Lessons Learned from SoCal Accident

At the end of March, we posted a harrowing video of a small sloop flailing dangerously close to a Southern California pier before being picked up by a wave and swept into the pilings.

The video we ran (above) shows the Martin 242 Bad Wolf’s jib flogging — the sheets apparently fouled — in front of the King Harbor Pier in Redondo Beach. Longer versions of the video show Bad Wolf’s crew lowering and trying to secure the mainsail, and struggling to trim the headsail. The Bad Wolf strayed into the surf zone, and was eventually picked up by a breaking wave and violently slammed into the pier’s pilings. Her crew was washed safely into the beach.

"Len Abbeduto and his crew, Jason, Luke and Patricia, suffered various non-life-threatening injuries and were treated on the shore as well as at a local hospital," read a post on an M242 fleet website.

"Len is a very experienced racer, Bad Wolf was an excellent 242," wrote Michael Clements on the M242 site. "It looks like they just misjudged the approach angle to the Harbor. The pressure on the jib coupled with the wave action just pushed them sideways into the pier. It also looks like they had no motor rigged and running on the stern, so their forward motion was drastically reduced in the critical last minute."

The disaster prompted us to ask ‘Lectronic Latitude readers, "What would you have done?" as such mishaps always seem to generate ‘lessons learned’ that we can all learn from. Several commenters pointed out that the most important decisions should have been made before the Bad Wolf left the dock — a point that reminds us of the old adage: "The superior sailor uses his superior knowledge to avoid situations requiring his superior skill."

Bob Schilling wrote: "Weather conditions would have called for considerable caution on the part of anyone sailing a small craft such as the one in the picture. I think I would have considered carefully whether my crew and I had the skill and experience to go out into winds that would have justified a small craft advisory."

The majority of commenters asked: Why not use the motor or drop an anchor? "Know your area, anchor early if an option," wrote Erik Pedersen. "Dropping an anchor even from a stern locker might’ve been an option."

Many of you asked why the boat only had her jib up. Pedersen added: "If your heavy-wind tactic is jib only, you need to rethink. Too hard to tack out and maneuver. I see so many people being lazy using a furling jib only in heavy wind, with the main not even ready to go. Deeply reefed main is much better. Have it available or don’t go out."

Most of us have been in situations far less dramatic where we couldn’t get enough speed to maneuver, especially if we found ourselves with only a headsail. Given that without boat speed you have as much control over your circumstances as any random piece of flotsam, Sam Crabtree’s point deserves careful consideration:

"In the early days of my sailing I got into some situations where I’ve been dangerously close to pilings, shore and ‘aids’ to navigation," Crabtree said. "One of the things I learned was that I had to keep the boat moving in order to steer out of the danger. Often times it meant going toward the danger to acquire steering movement, and then steering away."

Craig Federspiel said that if he’d been in Bad Wolf’s situation, he would have made a run for shore. "If I came on this problem, I would try my best to beach it. The beach is safer than rocks, pilings and other obstructions like jetties, piers and docks. Over the last 40 years, I have seen success in this situation."

It’s easy to second guess, wrote Jim Brown on our Facebook page. "Everyone likes to comment about what they should have done, but they weren’t there. Equipment fails, engines die, anchor lines break. Sometimes you simply wind up in shitty situations. Skill comes from making good decisions, and experience comes from making bad ones."

A point well taken. For us armchair quarterbacks to suggest the crew should have taken specific action earlier is like saying, "Damn, I knew I should have sold my stocks in 2007." In any case, thanks to all who responded. Stay safe out there.