It was about 1 am off the coast of County Kerry when John White came off the helm of Jedi, a J109, competing in the 2018 Round Ireland Yacht Race. Facing 30-knots on the nose and three to four metre seas, as White moved forward, a large wave crashed over the boat, knocking him overboard.
White joined helmsman Kenneth Rumball to share their learnings from the successful recovery of John, a fate that lead to Kenneth being awarded the RORC Seamanship Trophy.
Both describe in detail the key points they think lead to the successful recovery of John, proper preparation, pre-sailing drills, sufficient training for all the crew and ultimately having the right gear, as well as knowing how to use it.
White describes the surreal experience of being away from the boat, and the exemplary Seamanship exploits undertaken to retrieve him safely, and indeed get back racing. Rumball shares his experiences as Skipper but emphasises how the training he provides in the day job as chief instructor at the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School kicked in. A frank and sobering discussion on the good fortune it was to correctly install AIS MOB devices, ensure that everyone had the latest lifesaving kit is undertaken.
This is a must-watch for any skipper or crew member who races offshore but would appeal to a wider audience with an interest in yachting as John and Kenneth recant the compelling story, which thankfully had a happy outcome.
The video (above) is divided into chapters as follows:
- Preparation - 2 mins 30 seconds
- Build Up - 14 mins 20 seconds
- Man Overboard - 20 mins 20 second
- The water - 30mins 20 seconds
- Gear - 34 mins 40 seconds
- Recovery - 51 mins 00 seconds
- Rest of the Race - 1 hour 10 mins 40 seconds