Challenge: What Would You Do? - Two Crew Lost Overboard During Race

[TaoJones]

This item is from today's 'Lectronic Latitude, and it deals with a situation that lends itself to the "Challenge" format that Pelagic has come up with. This incident occurred in last weekend's King Harbor Race (around Anacappa Island and back).

Two (of four) women aboard a J/37 (all very experienced racers) were pitched into the sea when the vessel unexpectedly rounded up while they were flying the boat's largest chute in 30 knot winds. Here's how 'Lectronic Latitude begins the story:

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"Close Calls in King Harbor Race

"August 4, 2008 – Just West of Point Dume

(Click on the photo to enlarge it.)
"Judy and Bill Webster of the J/37 Sidekick bookend Judy-Rae Karlsen, the Rattle & Hum crewmember they and their crew pulled from the Pacific after a half hour swim. Humble Bill and Judy didn't want their photo taken, but we made them pose.
Photo Latitude / Richard
© 2008 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

"There was some unwanted excitement in last Friday's 36th annual 81-mile Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race, as two woman went overboard from the Antrim 27 Rattle & Hum and three men found themselves standing on the overturned hull of the Corsair Sprint 750 Existential Blowout.

"The women overboard incident in the 107-boat fleet was potentially the most serious, as one of them, Judy-Rae Karlson of Long Beach, ended up swimming in the open ocean for approximately 30 minutes. Fortunately, her prayers were answered just before dark when she was miraculously spotted and picked up by another racing boat."

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For the entire article, go to:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

TaoJones