Joe Coons
How many of you saw me do a really dumb thing during P.I.T.C.H. on Saturday morning, September 4?
Judy and I had agreed to be Committee Boat. It was choppy and windy, and because I had an appointment for some work with one of the charter companies, I decided to take the boat out with the race committee, then dinghy in to shore, take care of my commitment, then dinghy back.
Well, I have a relatively powerful motor on my 10.5' Zodiac, a 15hp Honda. As I accelerated sharply, in addition to the usual bow-up-in-the-air of the boat before it starts to plane, I encountered the stern wave from a passing seiner. The Zodiac rolled to the right, and I tumbled over the starboard side . . .
Now, a bit of background: I was wearing an inflatable, approved suspenders-type life vest, and I was holding on, at least with my right, non-outboard-tiller hand.
But I also had not secured the safety clip on the ignition-kill button to my clothing. So when I went over the side, and I held on, the boat starting turning in a fairly tight circle around my dragging body, which was substantially slowing that side making the boat circle.
The circling kept my legs away from the prop - I thought about that as I circled! - and so I was able to reach across and kill the motor.
Then I learned something very good about inflatables I'd never thought about before: It sure is easier to pull yourself over an inflatable's pontoon than a rigid boat's gunnel! In a jiffy I was aboard again, and my only injury was to my ego. I was lucky.
So the next time you see me in the dinghy, a) the lanyard will be attached to my clothes; b) I'll wait for wakes, and c) I'll accelerate carefully!
Once is enough.
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Last updated 12/4/99 by SCR