It’s soooooo easy to get cool videos from the Volvo Round the World Race that it’s tempting to do it all the time. I’ll succumb this time, ’cause there are two particularly interesting ones.
First off, we have the man overboard recovery adventure onboard Scallywag en route to their taking the lead in the current leg. These things happen, but one would think the bowman should have at least a life jacket on. Even with the best sailors in the world. Thoughts?
The second video, also from the Volvo Race, shows just how far media coverage has come with drones. Thousands of miles from shore, we get these shots of Mapfre trying to get back into the hunt. Not much to be said, except wow. I expect we’ll be seeing more drone videos coming for our PNW races. Don’t forget to share them here!
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
We are all the best sailors in the world when we are on our boats on a fat beam reach and just freakin’ surfing. However, I won’t do it without a lifejacket. It wasn’t always that way; I grew up sailing in California and I don’t think I ever wore a lifejacket. Maybe we didn’t even have them on board. I don’t remember. In my 20’s I sailed all over the Santa Barbara channel with crappy equipment, no radio and was sometimes alone. Now it freaks me out to be on deck without a lifejacket anytime except when we are motoring or just ghosting along with a full crew. Back then I just didn’t realize the danger of going overboard, now perhaps there’s just too much to lose. I just don’t understand how these folks on the ocean racers can be on deck without some kind of life preserver. For heaven’s sake put on your lifejacket. Does your mom know you’re out there doing that? Doug Frazer Swan 391 OxoMoxo
Thinking like a bowman, I’d just put a life jacket on before climbing out on a pole or strut. I think at the speeds they’re going, a harness might do more harm than good. Absolutely agreed that what we did (didn’t) do in the past seems pretty dumb.