VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

In response to Fish's Q:
Busy day on the water for the local SAR crews- around 1300 Sailboat rigging failed and was assisted by local resources. Later around 1800 a -Mayday off Esquimalt lagoon- two people in pfd's and sandles thought it was a nice day for a paddle, blown off the beach and unable to make way back to shore. Wind estimated solid 30 knots. ( nice paddling weather). Same resources responded.
Around 1900 kayak overturned with one person in water 100 yards off CLover ( I think near the ross bay side). Conditions were 'rough' (nice paddling weather). Little insulative gear on. Kayaks had left from Vic harbor. Mild Hypothermia. Other 2 yakkers in double retrieved. Same resources responded. Little drama, lots of sirens

Victoria Auxiliary 35- volunteer SAR members responded on all three calls. CCG and Vic police as well

(Another Mayday occured in the afternoon in the gulf islands- small powercraft taking on water, all 3 rescued.)

And my plug:
Join the local Auxiliary- do 40 knots on a day with NO WIND, rip turns with 300 horses behind you in a RIB, learn the art of seamanship, navigation, SAR, and boat handling, improve your first aid skills and best of all- serve the community and help those in distress. You might even save the life of a windboarder or kiter one day...

its 450 horses i think (twin 225's?)

i was a member in the past. best day was off race rocks in 40+ knots diriving upwind as fast as possible (full thortle off full thortle off etc) then back down wind. crazy handling those boats...you will likely never get to drive one anywhere else.

I wonder how many whale watchers came in sick/well pounded? I saw a number of the biggest inflatables go completely airborne, first time ever (I didn't see passengers in those though, I think they were playing rescue to the sailboats).

When I used to handle higher power boats in waves (Parks Can hurricane zodiac in Haida Gwaii, big-engined ski boat in trade winds/northers in Belize) the danger of 'spinning the prop' was always hammered home by 'instructors' (engine races when airborne, then the rubber bushings on the prop strip out from impact on reentering water). You had to be fast on the throttle to cut back, otherwise get an Arneson drive which is made for it. Don't the engines nowadays have that problem?

The whale watch boats dont get airborne that much, though one boat jumped a big freighter wake a few years back. Cleared the props and sent 2 people to hospital. The SAR boats frequently clear their props. THis is where the precise timing comes in- you throttle back from 3/4 to 'slow ahead' as your engines leave the crest, and throttle ahead to 90 percent as they make contact with the water. The timing depends on the wave size and airtime, and of course your speed. One of the things you learn at RHIOT school in Bamfield, where all of our SAR coxswains go for training ( p.s.- did I mention join the volunteer auxiliary Victoria, Sooke, Columbia Beach, Sidney, Oak bay , nanaimo stations etc...). You can really carve waves similar to windsurfing on a good day at kook, but you need about 2 meters plus. I got out in 6-8 meter (Laparouse was steady 6meter with bigger sets)seas off Cape Beale last fall and the bottom turn / off the lip combo driving in deep water cresting waves was as fun as any day I have had on the water....
PS- if you are a kiter and rescued by a boat do not assume the crew knows what to do with your kite. Call the shots on the handling of the equipment- ie if applicable/safe tell them to grab the kite first, deflate the LE, pull in the lines, being aware not to get the lines tangled in the props. If its really sketchy rescue- near rocks/ big waves etc. the crew may ask you to ditch your gear and save you ( life over property). Dont let them try to tow a kite in to the boat - due to the dangers of relaunch.

I heard in Prince Rupert last summer that the CG, or auxilary, had flipped a big zodiac in Butze Rapids behind town. I think while training. I haven't had a chance to go down and see it, but went by Seal Cove and part way down during a big tide one day - the mist was rising in a huge cloud and we were still a couple of miles away. Awesome power (=in-stream tidal powere generation???)

Do you happen to know the story behind that one Tom?

I sailed out right behind them to check up on them, the kayakers..thinking...what are these crazy people thinking about what are they doing out here in the first place ..it was still gusting 35+ then i heard the sirens, and the SAR boat sped past me...