Here is a cautionary tale from a Lake Michigan catamaran sailor that explains the events leading to the demise of his Hobie 18 catamaran sailboat while sailing from Muskegon Harbor. Damon
I had been tracking the wind speed, from the office, at 12-16 knots steadily from the
southwest all morning. Around noon, I was able to get a crew to head out to
the lake at 2:00 PM – Friday July 25, 2003.
I should have known was not a good sign that on the way to the lake there was a
major accident. An driver had crossed the center lane of the highway
and hit another car, forcing us to detour and delay launching.
My Hobie 18 Magnum catamaran is kept mast up on a catamaran beach inside the Muskegon Harbor breakwater, so we quickly got it rigged and launched. The acceleration out of the harbor was GREAT! After clearing
the lighthouse, that is where we ran into a slight problem. Outside the calm of the harbor, waves were already 3 to 5 feet, building quickly.
I just realized that I did not bother to check the marine forecast or if
there was a “small craft advisory”. I got my information from a local NOAA
web site that has a web cam monitoring the harbor, wind display & direction,
and a great view of the “cat beach” http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/metdata/mkg/.
Did I mention that the water was only 58-59 degrees F? Very cold! We were outfitted in PFD’s, and used to the conditions, this was supposed to be just a quick afternoon sail near the harbor.
From there I made the fatal “navigational error”, we tacked and close hauled
back toward shallow water in a southwest direction and starboard tack. Very
close to the wind, and probably 75-100 yards from the pier.
The waves were breaking on the pier break wall from the south. It was one
of those days when the waves would crash on the break wall and create
vertical showers. We got caught in the current’s monster waves and started
to stall. My Hobie-Bob mast float started doing the continuous 360-degree
spin and I was stuck. The waves continued to push us toward the break wall
and then the screaming started.
“OH “#@%” push off on the rocks, OH “;@&$” stay on the boat! This is not good.”
Did I mention that it was the first time out for my crew sailing? Good
experience for a first timer!
We hit the first series of rocks with a sickening thud. My thoughts for
pushing off of the rocks was not realistic when there were no places to get
a dry secure grip to push off.
Where we had landed was infamous for terrible undertows that take several
lives a year from kids jumping off of the pier or falling off the rocks.
The catamaran was now smashing violently on the break wall and we had to
grab and hold on to the wing seat frames and anything we could hold on to
that would avoid us from being thrown off the boat. I tried to drop the
main sail, however I had tied a “preventer knot” to avoid having the main
come down if we had capsized & for the weather conditions. At one time, the
combination of the waves and the Hobie bucking on the rocks attempted to
toss me off the back & I grabbed the boom at the last minute stopping my
demise. We both had great bruises from this! While we are going through
this, a jet skier and a young teenager attempted to offer help, the jet
skier had to pull away the waves had started their “tractor beam” pull on
the jet ski. The teenager we told to stay back, I did not need another
party possibly getting injured in my adventure. We finally were able to get
off the boat on the third row of rocks, in between a wave smashing, and
climb up the sea wall.
We had to walk off the pier to the bar to start making phone calls! A
monohull stopped & asked if we were OK, on the safe side of the break wall,
they had called the Coast Guard. Making it to the bar another omen, Jimmy
Buffett was playing in the bar the Boats CD with “Treat Her Like a Lady” &
other tracks as our background, as I dialed 911, my insurance co., and the
harbormaster!
I got a great response. Muskegon Police Department, Muskegon Sheriff,
Muskegon Fire Department, and finally the US Coast Guard! Great guys.
The police department now has jurisdiction of the pier & he decides to call
for a tugboat to clear the boat off the rocks, he wants to avoid civilians
from climbing on the boat & falling off into the lake. The tug gets there
after 2-hours and almost gets pulled into the pier. Your should have seen
the line-up on the pier snapping pictures of the PD officer and I trying to
throw a line to the tug, it reminds me of “stupidest behavior caught on
tape”. This action now re-activates the Coast Guard and they come
“screaming out” to call off the tug.
All finished it became an 8-hour ordeal from start to finish. I had to
leave it for the weekend before it could get pulled off the pier.
The disgusting part was the theft, people stole fittings, the main halyard,
righting line, and someone actually drilled out the mast float support on
the mast. Keep in mind that it is probably a ¾ mile walk to the end of the
pier.
Hindsight, I should have brought a paddle, I should have headed north on a
broad reach and a run to calmer waters, and I should have listened to the
marine report and stayed home! A week before, a 37′ Hunter monohull sank in
Lake Michigan from a broken rudder-post. The day after, and the rest of the
weekend, winds increased to 18-20+ knots with 5-7′ waves, a rough weekend.
My crew was
OK and the bruises healed, we were LUCKY! The boat was in perfect
condition, I kept upgrading lines, components, & hardware. I sailed twice a
week all summer, Wednesday & Saturday – it was overall very sickening.
Salvage fees are very expensive ($150.00 per hour and up) and are often
treated as part of your insurance coverage or payoff – – they come right off
the top! I got charged for Friday night and Monday.
Good news – – I will be picking up my new used 1995 Nacra 5.8NA next week,
looking forward to sailing again and I will attempt my first race next
weekend!
Ken
