PAGE 18 • SPRING 2006 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION
FEATURE STORY
continued from page 16
dropped by Coast Guard helicopters and landfall
guidance and entry requirements in the Caribbean.
Diversity of crew
Weather and gulf-stream briefings are held up until The wide range of benefits offered by rally participation
departure, and updates are provided during twice-daily are well demonstrated by the experience and perspectives
radio chats while underway. Although offshore sailing of the skipper and two crew on Elsha, an older Amazon
provides no guarantees, participating in the 1500 pretty 37, skippered by a younger-than-average Lloyd Thornburg
much ensures boats and crew are up to the task. of Santa Fe, N.M. He said he joined the rally because,
although he had sailing experience, he hadn’t been
Teamwork at sea
offshore, wanted experienced crew and knew the
The “rally advantage” was demonstrated when adversity
inspections and safety checks would be helpful. “They
arrived in both the 2004 and 2005 rallies. In 2004, a
came up with things I wouldn’t have thought of,” he said.
45-foot catamaran hit a large, unlighted weather buoy in
the night holing the bows, but two fellow rally
Robert Eichelburg, a patent attorney from Annapolis,
participants stood by to offer assistance until the Coast
Md., is more seasoned than most with 25 years of
Guard cutter Block Island could arrive on scene. Last
experience sailing his own boat on Chesapeake Bay and
fall, when two of the boats lost their rudders,
participating in ten CRA rallies.
conferencing among crew on scheduled radio roll calls
provided counsel and advice on how to rig and operate
Motivated by a love of the open ocean and a desire to
steering systems by towing warps.
practice celestial navigation offshore, he chooses to crew
in the rallies because the amount of time he can give to
When Susannah Gale was dismasted, her single
blue water sailing wouldn’t justify the financial
sideband radio was lost with the rig, but other boats in
investment involved in ownership.
the rally were able to stay in touch with her and tie her
into the rest of the fleet via sat phones, fax machines
Joyce Little, the third hand on Elsha, had no prior sailing
and VHF radios. Blueprint Match was then able to
experience at all. She was walking the docks, “looking
rendezvous with her to transfer additional fuel to her
for a ride south,” and Lloyd was in need of more crew.
tanks so she could motor the remainder of the way to
Lloyd cleared it with Steve, and Joyce joined the boat.
Tortola.
When I spoke with her a few days after the end of the
rally she said, “I entered this in total ignorance. At the
As a crew participant, I can say rallies aren’t just for
end I was physically and emotionally drained.” I asked if
skippers. They are a great way to get valuable offshore
she would do it again. “If you had asked me on the day
experience and develop confidence. Having gone through
we got in, I would have said no. But now? Yes!”
several of the ASA certification programs, chartering
several times and sailing my own 23-foot boat on Lake
Michigan, I was looking for the next step in preparation
for my own blue water passage making in a few years.
The CRA maintains a crew registry as one of the services
it provides to skippers, and invites crew of all skill and
NAME THOSE BOATS!
experience levels to sign up. Carolyn Grant, event
organizer for the 1500, says Steve Black personally
interviews each skipper to assess his or her skill and
experience level and matches crew accordingly.
As Steve himself said, “This is no time for the blind to
be leading the blind.”
Thus, skippers having little or no passage making
experience are required to take on at least one crew
member who does, and veterans in need of someone to
fill an open watch will take on eager learners. (Crew pay
What type of boats are these?
nothing to get listed with the CRA, but usually pay their
own way getting to and from the boat and for off-boat
Answer on the ASA website at
expenses.)
www.asa.com
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