So we are reminded yet again that we play in a dangerous sport, whether big boats or small, bay or offshore.
And we had two situations during last Saturday’s BBYRA that had the potential to be “tragic accidents”. While the collision between the A-cat Spy and E-scow Gator was obviously potentially quite serious and needs to be addressed, I am almost more concerned by the two crew members who were swept off Spyder at the leeward mark in an unplanned jibe.
Neither crew member was wearing a life preserver and their spray tops made it hard to swim. And both were wearing dark colored spray tops which made it hard to be seen by the other oncoming, hard charging A-cats and E-scows, let alone any rescue craft.
This is not the first time both of these conditions were involved. We need to teach our young sailors better and we need to remind our older sailors that they aren’t immune by virtue of their greater experience.
We play at a potentially dangerous sport and everyone needs to mindful of that fact and pay better attention, before the next by-line is Barnegat Bay.