Nære på for mannskapet på Rambler100
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Les navigatøren Peter Islers rapport, se video fra redningsaksjonen, samt video fra båten under årets St. Barts regatta.

Publisert Sist oppdatert

SURVIVING TO TELL THE STORY OF RAMBLER 100

It was Monday (Aug. 15), and the Juan K designed Rambler 100 had but 265

miles remaining in the 608 mile Fastnet Race. They had just rounded the

infamous Fastnet Rock, and needed to complete a short 7 mile beat before

they could turn left and enjoy the hayride home. But then, at 5:45pm UK

time, the unthinkable happened: the keel bulb broke off.

Here Rambler 100 navigator Peter Isler shares his story from onboard:

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In 23 knots of wind, we were headed upwind after rounding Fastnet, and

heard the big bang. The boat immediately flipped to 90 degrees, and within

30 seconds it turned turtle. Five people got separated from the boat. They

luckily all had life jackets and were able to stay together. The remaining

16 crew were able to stay with the boat, three of which did the dry walk

onto the overturned hull. Everyone had their own harrowing story to get up

on the hull.

We then waited almost three hours, during which time we saw the Farr 100

Leopard go by maddeningly close and the Volvo 70s pass by at a little

greater distance. Then a lifeboat came out, which was responding to one of

the two personal EPIRBs that Mick Harvey and I had carried in our pockets.

But they came maddeningly close but did not see us. After they did a search

pattern for about 45 minutes they found us.

We then notified the rescue team of the five crew that were separated from

the boat, which a second rescue boat then located. Everyone was extremely

cold, which included owner George David and his partner Wendy Touton, who

was hypothermic and was airlifted for treatment.

The remaining twenty of us were then taken to the incredible Baltimore

Sailing Club where in very short order the club members had put together a

dinner, a stack of dry clothes, and two nice big houses to accommodate us,

and the most incredible small town welcome you could ever hope to get.

On determining the problem...

It was immediately apparent what happened. Despite being in the nav

station, I could easily tell that the boat was on its side. It couldn't be

anything else but a keel issue. Luckily I had all my gear on, including my

lifejacket. I immediately called mayday on the main ship's radio, but I

didn't get a response, so I picked up the handheld and started calling. The

sails and rig had helped to keep the hull on its side, but during this

second call the boat turtled.

I am still in the nav station, with a big jump and a swim to go. Luckily,

there was an air bubble in the cockpit, so when I exited the hatch I was

able to get a final breath before my big swim out from under the boat. I

knew I had to get really deep because the boat was going up and down in the

waves, and I had to clear the lifelines. I swam for all I was worth, but

once I was clear of the lifelines I had ran out of air.

All I had to do now was surface, but I was so weighted down with my gear

that the life jacket was not pulling me up too fast. I finally saw two dark

shapes, and reached for what turned out to be boots. As I did, a hand

reached out and Andrew Taylor pulled me up and I grabbed one of the nicest

breaths of air I have ever had.

Se video her

Her er en 11 minutter lang HD video produsert av Amory Ross ombord Rambler100 under årets St Barth's Regatta. Den viser et veltrent mannskap med Ken Read i spissen, som vet hva de gjør. Og gjett om båten drar på?

RAMBLER - Les Voiles de St. Barths (uncut) from Amory Ross on Vimeo.