Horny Dolphin - Video Pick Of The Day

Today's Boating Video (See Left Menu). This is a mammal with a sense of humor. Very funny.

Coast Guard Rescues NJ Pleasure Boaters

OFFSHORE OF OCEAN CITY, NJ, May 29, 2007 (USCG) - Coast Guard and commercial salvage crews de-watered a 27-foot pleasure craft on Sunday, May 27, 2007.

The Coast Guard received a call for assistance from four people aboard the vessel, taking on water about five nautical miles east of Ocean City at 11:23 a.m.

Boatcrews from Coast Guard Station Townsends Inlet, N.J., and Coast Guard Station Great Egg, in Ocean City, responded to assist.

After the pleasure craft was successfully de-watered, it was towed into port by the crew of the commercial salvage boat while the four crewmembers were transported to Somers Point, N.J., by the Station Great Egg boatcrew

After the pleasure craft was successfully de-watered, it was towed into port by the crew of the commercial salvage boat while the four crewmembers were transported to Somers Point, N.J., by the Station Great Egg boatcrew

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If It's On The Water, It's On The Boating Channel!
www.BoatingChannel.com

BoatingChannel TV Launched - Hilarious Boating Bloopers

The Boating Channel officially launched BoatingChannel TV last week with the company's industry acclaimed video coverage of Boot Duesseldorf 2007, and a new program called Today's Boating Video (See Left Menu). There's a wealth of video out in the public domain that is interesting, funny, sad, outrageous, and all very entertaining. The program is in beta right now, but take a break and come take a look. They are short clips. There's nothing to download. Just click and play. Our Boating Video Pick of the day is Hilarious Boat Bloopers - This is slap stick comedy at it's au naturel or Realty TV best. If you're a boater, you can't help but laugh and cringe at the same time at almost every scene. Fair Winds, Calm Seas, BoaterB

Why Fish Jump

By Dennis Dobson

"Why do fish jump?" one angler asks another. "Because they don't have fingers," the second angler replies. While this time-worn joke is just that, a joke, it is based, at least to some small degree, on actual observation. This is more than can be said for most, if not all, of the other theories I've heard over the years trying to explain this phenomenon. We'll get back to the observations that provide the genesis for this hackneyed joke in a bit. First, though, let's establish the boundaries of this discussion and debunk a few myths.

I am not talking about why fish jump once they are hooked. I think most of us agree that a chunk of sharp steel lodged unforgivably in the mouth and the resistance provided by a tight fishing line probably offer all of the reason necessary for a fish to jump and fight once it's hooked. From lots of experience over the years I know that getting impaled by a hook is not a pleasant way to spend your time. In actual fact, it isn't getting hooked that hurts so much, at least in my case. What hurts, and can lead to PTHD (Post-Traumatic Hook Disease) is the client yanking repeatedly as hard as they can on a fishing line attatched to a hook that's imbedded in my flesh while exclaiming, "Dennis, it's hung-up! I can't break it free! And my wife wonders why I occasionally wake up in the middle of the night shaking with cold sweats and muttering un-printable curses at people she has never met). There is, as I have been known to point out, a reason we in the guide business refer to it as 'Chuck and Duck'.

I am talking about why otherwise unmolested fish rocket out of the water, for no apparent reason, and then crash, splash or dash back beneath the surface. Often, only to jump again and yet again.

Every angler has probably seen this happen. Over the years on Oregon's north coast, where I live and guide, I have seen thousands of salmon, trout, steelhead and sturgeon jump out of the water for no obvious reason. While guiding in Alaska I have witnessed, in addition to all five Pacific salmon species, as Dolly Varden, pike, grayling and even whitefish do the same. At one time or another over a fishing career that now spans more than forty years I have watched virtually every species of gamefish on the planet do exactly the same thing. From bass to barracuda, from sailfish to sunfish, everywhere I go fish seem to be jumping. I am sure you have seen the same thing.

Here in salmon and steelhead country the two most often cited "scientific" reasons fish jump are either: 1) They are trying to loosen the eggs in their skeins prior to spawning or 2) They are trying to rid themselves of sea-lice. (All three of the local dominant sport fishing species - salmon, steelhead and sturgeon - are anadromous. That is, they are born in freshwater, migrate to the sea as juveniles, reach maturity in the ocean and return to freshwater to spawn. This accounts for terms such as "sea lice" although these small parasites are not limited to the ocean and are commonly found in freshwater rivers and lakes as well). Not only have these two common responses been promoted by otherwise reasonably bright people, many of whom actually work in the fishing industry in one capacity or another and should therefore know better, but they also assume facts not in evidence. Let me explain what I mean.

Based on the reasoning described above every fish that has ever jumped out of the water has to have been either a female preparing to spawn or a fish of either sex infested with parasites. I find it extremely difficult to believe that only female fish, caught in the throes of an ancient urge to procreate, or only fish of either sex, whether ocean-going or landlocked, suffering the inconsequential itch of a parasitic stowaway are prone to jump. Frankly, my credulity just doesn't stretch that far. From lamprey eels, often a foot or more in length, on both ocean-going salmon and landlocked lake trout to barnacles on whales and marlin - often numbering in the hundreds, even thousands - any number of fish species provide a free ride for parasites far more uncomfortable than water-borne "lice".

There is yet a third common explanation for the jumping behavior of many fish. Although based on frustration some anglers, taking the "because they don't have fingers" explanation a step further, will tell you each of those fish is simply jumping out, rolling over and flipping them the fin. While as an angler I agree there are few things quite as frustrating as casting endlessly, with few if any hook-ups, to show for the effort, to fish you know are there because you can see them jumping. I just don't take it personally.

There is also the AFL-CIO hypothesis. I have heard some anglers comment that some species of fish, particularly salmon and steelhead, must be union fish. The reason these 'affliated' fish jump, they reason, is to check the time by the angle of the sun on the horizon to see if their coffee break is over yet. While I must admit this theory, at least at first glance, has possibilities - after all, I at least have never caught a fish that was wearing a timepiece (although I did catch one once that had swallowed a pocketwatch) - upon further investigation I am afraid this otherwise engaging piece of logic simply doesn't hold up to the cold, hard, observable facts. Yes, I know that many fish travel in 'schools' but we have no scientific data indicating that telling time is a subject covered in these schools. Besides, ask yourself this: What about Daylight Saving Time? Huh? How would any fish know, regardless of how far they might have progressed in school, when to 'Jump Forward' or when to 'Fall Back'?

Having deflated the 'spawning female-only', 'parasite-encrusted' , 'no fingers' and 'union organized' explanations for why fish jump, let's return to simple observation for a hint or two concerning why so many species of fish, in so many varied environments, engage in this activity.

In both science and philosophy there is a general rule known as "Occam's Razor". This rule states that an explanation for an unknown phenomena should first be attempted in terms of what is already known about it. Simply put, this means that when all else fails let what you already know about something lead you to an answer relating to something you don't yet have an answer for. Using Occam's Razor as a guideline we arrive at an answer regarding why fish jump that is simple, yet elegant, and deeply satisfying as well.

Have you ever watched from a deer stand or on a nature show as deer frolic? Have you ever seen chimpanzes chase each other just for the joy of it? Have you ever seen bear cubs tumble and rough house? Did you watch as your youngster, in that never-never land between toddler and teen, ran pell-mell at the speed of light playing with friends simply because it felt good? If you have, then you already know why fish jump.

I am convinced that Mother Nature sees to it that every organism above a certain point in the food chain is blessed with enough sense of self to enjoy being what they are. One universal expression of this joy is the exuberance of physical activity. The whole-body rush as adrenaline and endorphins flood the system. The invigorating flush of heat and motion. The stretch and play of supple muscles, the dynamic tension between skin and ligament, bone and tendon as we each discover our physical limits. The range of emotions your face undergoes as you fight a fish leads us to the same conclusion. First surprise, followed in short order by confusion, concentration, determination and finally pride and joy as you bring the fish to net, all point to the same reason.

Fish jump because they can. Because it feels good. It's that simple.

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If It's On The Water, It's On The Boating Channel!
www.BoatingChannel.com

Search Crews Find Body, Life Raft and Life Ring

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, May 22, 2007 (USCG)- The Coast Guard is utilizing multiple search assets this morning in an attempt to find the fishing vessel Mary James, believed to be the source of a mayday call that was received Sunday evening. Since the search began, the Coast Guard has found one body, a life raft and a life ring, about 22 miles southeast of Manasquan Inlet, N.J.p>The body has not yet been identified. It is being picked up and transported ashore by a Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet rescue Search Crews Find Body, Life Raft and Life Ring.

All indications are that the body, as well as the mayday call and debris, originated from the fishing vessel Mary James, a 40-foot scallop boat which moors at the Red Lobster Shack in Manasquan, N.J. The crew of the Nautilus, sister ship to the Mary James, confirmed having spoken to the crew of the Mary James Sunday evening and that it utilizes a two-person crew.

Searching are Coast Guard rescue crews aboard an HH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City, an HC-130 Hercules long-range surveillance aircraft from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., rescue boats from Station Manasquan Inlet and Station Barnegat Light, N.J., and the Cutter Finback, an 87-foot coastal patrol boat homeported in Cape May, N.J.

Coast Guard search and rescue coordinators received a mayday call on marine radio at about 11:15 p.m. Sunday. The Coast Guard immediately began issuing an urgent marine information broadcast (UMIB) on marine radio for any vessels to keep a sharp lookout, assist if possible and report any sightings to the Coast Guard.

An Air Station Atlantic City rescue helicopter was diverted from a previous case to begin searching. A subsequent helicopter search at about 2:30 a.m. resulted in the location of a life raft with no one aboard. Another helicopter search resulted in the location of the life ring, with the vessel name of Mary James printed on it.

18th Cent Schooner Cutty-Sark Ablaze

May 21, 2007 The Boating Channel) The Clyde-built Cutty Sark was built in 1869 on the River Clyde in Glasgow. The ship is one of the last sailing clippers to be built. She was preserved in dry dock at Greenwich in London, but was damaged in a fire on 21 May 2007 whilst undergoing extensive restoration. Like many ships of her era, she had a wrought iron frame structure covered by wooden planking. At the time of the fire, 50% of the planking from the ship was in storage for restoration. Of the 50% that remained on site, not a lot was damaged; "where I stand there is not a huge amount of damage to the planking that was left on", said Chris Livett, Chairman of Cutty Sark Enterprises.

On 21 May 2007 the Cutty Sark caught fire and was reported by the BBC to be completely ablaze. The extent of any damage is not known but there is concern that it may have affected the framework of the ship. The fire was reported to the fire service at 4:46 a.m. British Summer Time (GMT+1) by members of the public. A representative of the fire brigade said at 7:09 a.m. that the fire was well under control and that damage was extensive but until the experts can make a full damage assessment survey, it is unknown just how much has been lost. The fire was declared by a journalist on site to have been out at 07:21 a.m., with most of the wooden structure in the centre having been lost.

In an interview with the chief executive of the Cutty Sark Trust it was revealed that at least half of the "fabric" (timbers, etc) of the ship is not on the site as it is being dismantled for the preservation work, and that they are most worried about the iron framework around which the fabric is attached.

Aerial video footage at 7:22 a.m. shows extensive damage but seems to indicate that the ship has not been destroyed in its entirety. A fire officer present at the scene said in a BBC interview that when they arrived, there was 'A well developed fire throughout the ship'. The bow section looks to be "relatively unscathed" and the stern also appears to have survived without major damage. The fire seems to have been concentrated on the centre of the ship. One journalist commented that "you can see right through from one side to the other". However, no one currently on site knows just how much had already been removed for the preservation work.

The latest reports confirm that 50% of the ship was not on the site. Of the remaining material on site around 80% (now thought to be less) of that has at least been damaged.

The Chairman of Cutty Sark Enterprises who has inspected the site said at around 8:35 a.m., "The decks are unsalvageable but all the planking had already been removed; however the damage is not as bad as originally expected."

It has already been stated that the ship can be restored, the damage being less than originally thought. Up to 50% of the original material is currently being stored offsite during restoration.

It has also been officially stated that once restored the ship will still be the original Cutty Sark and not in anyway a re-creation. It has been shown in courts throughout the world with other types of vehicle (mainly automobiles) that if a greater part of the original frame is used then the vehicle is not in any way shape or form a re-creation) In this instance due to the fact that 50% of the ship was not involved in the fire, and of the remaining half that was on site, the bow was predominatly undamaged, the stern appears fairly intact, and the rest whilst damaged should at least in part be repairable. As such the ship will still have a majority of the original parts and will still be the "Cutty Sark" and not in part or whole a re-creation whatsoever.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown but is being treated as "suspicious" by the authorities. Wikinews has news related to: Cutty Sark ablaze, fire treated as 'suspicious'

Certain eye witnesses reported seeing a silver car near the scene, at early hours in the morning. CCTV footage is currently being examined by the police

America’s Cup: Big Loses for American and Spanish Teams in LV Semi Finals

Americans Down 3-1 against Italians; Kiwis in Control Over Spanish

VALENCIA, Spain, May 18, 2007 (The Boating Channel) – Prospects for an American team in this year’s America’s Cup are looking bleak, as BMW Oracle loses it’s third match to Luna Rossa, the Italian team that wasn’t supposed to defeat them. Today’s Semi Finals loss was the second in a row for Larry Ellison’s team, representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco – and the third in a best of nine series.

Emirates Team New Zealand, meanwhile, maintained their control over the Spanish Desafío Español, winning their third match today and giving them a 3-1 lead over the hometown team. The two teams that win the Semi Finals will meet in a head-to-head best-of-nine series in the final round, and the winner of the Finals goes on to challenge Team Alinghi in the America’s Cup.

After losing the first race on Monday to the Italians, BMW Oracle Racing clawed back nearly one minute over the course of the race on Tuesday to overhaul Luna Rossa Challenge and avoid dropping behind in the series 2 - 0. By making a pass on the final run, the Americans tied it up going into Wednesday’s race. But Luna Rossa turned it around on Wednesday, and today they scored a solid advantage, needing only two more wins to take the Semi Finals.

Emirates Team New Zealand looked good from the first race, and after Tuesday they had a 2-0 lead over Desafío Español. On Wednesday the Spanish team came back fighting and scored their first victory over the Kiwis. But the glory was short-lived, and today Emirates Team New Zealand came in 42 seconds ahead, securing a 3-1 lead going into tomorrow’s races.

Race 4, Match 1- Luna Rossa Challenge beat BMW ORACLE R

Chris Dickson succeeded in avoiding James Spithill’s attempt at aggression in the pre-start, and BMW ORACLE Racing rolled off the start line at pace, to the right of the equally quick Luna Rossa. When USA 98 tacked away, the Italians followed them out to the right, with a slight edge on the Americans.

After a long sail out to the right side of the course, Dickson eventually tacked, a move which initiated a long and tiring tacking duel all the way to the starboard layline. From there the Italians led around the windward mark with a 13 second advantage. Unlike previous races where USA 98 had shown a clear downwind advantage, the Italians kept their rivals at bay and led by 12 seconds at the leeward gate.

However, after a tightly fought match up to this point, Luna Rossa allowed BMW ORACLE to break away unchallenged to the left, Torben Grael keeping faith in the right. By the time Dickson tacked back, the separation between the boats was 2700 meters across the race course. Everything would now come down to who found the better wind. For a time it looked like USA 98 had the advantage to the left but when the boats finally reconvened in the middle of the course, Italy had jumped ahead to a five-boat-length lead.

It was a 29-second delta round the final mark and despite a protracted gibing duel down the last leg BMW ORACLE could only close the gap to 23 seconds by the finish. It was an emphatic victory for Luna Rossa.

Race 4, Match 2 – Emirates Team New Zealand beat Desafí

Karol Jablonski has looked very dangerous in the pre-start, but today Dean Barker gibed inside Desafío Español to seize the right-hand side of the start box. However, rather than starting on the right, Barker got a hook on the green boat, by slipping his bow under the Spanish transom, forcing Jablonski to tack away towards the Race Committee boat. The Spanish started downspeed while the Kiwis accelerated off the left-hand end of the line.

The New Zealanders sailed a typically tight match against Spain, taking small chunks out of their opposition in a tacking duel up the first beat and leading by 25 seconds at the first mark. They were never seriously challenged after that, and Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish 42 seconds ahead.

Coast Guard Issues Alert for Wayward Whales

RIO VISTA, CA, May 17, 2007 (The Boating Channel) The Coast Guard has issued a safety marine information bulletin over channel 16, advising all mariners that the Coast Guard will be enforcing a 100-yard safety zone around the whales.

Audio Text of Message:

Securite 3: Hello all stations this is United States Coast Guard Sector San Francisco

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Securite 3: This is United States Coast Guard Sector San Francisco out.

America’s Cup: Luna Rossa and Emirates TNZ Score in First Races of Louis Vuitton Semi-Finals

BARCELONA, Spain, May 14, 2007 (The Boating Channel) - The Louis Vuitton Cup has been whittled down from eleven teams to just four. Emirates Team New Zealand, BMW Oracle, Luna Rossa and Desafío Español 2007 emerged from the Round Robins at the top of the leaderboard, and they are now paired up for the Semi Finals match portion of the event. Today they engaged in their first battles after a short four-day rest.

Following a few weeks of ragged scheduling dictated by fickle weather, the Round Robins finally closed last week with Team New Zealand in first place. BMW Oracle had been leading the Round Robin series from the start, but some false steps at the end cost them the top spot – and the right to select their opponent in the semi-finals. The second place ranking may prove costly for the Americans, who must sail the semi-finals against a strong Luna Rossa.

Emirates Team Zealand logically chose Desafio Espanol 2007 as its Semi Final opponent. The Spanish team has never beaten the Kiwis in seven tries during the pre-match events over the past three years. Today was no exception.

BMW Oracle’s history with Luna Rossa gave the Americans some reason for optimism. They have won six matches against the Italians, five of them in the last six races during the 2006 and 2007 events. But today’s race put them down by one in the best of nine series.

The Finals series will be a head-to-head competition between the two winners of the Semi-Finals. The victor in the Finals wins the right to take on Team Allinghi for the America’s Cup.

Racing will continue on Tuesday.

Match 1: Luna Rossa Challenge beat BMW ORACLE Racing

In the pre-start it looked as though Luna Rossa might be able to close BMW ORACLE Racing out above the Race Committee boat, but Chris Dickson and his afterguard had factored in some current sweeping across the start line. The American boat slotted in nicely next to the boat with Luna Rossa just to the left.

After sailing locked together for many minutes, which seemed very sensible with the wildly shifting offshore breeze, the Italians and Americans broke away to opposite sides of the course. Luna Rossa tactician Torben Grael found the better breeze to the left and the Italians rounded 52 seconds ahead.

Around the top mark, USA 98 picked up a beautiful puff of breeze and surged down the right-hand side of the course. The Italians meanwhile had already gybed off to the centre of the course and were wallowing by comparison. Dickson recouped a 400 metre deficit to put Luna Rossa helmsman James Spithill under pressure at the leeward gate, Dickson initiating an aggressive luffing match.

Spithill did just enough to claim the left-hand gate mark while the Americans peeled away to the right, just 7 seconds back. Again both boats gambled with their respective sides of the course and again the Italians’ faith in the left paid off as they leapt to another 400-metre lead.

This time the Italians did a better job of shadowing the Americans down the final run, and even when the breeze shifted nearly 180-degrees just before the finish, Luna Rossa capitalized on the changeable conditions and stretched the winning margin to 2:19 minutes at the finish.

Match 2: Emirates Team New Zealand beat Desafío Español

If the Italians and Americans were playing their match fast and loose, Emirates Team New Zealand took no such chances. Dean Barker won the right-hand end of the start and it wasn’t long before the Kiwis had established a small lead over Desafío Español 2007. After winning the lead from the right, Barker dragged the match to the left-hand layline and led Karol Jablonski to the first mark by 1:03.

However, with the Kiwis sailing very defensively they yielded some of that lead to round the left-hand leeward mark by just 41 seconds. The Spanish brought the match even closer up the final windward leg, rounding 30 seconds behind at the final turning mark.

As new breeze filled in across the course, and the teams were forced to douse spinnakers in favor of jibs for some close reaching to the finish, the Kiwis extended away to win by 43 seconds at the finish.

Coast Guard Issues Alert for Wayward Whales

RIO VISTA, CA, May 17, 2007 (The Boating Channel) The Coast Guard has issued a safety marine information bulletin over channel 16, advising all mariners that the Coast Guard will be enforcing a 100-yard safety zone around the whales.

Audio Text of Message:

Securite 3: Hello all stations this is United States Coast Guard Sector San Francisco

break

Securite 3: The Coast Guard has received a report of two humpback whales 10 miles south of West Sacramento. All vessels in the area are requested to transit the area with caution and be advised there is a 100-yard safety zone around each of the whales

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Securite 3: This is United States Coast Guard Sector San Francisco out.

USNS Shasta Rescues Five After Fire Strikes Cargo Ship

SINGAPORE, May 15, 2007 - Navy News Service

(By Edward Baxter, Sealift Logistics Command Far East Public Affairs)




Civil service mariners aboard Military Sealift Command ammunition ship USNS Shasta T-AE 33 rescued all crew members aboard a disabled commercial cargo ship May 12 in the Western Pacific near Saipan.

Just after sunset, Shasta received a request from the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet Battle Watch Center to assist the ill-fated MV Haurosi, which reported a major engine room fire.

Traveling at full-speed, Shasta made the 90-mile voyage to Haurosi’s location in just over four hours, using the transit time to prepare the flight deck for helicopter operations and ready Shasta’s towing and firefighting equipment.

“As we approached, we could see the crew on deck waving flashlights,” said Capt. R.J. Bellfi, Shasta’s civil service master. After refueling a U.S. Navy HH-60 helicopter from Guam that was already on-scene, Shasta’s crew dispatched a boarding team to Haurosi in the ship’s rigid-hull, inflatable boat.

Once on board Haurosi, Cargo Officer Robert Foor assessed the damage to the ship and condition of the crew. The fire was fully extinguished, but Haurosi was adrift without propulsion or power. Luckily, the ship’s crew fared much better.

“They were a bit exhausted, but appeared to be in good shape,” Foor said. Haurosi and its crew were five days into a voyage from Pusan to the Solomon Islands when the fire occurred.

Shasta set up temporary lighting to monitor the ship throughout the night. The following morning, in rain showers and gusty winds, Shasta attached a tow line to Haurosi and set course for Saipan, the nearest port.

“We had a lot of rigging to accomplish to get the towing bridle aboard and in place,” said Boatswain's Mate Ronald Hanses, one of the key players in the boarding team. “Without mechanical power, it was a tough job pulling a towing rig from one ship to another. It helps to have that knack for improvising.”

All five Haurosi crew members were transferred to Shasta and received general medical services, a hot meal, clean clothing and a place to sleep. Shasta’s crew passed the hat and collected $800 for Haurosi’s crew, all citizens of the Solomon islands.

Shasta safely delivered Haurosi and its crew to Saipan. “We were well-equipped and had the seamanship experience to provide assistance for this rescue,” said Bellfi. “There is a support network out there, always on watch, and we are part of it.”

The 564-foot, 20,000-ton Shasta is one of MSC’s five ammunition ships and is one of 39 ships in the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force program that provide logistics support to U.S. Navy warships operating in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. The ship has a crew of 134 civil service mariners employed by MSC as well as two military personnel.

MSC operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces.

Empress of the North Runs Aground in Alaskan Strait

JUNEAU, Alaska, May 14, 2007 (The Boating Channel)

The 360-foot paddelwheel cruise ship Empress of the North ran aground 49 miles west of Juneau near Hanus Reef in Lynn Canal, Alaska this morning at about 2a.m. local Alaska time.

According to Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak, the ship was listing 6 degrees and was taking on water.

Coast Guard and other good samaritan vessels, including some fishing boats and other cruise ships in the area, coordinated efforts to evacuate the 281 passengers on board. No injuries have been reported. The evacuated passengers have been taken to Juno.

The weather on scene is calm. The Coast Guard is working with other state and federal agencies to ensure the safety of everyone on board and to mitigate any potential environmental damage. The vessel is owned an operated by Majestic America Line of Seattle, Washington.

The Empress of the North contacted the Coast Guard via VHF radio on Channel 16 reporting they were aground with 281 passengers on board.

Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak launched a C-130 crew and a pre-deployed HH-60 helicopter crew from Cordova, Alaska to the scene.

The Coast Guard is still investigating the cause of the grounding.

Velux 5 Oceans: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Places Third in Leg 3

Ahoy America! BoatingChannel.com: Velux 5 Oceans: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Places Third in Leg 3

Velux 5 Oceans: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Places Third in Leg 3

BILBAO, Spain, May 4, 2007 (The Boating Channel) – Nearly 40 years after Sir Robin Knox-Johnston became the first person to sail non-stop around the world in the 1968-69 Sunday Times Golden Globe, the 68-year old made history again today as he finished a second solo circumnavigation and completed the Velux 5 Oceans race, one of sailing’s greatest challenges. Sir Robin is now the oldest person to have completed this classic race and his natural ability, determination and perseverance has seen him outdo some of the world’s best skippers and leave him fighting for an overall podium position in the final rankings.

Knox-Johnston has succeeded in the face of constant adversity. Only 165 people have ever successfully sailed solo around the world. Sir Robin was already part of this extraordinary group of sportsmen but has again proved himself. Indeed, he is the pioneer of solo sailing and gave inspiration to a passion that still surrounds races such as the Velux 5 Oceans.

Speaking from the marina in Gexto, where he was met by his brother, friends, supporters, sponsors and shore crew, he commented, “I am very pleased to be back in Bilbao. It was a fantastic welcome. People on the water, the pontoons, everywhere. Bilbao has always been great since the start! For this leg we got the boat together and I had very few problems. At the beginning I decided to sacrifice 30 hours going north as I didn’t believe in the southern course Unai (Basurko, still sailing to Bilbao on his Open 60 Pakea) was taking. But now he has better wind than I had with a nice westerly bringing him back home. I would like to tell him; Unai you are my best friend when you are onshore but God I hate you at sea!”

“Technologies have been my main issue in the Velux 5 Oceans,” Knox-Johnston continued. “I would have preferred to do the race the way it was in 1969. The problem is now we are absolutely dependent on weather programs and I unfortunately didn’t have enough time at the beginning of this project to learn everything. I wish one normal and easy manual would exist for it. This time was easier than 30 years ago; but it is always easier when you know it can be done, which was not the case 40 years ago. Nothing will compare to the first voyage."


It Was My Last Circumnavigation

“It was my last circumnavigation, I won’t do it again, which is sad.," Knox-Johnston announced. "In four years time I will be too old to do it. The Velux 5 Oceans has already been frustrating so I guess in four years time I wouldn’t be competitive enough and it would be too frustrating for me. It is a tough race; firstly you must get round but also get round quickly.”

Smiling broadly and reaching to open his Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston crossed the leg 3 finish line in Bilbao at 11:22:03 local time (10:22 BST, 09:22 UTC). Just seconds after crossing the line Sir Robin marked his incredible achievement by enjoying a dram of the fine single malt before ceremonially splashing it on the bow in the customary ‘wetting the boat’ celebratory tradition.

As Saga Insurance crossed the line, the legendary skipper was greeted with the cheers of the Basque people. The third leg from Norfolk, Virginia (USA) took the Open 60 16 days, 17 hours and 2 minutes. Sir Robin finished three and a half days behind the winner Bernard Stamm and claims third place in the leg. In the overall rankings, Knox-Johnston is fighting for a podium finish (third) with local Basque hero Unai Basurko. The Bilbao skipper is 100 miles behind Knox-Johnston in this leg but holds a 42-hour lead over the British sailor and therefore looks likely to arrive in Bilbao and snatch third place. Having completed the race in 159 days, 12 hours and 42 minutes, Sir Robin has knocked 153 days off his time in the Sunday Times Golden Globe.

Knox-Johnston’s story in the Velux 5 Oceans has been characterized by passion, commitment and huge interest from the general public around the world. Already hailed for his ground-breaking achievement in 1969, he has again captured the imagination of adventurers around the world with his second solo circumnavigation. Sailing an old generation of the Open 60 racing yacht and taking ownership of the boat only months before the start, he was already at a disadvantage against leading sailors such as Mike Golding, Alex Thomson and Bernard Stamm.

Unprepared and inexperienced in the Open 60 class, he bravely set off from Bilbao last October and sailed straight into hurricane conditions in the atrocious storm off Cape Finisterre. He very nearly made it through before SAGA Insurance was knocked on its side and he damaged his mast track, forcing him to land for repairs. However, he re-joined the race and slowly understood how to get speed from his craft. As Alex Thomson and Mike Golding retired with damaged yachts, Sir Robin kept his boat in one piece and arrived in Fremantle (Western Australia) to take third place and a podium finish.

Technology has been a problem for Sir Robin since day one. Having sailed around the world with nothing but a sextant and the stars for navigation and a VHF radio for communication, the modern day technology was a constant struggle and regularly failed. He sailed through the most isolated parts of the Southern Ocean with no weather information and still kept pace with his younger adversaries. When he first made history, his autopilot was constructed out of metal bars and he drank water that he collected in a bucket on his boom. The Velux 5 Oceans experience was very different.

Velux 5 Oceans Race: Bernard Stamm Arrives As Overall Champion

BILBAO, Spain, May 1, 2007 (The Boating Channel) – In an exciting finish, half of the Velux 5 Ocean racers crossed the line in the final leg of the Velux 5 Oceans race within less than one hour of each other yesterday afternoon. Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm, who has totally dominated this race almost from the start, 29,000 miles ago, completed the 3,200-mile run across the North Atlantic at 17:13:25 local time, April 30, 2007. Standing on the starboard side of his Open 60, Cheminees Poujoulat, Stamm let the autopilot guide the yacht while he waved to his family waiting aboard the committee boat.

With this victory, Stamm garnered Line Honors for Leg 3 of the Velux 5 Oceans, as well as having secured the First Place crown overall in this edition of the race.

A fleet of press and spectator boats waited in wind and rain for Stamm to complete the course. And as they greeted the triumphant skipper, they could see off in the distance the sail of Spirit of Yukoh making its way toward them.

Just 43 minutes and 20 seconds later, at 17:56:45, Kojiro Shiraishi brought his Open 60 across the finish line. During the eleven days it took both skippers to cross the Atlantic, from Norfolk, Virginia, to Bilbao, where the race first began, Shiraishi was rarely more than 100 miles behind Stamm. And they both came in days ahead of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston aboard Saga Insurance and Unai Basurko aboard Pakea.

Shiraishi was welcomed by a watery salute from local fire fighting tugs, and hundreds of race fans set off flares from around the lighthouse at the end of the Puerto Deportivo breakwater while the Japanese skipper negotiated a route through the hundreds of spectator boats that gathered to watch the spectacular arrival of two of sailing’s most outstanding skippers.

During the entire circumnavigation of Velux 5 Oceans race, Bernard Stamm spent a total of 103 days, 22 hours and 10 minutes at sea, holding a cummulative 14 day lead over Shiraishi, who completed the course after 118 days, 1 hour and 42 minutes at sea.

The tension in these final days of the event is now between the two yachts still out at sea. Knox-Johnston is almost three hundred miles ahead of Basurko and is just about 425 miles from the finish line. But Basurko took third place in the second leg, and to capture the third podium position overall Sir Robin must arrive a good 48 hours ahead of the Basque skipper. Both are currently sailing in very harsh seas, and both are being handicapped by compromised electronics. There are predictions for a southwesterly Force 8 Gale with rain and thunder, which could change everything.