Two big boats in man overboard drama in Sailing South race week

by Peter Campbell on 5 Jan 2002 The three pocket-maxi yachts leading the fleet in today’s opening races of Sailing South Race Week in Hobart figured in two man overboard dramas in this afternoon’s second race on
the River Derwent.



The American 65-footer Icon lost a crewman Bruce Palmer overboard as they hoisted their huge spinnaker just after rounding the windward mark while Robbie Gough, the bowman on
board Sydney-based Volvo 60, Line 7 Lenna of Hobart, fell off the boat as he tripped (released) the spinnaker as the crew prepared to drop the big sail approaching the leeward mark.



Palmer, 47, from Hobart and a member of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, was dragged astern of Icon with the spinnaker halyard wrapped around his neck as helmsman Jim Roser
immediately swung the boat head to wind to stop it’s speed.



Other crew members were able to drag Palmer over the stern in an efficient man overboard drill that had him back on board within a few minutes.



“I was choking, it was scary; I thought I was going to cark it,” a shaken Palmer said later as he rested aboard Icon, owned by Richard Robbins from Seattle Yacht Club, back to its berth
at the RYCT.



“But the helmsman and the crew acted very quickly and efficiently and I was back on board within a couple of minutes; I have a sore neck but I hope to be racing tomorrow in the Bruny
Island Race.



Gough, 30, also a member of the RYCT, was picked up by the Sydney Hobart winner, Bumblebee 5, skippered by Roger Hickman, which sailing close astern of Ian Treleaven’s Line 7
Lenna of Hobart, which at that stage was leading the 54 boat fleet around the 12 nautical mile course.



“We saw this man in the water as we approached the leeward mark, as Line 7 had just done,” Hickman said after taking line honours in race two.



“Bumblebee 5, having a largely ocean racing crew, believed that retrieving the man, regardless of the circumstances, was of paramount importance and good seasmanship.



“Bumblebee carried out this maneourve in less that two minutes and continued on to take line honours,” Hickman said.



Hickman added that Line 7 had sailed closely astern of Bumblebee 5 to ensure that Gough was OK, and both boats had continued to race in a close contest to the finish, with Bumblebee
5 winning from Icon and Line 7.



“The race for line honours between these three magnificient boats has been extremely close today and will continue throughout the series, “ he said,



“Robbie was out on the spinnaker pole tripping the spinnaker for the drop when he lost his balance and went into the tide,” Ian Treleaven, skipper of Line 7, explained later.



“We dropped the spinnaker and were heading back to pick him up when Hicko called out that they had him safely aboard.



“Robbie has a sore foot but otherwise is fine and will be racing with us tomorrow in the Bruny Island Race, “ Treleaven added.



“Unfortunately, the incident cost us the lead which we had held from early in the race, with the boat sailing well, but we are pleased that Robbie suffered no more than a swim.”



Bumblebee 5 tonight is seeking redress under the international racing rules of sailing for the short amount of time lost.



Provisional corrected times for the IMS division of race two have placed the Bellerive Yacht Club boat, Invincible, a Farr 1104 skippered by Harold Clark, in first place with a corrected time of 1 hour 31 minutes 29 seconds, with Bumblebee 5 second with a corrected time of 1 hour 32 minutes 26 seconds. Provisionally third is the Sydney 41, B52, skippered by Hughie
Lewis, from the RYCT.



A finding by the Protest Committee in Bumblebee 5’s favour could give her first place in race two over Invincible which also won race one on corrected time from the Mumm 36, Suicide
Blonde (Tim Burnell and James Polson) and the Beneteau 40.7, Vitesse (Rob Howie) also from the RYCT.



International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Vice President David Kellett from Sydney skippered the Sydney 38, Next, to victory on corrected time in the IRC division in both races, with
Breakaway (Wayne Banks Smith) and Valheru (Tony Lyall) second and third in both races.



Other results will be announced later this evening.