I quickly crawled along the outside of the hull and reboarded her from the stern later.
Cell phones and me always have short term relationships that end badly.
I was in no real danger, the boat was in neutral and the prop wasn't spinning, the water was warm, and I have a stern latter that was easy to deploy. When I got aboard the boat I saw a RIB from Jericho motoring over so I went about my original task. My iPhone was soaked and my pride badly damaged. I guess I should have just used the boat hook.
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