Lost Rig at Third - 10/6/97

From: Ed Scott (edscott@best.com-DeleteThis)
Date: Wed Oct 08 1997 - 10:27:20 PDT 

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Subject: Lost Rig at Third - 10/6/97
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 97 10:27:20 -0700
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From: Ed Scott <edscott@best.com-DeleteThis>
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Lost 1 Rig

'97 WindWing Interface 3.9 orange with green batten pockets, WindWing 400 cm skinny mast, Chinook booms, and Fiberspar base. Separated from board at Third Avenue on afternoon of October 6 near channel marker 8A.

Hereıs what happened:

The pages from early morning said it all. 24, 25, 26, and at Third, and everyone knows that sensor reads low. It was gonna crank all day. Instead of going for the morning session I opted for the crowds of the afternoon. Just had to take the afternoon off. Well worth it.

When I crested the hill on 92 from 280 the Bay was already showing whitecaps. When you can see them that far away, you know itıs gonna be good.

The lot was almost already full when I got there at 2. Most were rigging 4.0-4.5 and, due to the lighting, it didnıt look full-out nuclear. I went for the virgin sail, the closeout Œ97 Interface 3.9, her maiden voyage, and the 8ı6² ASD Pintail glass board, my smallest (gotta get an 8ı2²). Took my time rigging and putting on the slotted fin for control, since the ebb didnıt start till 4. Heard Ken Poulton broke his ankle early on, and just ordered a Coast Guard taxi to take him to shore using his marine radio. Around 2:30 a Coast Guard helicopter heads east over the San Mateo bridge, another sailor is down and abandons his stuff I later find out. Iım hoping Iım not a casualty of this windy day.

Hit the water at 3. Had to dive last 4 feet or so off the launch to avoid being pushed back on the rocks by the 1.5 foot waves hitting the ramp head-on. Body dragged/ planned away from the launch. Bad sign if Iım gonna go to the channel, but I was committed, and wasnıt very overpowered... yet. Took my time getting in the straps, and the ramps, even on the inside were huge. Nice 4-5 footers comming straight in. Reports were that I was sky-ing Œem big this day, but who can say? Once you pass a couple feet, Iım not sure I can tell the difference. Made some scary flat landings.

Port got more overpowered the closer I got to the channel marker. I started getting way overpowered about 3/4 of the way out, but I just hung on . I made my a couple more jumps on port and headed back. Starboard was way more overpowered than port. I then realized that this was the important side, the one to get me home. Maybe the 3.9 ainıt such a great idea after all.

I took a couple breaks, on one I was contemplating rigging my 3.5 when I realized that it wasnıt in the car, the old 4.0 was. Damn! Re-rigged the 3.9 fully flattened and went back out. I was getting slammed quite righteously on both sides, though, working myself real good. It was one definitely one of those survival days.

Didnıt think the equipment was holding out that bad on the jumps/bails/crash and burns when then, on a small jump, the wind grabbed the bottom of the board, pushed me up and yanked me forwards. I dropped about 5 feet and I fell with my full weight on the booms. Next thing I know, Iım holding my rig, but my board is no longer attached to it. Panic! I think for a second, and dump the rig and start paddling like mad for my board. It isnıt easy, Iım getting tired, and each swell pushes it farther away. This is not good. Iım thinking, night in the channel, no board, no rig, no hope. This motivates me to stretch extra hard for my board. With luck, and with no gusts grabbing a rail and pushing it downwind faster, I reach the board.

Now, to get my rig. Itıs still floating about 30 yards away. Unfortunately, itıs sinking fast, and the 30 yards is straight upwind. I start paddling, but itıs no use against the wind and swell. I try to flag down a couple sailors, but by the time a sailor stops, itıs already sunk. I tell him to try to find my rig and he sails away with a puzzled look on his face. I donıt think heıs seen it.

Now I get down to getting my butt out of there. The tendon on my u-joint snapped clean across the tendon at the screw-hole, and the safety rope failed as well too, allowing the rig to completely detach. Gotta check those better in the future. I remove the u-joint (evidence of the deed), and tuck it away for later inspection. Iım inside the channel marker, which it heartening, but Iım at least 3/4 of a mile out and in 30 knott winds, with gusts in the forties. Iım mainly concerned about getting sucked or blown out into the main channel. I remove my hook and start paddling perpendicular to the wind, and the swells.

I paddle for about 20 seconds at a time, finding myself geting quite tired. Iım not used to all this paddling. I use the parallax of the bridge trestles/powerlines combination to track my position. Itıs slack tide 4:30 and hopefully I wonıt get dragged upwind or pushed into the deeper water of the channel. My goal is to make it in downwind somewhere before the tide turns. After about 10 minutes Robyn stops by and sees I have quite a problem. I tell her to keep her eyes on me.

Thankfully, the north swell, 30 knot winds and the slack tide combine to make it a fairly easy ride in. It seems like a long time at first. I get cold between paddles, and wonder if Iım really in deep shit. No other sailors around this far downwind. Finally, the powerlines move relative to the bridge and I know Iım going to make it.

I make landfall at a sewer outlet near the base of the bridge. Unfortunately, I canıt find the path. Not wanting to be mashed against the rocks and ding my board I attempt to put my board up higher than the level of the water, and jump out. A big north swell smashes me and the board against the rocks. The rails and tail of my board gets banged up pretty badly. I scramble up the first big rock and thereıs the path right behind it. ³Doh!²

Itıs 5 and I flag down a motorist to tell the gang back at Third that I made it OK. No one even noticed I was gone. Well, at least I made it without incident.

I went back to Third on Monday to see if I could find my rig. I looked from just south of the bridge to the marsh past the golf course, thinking that the swell would drive it more or less where I ended up, maybe slightly upwind when the tide turned. If anyone finds whatıs left of it, Iıd like to know.

Someone mentioned that from a monetary standpoint, I probably made the right decision to go for my board instead of holding onto my rig. Actually, given that the board goes for $800 new, I'm not so sure, but I'm pretty sure it was the right decision to save my butt.

I'm changing my tendon u-joint and rope at least once a season now. Mine was two seasons old. Although there were no visible cracks, I guess fatigue got to it. I noticed that ASD carries them. Another hard (and expensive) lesson learned.

-Ed Scott

³I LOVE windy days.² - Bob Miller

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