We tell you now to reassure you that, in the end, everything went well. And here is the story of an exit from the harbor that almost ended in tragedy, which we told a few years ago in the pages of the Journal of Sailing (on the occasion of our 45th anniversary, we are going over a few “mythical” stories and photos that appeared in our magazine).
MOM MY BOAT WENT OVERBOARD
Southport, Australian east coast, known as the “Gold coast,” 3 p.m. The weather report announces winds gusting to 60 knots and waves along the coast up to 9 meters high, due to the shallow waters of the Gold Coast. Despite bad weather, daredevil skipper Jeux de Guerre decides to head out of port in a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49 DS to reach Southport, 400 miles further north.
Attach the 75-hp Yanmar engine and go out into the open sea dry of sails. When he is about to put the jib ashore, the engine loses power and stalls. A wave higher than the others sends the 49 DS (14.73 m long) soaring like a feather into the sky. Then he falls back dead weight into the sea and traverses, at the complete mercy of the waves.
But the crew, with great promptness, managed to untwist the jib and set it (side photo). Magically the boat regains its trim and becomes steerable again. The skipper turns the bow and returns to port. Navigation is postponed for today!
(photo by A. Head – Newspix)
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