Swift Chippewa Collision lg

Comment

Comment by Jeff on October 30, 2008 at 3:06pm

So he was in a diff race with no one even close?! I had assumed some mixed up PHRF race. So he DQ'd himself with the wrong fleet? What an idiot.

Comment by PCarrico on October 28, 2008 at 9:11pm

I think it's called, "I've got the bigger boat, so I've got the bigger ego.
Plus the tactician told the owner/driver to put the boat in there (where he didn't belong) so the tactician felt obligated to follow through with his great assumption with the counter protest.
He lost more than a protest, his reputation dropped a few notches also.
The tactician is from a big sail loft in California..
I still get comments from NY Yacht Club officers for telling a precise story in the hearing and prevailing with the international jury. I have no issue with the owner of the boat, who's a great guy. It was his tactician who lost reputation. The stupidest thing about the collision is that Chippewa was winning it's race by a large margin and had no reason to attempt any small-gain high-risk situation.
We gained an intangible experience for our young crew to come from total devastation to being on the start line 5 days later heading for Bermuda due to hard work and long hours fixing the boat.
That crew produced 4 fighter pilots 2 marines and 2 SWO's.

Comment by Jeff on October 28, 2008 at 8:27pm

Hey great backgroung info thanks. The tactician had a lot of nerve to call you a liar about when the tack was thrown givent that there are a handful of other boats that you successfully lee bowed. You obviously tacked in time, and the vid makes that clear. Amazing that he didn't simply withdraw.

Comment by PCarrico on October 27, 2008 at 11:26pm

Chippewa eventually came by to see the carnage about 5 minutes later. I did hear a "sorry". We told them they are being protested (for the second time). The owner, Clay Deutsch, was eventually reasonable about the situation, but he was confused about what he was told by his tactician. In the protest room, my account was precise as reflected in the video, and the Chippewa tactician accused me of lying as he said that we tacked to starboard within the two boat length circle (we tacked at about 4.5 boatlengths and had completed the tack before the two boatlengths) and he claimed that the collision occurred before the windward mark. The only boat that didn't have rights over Chippewa was Ptarmigan, who witnessed for us in the protest. Canvasback, the other 49 footer stayed out of the protest room, and the other white boat next to Swift was Oli Oli also backed up the facts. Oli Oli was also hit after Chippewa took Swift's mast down. Oli Oli had damaged stern pulpit, lifelines, 1 stanchion and a bent toe rail. Lucky no one was killed. The sensation I remember was the centrifugal force from spinning so quickly. The real pisser was missing all the parties that week while preparing the boat for the Bermuda Race start that next Friday morning.
I got the video from New York Times Television who had hired the freelance videographer. The Vid was a newbie, but what fortune to have this evidence. I emailed the video to the NYYC jury and they re-verified my testimony. I also had to pay for many of the repairs before the insurance paid almost a year later. The big expenses were billed directly to the insurer, a rare gesture, but the NEB yard was excellent in every step in the process.

Comment by Jeff on October 27, 2008 at 4:27pm

This is great. I love the way the big boat sails on as if he's not at fault. The least he should have done is gone to the assistance or standed by the boat he just dismasted!