S.F. Sea Scouts Keep Calm and Sail On

Sailing a proper course at the Belvedere Classic Regatta and Great S.F. Schooner Race on August 10, beside 20 other classic wooden boats, was the Sea Scout whaleboat Corsair with skipper Aaron Wu. “We were doing a big reach, having just rounded Blossom Rock while hitting 8 knots. Assessing it to be a safe time to hand over the tiller, I asked adult leader Celeste McManus to take my place. She held course for a few minutes; then I heard, ‘We have lost our rudder.'” This was a blustery, choppy Bay with a big flood. While Wu wrapped his head around things, McManus called for sails down; in less than 60 seconds, all fabric was folded and tied.

On the eastern side of Alcatraz toward the north end of Treasure Island (but with ample distance from land), Wu opted not to set anchor in the 80- to 90-foot depth. After ensuring safety of all souls on board, he called the Sea Scout base for rescue and tow, then attempted to alert the race committee. The balance of the crew collected thoughts and remained calm, quiet and ready. Meanwhile on the scouts’ other whaleboat, Viking, Michael O’Callaghan tried to communicate with Corsair and the race committee, but the connection cut in and out. Fortunately, one of the RC boats heard the broken call. Visibility was poor over the water, but Corsair was eventually spotted in the distance. Moments after arrival, the SFYC vessel received a tossed line from Corsair. However, it was learned that the Sea Scout tow vessel was having engine troubles en route.

Wu acknowledges that unexpected things can happen in boating, so leaders from the program make sure every scout has the necessary skills to handle challenges. “We have a very interactive program and always want to prepare scouts for emergency situations. Some of the things that we practice are anchoring and capsize drills on the whaleboats. These are essential to our program, as the boats we regularly sail do not have engines and are fairly close to the water. We always try to run drills in controlled environments.” The training paid off.

Five-year Sea Scout Aviv was on board Corsair. “Whoa!” was his first thought after learning the rudder had broken. “We all train and prep for things like this, so we felt prepared and had practiced how to keep our cool. We downed sails and unrigged immediately. Everyone was very level about it.” On the quarterdeck, after the sails were lowered, he and crew worked on getting the broken rudder into the boat, then rigging an oar to act as emergency rudder. “I had a lot of friends helping me at that moment. It was a great example of how our crew can keep level heads and quickly respond to emergencies.” He says the depth of experience on board helped everyone remain calm and focused. “We all knew what to do because we train for it; we understood the seriousness of the situation. No one panicked.”

Miles, in the program for three-and-a-half years, assisted with sails, then listened to calls to Sea Scout base and race committee check-in. During this time, he and crew also did what they could to safely retrieve the paddle portion of the rudder — but it was drifting away quickly. This scout was instrumental in helping Corsair get secure back at Aquatic Park. “While nearing the dock and still under tow, our boat was coming in at a weird angle, and the cast-off from Vashon was made too early,” explains Miles. “We tried to row into position, but the current was pushing too much. “I got on an oar really quick, and helped get everyone focused on rowing properly until we could pick up the towline again.”

Also rising to the occasion was Patrick Martin, quartermaster adult leader. While under tow, Martin troubleshot the engine over the phone. Before transferring to a temporarily anchored Vashon, he and the adult lead on Vashon “walked through several steps, so by the time I got onto the 22-ft training boat White Crane, we had narrowed it down to something simple.” The RC boat was informed, and the possible need to tow a second vessel was understood. Upon mark-set boat approach, crews secured lines to connect vessels and Martin transferred. A quick fix was made and verified, then a call for cast-off from the mark-set boat was made. Moments later, all were underway. Facing its own challenges, White Crane crew also tapped their training, adroitly following instructions and keeping calm. Speaking about his moments on Corsair, Martin reiterates, “Everyone moved quickly and efficiently during the incident. The boat was quiet other than those giving instructions.”

O’Callaghan is senior license examiner with the Golden Gate Area Council of the Sea Scouts. Not wishing to cast any aspersions on Wu, he says he built the failed rudder and has fashioned its replacement, changing the design by using laminated wood reinforced with fiberglass.

In his 52 years as a leader, O’Callaghan has witnessed countless moments of joy and merit. Speaking of merits, scout Miles says, “I have many friends here and we do fun activities every week. I’ve learned about piloting, navigation, and good boating instincts on the water. I’ve learned about both engines and sailing, applicable to stuff outside of scouts, too.” Mate Aviv lists his merits: “I tend to be more of a leader in situations outside of scouts now. I’ve made a lot of friends in the program, and we all encourage each other. Camaraderie keeps me coming back.”

Read more short sailing stories in October’s Sightings.