Obviously I did NOT !!
People have suggested I make this a separate post rather than at the beginning of this one:
http://joewindsurfer.blogspot.ca/division-2-boards-aka-d2-and-div2.html
A quick summary is that I was out alone on semi-cold water (about 15 degrees C or 59 F) doing a first run with my newly-acquired D2/div2/Division 2 board. The wind was side-shore and my first session of the year at La Crête/OKA Parc.
The good news is that I was wearing a wetsuit (only the farmer john portion of a 2 piece BARE) , booties and did have on my good safety jacket ...
The bad news is - I did NOT prepare for the unexpected !!
The board was a 1982/1983 REIX Competition board
that had been found on some rocks near Montreal by Eric Bouillet, who is the president of the international id2ca organization. They are trying to get a comeback on these boards - racing/fun/etc ...
When I purchased the board, I asked if the mast base connection was solid.
Eric had replied YES
Two major issues as far as I am concerned - where I should have known better ...
They are not about safety equipment, but more about the plan of action !!
1) If testing a new setup - use on-shore winds , smaller venue, etc
ie TAKE IT EASY
2) IF board and sail separate - go for the board and hold on to it for dear life ...
ie this is your safety vehicle
The other BIG lessons are safety ...
if alone - bring whistle, phone, VHF, beacon, everything you got ...
on older boards (1980's) tie the sail to the board
a couple of times I immersed my head in the water to save the sail
that is NOT recommended and may have been why i was starting hypothermia ...
when I was rescued by Caroline (a sailing instructor of Club Voiles Deux Montagnes, Vaudreuil) I could barely get in the inflatable dinghy and was shaking profusely.
I waved them down when I thought their eyes may directed in my direction ...
Simon Deschenes (a 14 year old sailor) helped drag my ass into the dinghy
I draped a windbreaker over my shoulders and Caroline called ahead to Guy @ the club
The sail was rescued and so was I ...
Guy met us at the dock and was checked for hypothermia and asked if i thought i needed an ambulance. I did not think so ....
By pressing my skin and seeing the colour come back in 2 seconds Guy felt i was just starting hypothermia ...
I was offered a hot shower and hot tea ...
Both items were helpful in getting my core temperature back.
Actually had to go in and out of the hot shower for about an hour before i could stop shivering entirely.
Then sat in the sun out of the wind to completely warm up ....
People at the club were SO friendly and helpful
Caroline, Guy, Guy Deschenes , his wife, Simon and Daniel - thank you so much
asked the club how i could thank them through the club ...
The Deschenes actually gave me a ride back in their van to La Crête - once Simon finished his lesson.
At the park i could not get a ride at the gate because there was an emergency ...
The kiters at the park had actually called 911 - they saw me go , but never come back !!
It turns out - I was the emergency :-)
Everyone seemed so happy to see me - and i was even happy to see my co-workers on Tuesday after a long weekend :-)
What about the board ??
Many e-mails to boat clubs, windsurf forums, windsurf shops, etc
It is not about the money - it's just because that board was about reviving DIV2
For that reason Eric of id2ca, who sold me the board, is more concerned than I about retrieving it ...
I would sail it again when it turns up - but either permanently attaching base or at least make it better and attach it to the sail $%^*()_+
Today the next Sunday my wife and I went to check out where board may have gone ...
Drove north side of the 40 just west of the BIG bridge /Pont Ile aux Tourtes ? - until we hit water
Talked to Daniel and Guy Deschenes at Club Voiles Deux Montagnes, Vaudreuil - my rescuers ...
Drove around Ile Cadieu stopping at a few places and looking about
Went to Senneville avenue to try and see from the other side
WOW - really do need a boat and lotsa time
Daniel seemed to think it would end up in Laval
I am almost guessing more South Shore
Oh well - I tried ...
Buddy suggested I mention that it took some time to recover.
At least a couple of days - from the effort and initial hypothermia.
In terms of the wife - yes, she is more wary about my going out alone.
Suggests getting the VHF first, etc
Co-workers ask the following Monday - you're alive ??
My new song is "Stayin' Alive" from the Bee Gees ...
I am ready to go out again - just waitin' for wind !!!
(with whistle and phone if alone)
People have suggested I make this a separate post rather than at the beginning of this one:
http://joewindsurfer.blogspot.ca/division-2-boards-aka-d2-and-div2.html
A quick summary is that I was out alone on semi-cold water (about 15 degrees C or 59 F) doing a first run with my newly-acquired D2/div2/Division 2 board. The wind was side-shore and my first session of the year at La Crête/OKA Parc.
The good news is that I was wearing a wetsuit (only the farmer john portion of a 2 piece BARE) , booties and did have on my good safety jacket ...
The bad news is - I did NOT prepare for the unexpected !!
The board was a 1982/1983 REIX Competition board
that had been found on some rocks near Montreal by Eric Bouillet, who is the president of the international id2ca organization. They are trying to get a comeback on these boards - racing/fun/etc ...
When I purchased the board, I asked if the mast base connection was solid.
Eric had replied YES
It definitely connects well with a modern Chinook mast base
Basically what did happen was - the mast base DID separate from the board in the middle of the lake. When I was attempting a tack.
André Lefrancois at work says why not a jibe/gybe ??
Was informed by Eric and iwindsurf forum that this was known issue - in 20 years of windsurfing, I have NEVER had this issue... Not with Fanatic Ultra Cat, BIC Dufours, BIC SL200 and definitely not with boards that have mast tracks ...
I managed to grab the board once, but let it go when going for the sail.
That was a MAJOR mistake - forget the sail at this point - get on the board or get a good solid grip.
I considered getting rid of the life jacket and dashing after the board.
Was worried about being in the middle of the lake with nothing ...
So, the board continued on its way and I was left with the sail.
Basically I swam for two(2) hours until I was rescued ...
More on that later ...
What I did not have was - NO phone in water proof bag (both in the van).
Did not have a whistle - also in the van ...
As I said, I did NOT plan for the unexpected and was ALONE on the water ...
The alone part surprised me - there were kiters on the beach when I left and NO boats on the water during the first long weekend of the season ...
Basically the kiters stayed close to shore and boaters were all preparing for the upcoming season.
It had been a rough spring - with lotsa rain ...
I am SURE I had some premonition because once started, my thought was to go across to the other side (3-4 km across) and then tack in the shallow waters - in case anything went wrong ...
What happened with the wind and current I was headed more downwind and would have to go into the bay ...
So, I was thinking, "Is that really necessary ? What can go wrong?"
and I tried a tack, but with the rounded belly of the board was having some issues...\
The sail came out and some of the story has been told ...
They are not about safety equipment, but more about the plan of action !!
1) If testing a new setup - use on-shore winds , smaller venue, etc
ie TAKE IT EASY
2) IF board and sail separate - go for the board and hold on to it for dear life ...
ie this is your safety vehicle
The other BIG lessons are safety ...
if alone - bring whistle, phone, VHF, beacon, everything you got ...
on older boards (1980's) tie the sail to the board
a couple of times I immersed my head in the water to save the sail
that is NOT recommended and may have been why i was starting hypothermia ...
when I was rescued by Caroline (a sailing instructor of Club Voiles Deux Montagnes, Vaudreuil) I could barely get in the inflatable dinghy and was shaking profusely.
I waved them down when I thought their eyes may directed in my direction ...
Simon Deschenes (a 14 year old sailor) helped drag my ass into the dinghy
I draped a windbreaker over my shoulders and Caroline called ahead to Guy @ the club
The sail was rescued and so was I ...
Guy met us at the dock and was checked for hypothermia and asked if i thought i needed an ambulance. I did not think so ....
By pressing my skin and seeing the colour come back in 2 seconds Guy felt i was just starting hypothermia ...
I was offered a hot shower and hot tea ...
Both items were helpful in getting my core temperature back.
Actually had to go in and out of the hot shower for about an hour before i could stop shivering entirely.
Then sat in the sun out of the wind to completely warm up ....
People at the club were SO friendly and helpful
Caroline, Guy, Guy Deschenes , his wife, Simon and Daniel - thank you so much
asked the club how i could thank them through the club ...
The Deschenes actually gave me a ride back in their van to La Crête - once Simon finished his lesson.
At the park i could not get a ride at the gate because there was an emergency ...
The kiters at the park had actually called 911 - they saw me go , but never come back !!
It turns out - I was the emergency :-)
Everyone seemed so happy to see me - and i was even happy to see my co-workers on Tuesday after a long weekend :-)
What about the board ??
Many e-mails to boat clubs, windsurf forums, windsurf shops, etc
It is not about the money - it's just because that board was about reviving DIV2
For that reason Eric of id2ca, who sold me the board, is more concerned than I about retrieving it ...
I would sail it again when it turns up - but either permanently attaching base or at least make it better and attach it to the sail $%^*()_+
Today the next Sunday my wife and I went to check out where board may have gone ...
Drove north side of the 40 just west of the BIG bridge /Pont Ile aux Tourtes ? - until we hit water
Talked to Daniel and Guy Deschenes at Club Voiles Deux Montagnes, Vaudreuil - my rescuers ...
Drove around Ile Cadieu stopping at a few places and looking about
Went to Senneville avenue to try and see from the other side
WOW - really do need a boat and lotsa time
Daniel seemed to think it would end up in Laval
I am almost guessing more South Shore
Oh well - I tried ...
Buddy suggested I mention that it took some time to recover.
At least a couple of days - from the effort and initial hypothermia.
In terms of the wife - yes, she is more wary about my going out alone.
Suggests getting the VHF first, etc
Co-workers ask the following Monday - you're alive ??
My new song is "Stayin' Alive" from the Bee Gees ...
I am ready to go out again - just waitin' for wind !!!
(with whistle and phone if alone)
Wow. Joe you must be careful, in the open sea the end of the story could have been more dramatic.
ReplyDeleteI am not here to give you any lessons or judgment, I sailed most of my lifenn in open sea and most of the time when the conditions are rough with my funboards in Brittany, and I can tell you as much as the nautical sports are amazing, they also are dangerous in many ways.
The very good part of the story is that you are safe at home. Maybe we will sail together this summer.
Take care Joe. ��
Jeezus...Joe... THAT was trip!!! Talk about an expensive lesson (not to mention the dangers re your safety!) Glad you're back though, mate. (Karma ain't over yet, wot? :)
ReplyDeleteWow. A SPOT GPS emergency device is what I use - cell signal is sometimes unreliable where I windsurf. Glad you are ok.
ReplyDelete