Blue Book of Boats

Excerpt from the Vic Maui Race website report:

“Crew members on at least two boats have sustained injuries in the high winds. Aboard Teremoto! Susan cracked or broke some ribs on day two of the race. After consultation with a doctor ashore, and on the insistence of Susan, Terremoto is continuing to Hawaii. The boat is running fast and has less than 1600 miles left in the race.

Aboard Black Watch, Shawn has injured her hip and one of her feet in a fall that sounds similar in nature to the mishap aboard Teremoto! The injury however may not have been as severe. Black Watch is still Hawaii bound, and by all accounts everyone is wet but well fed. With the boats approaching the half-way point of the race everyone hopes the roughest weather is behind them and they can run downhill to Maui, enjoying the tropical sun.”

Here is an excerpt from Terremoto’s blog as to what happened to Susan on Day 2.

“Susan has been injured. She has some (don’t know how many) broken ribs and says she feels like she was hit by a car because her whole left side can hardly move.

It happened quickly on Day 2. We were changing positions in the cockpit to prepare the boat to be more stable going downwind. The waves were merciless in their pounding on us. It was cold and very wet. Susan was sitting on the floor of the cockpit, usually the safest spot. She was ready to put up the staysail as soon as Skyler got it ready. As she sat there the boat heeled over about 80 degrees when a unexpected wave slammed into the back of the boat and the rudder came out of the water. As soon as the rudder left the water, the boat immediately leaned over and Susan fell 8 feet straight down on the lower edge of the cockpit. She was harnessed into the cockpit but the harness is designed to let the wearer move across the cockpit freely. So, nothing stopped her fall until her left side slammed squarely on the edge of the cockpit. She looked like an egg that had just been cracked of the side of a frying pan. We were about 150 miles off shore from Oregon.
We immediately slowed the boat and tried to stabilize it in the rough conditions. We moved Susan below and tied her into the biggest bunk. She was in obvious pain and was having trouble breathing as she completely got the wind knocked out of her.”

ReadTerremoto’s blog by clicking here.

Delicate Balance has officially pulled out of the race after reporting that everything in the boat is wet, clothing, bunks, beddings. Now heading for San Francisco, they are wet and cold. Still 400 nautical miles to go, at an average speed of 6 knots, having slowed down, on autopilot and using a storm jib, three days seem like an eternity.

Sausalito Yacht Club has a reputation for being nice to wet, soggy sailors. And there is also the issue of clearing customs…..

What happened to Delicate Balance?