Left: Jimmy Spithill’s Oracle crew switch to survival mode during the AC World Series in San Francisco. June will see a (reduced) AC45 fleet racing in Cagliari but now with the whole fleet on foils. Above: Artemis Racing’s much modified test AC45 is now in AC62 mode with winch pits and a central pod – the AC62 rule requires the pod… blocking one of two escape routes in a capsize
of you going in. If you do go for the inflatable lifejacket get more body armour – you are going to need it as the lifejacket is the first line of defence in the impact world. Climbing harness and rappel rope Here is the deal: if the boat rolls over, and you’re on the windward hull, you’re 46ft up in the air, and you need to get down. You can’t just climb down the netting of the trampoline, for two reasons. First, the netting is like a cheese- cutter, thin and tight. Your fingers won’t last long, trying to hang on. Second, you’re not climbing down. You’re hanging! Think of the geometry of the situation. The butt of the mast is 23ft above the water, the top of the wing is in the water. The trampoline is 90° to the mast, that means the tramp is falling away from you… prepare to drop.
So each crew has the equipment and is trained to rappel down. Like a mountain climber. Safe, and easy. If you keep your head. Air Each person is fitted with an emergency air bottle. At ETNZ it was in a pouch at the small of the sailor’s back. It won’t last long, depending on the amount of panic setting in, something that would not be in short supply if you’re underwater and reach- ing for emergency air. You can get maybe 50 seconds’ worth. Well trained, you might get a couple of minutes. It is all neat and tidy, within the lifejacket, the mouthpiece coming out just where you need it, and no hoses sticking out to get snagged on things. Knife A diver’s knife with an open blade as folding ones take too long to open… and even if you had time, you stand a reasonable chance of dropping it in a life-or-death situation. Best to just reach up to your shoulder, where the knife is, in its facing-down sheath; grab the handle, pull and set to go. Good news is you can get it with either hand. It’s recommended you have a second knife, this one can be worn on your leg… but not in your leg! But make sure it’s not protruding too much, you don’t want it catching on anything.
One thing about your safety knives, they don’t get used for anything else. No cutting little bits of rope or shortening your shoe laces on those cute little knobbly soled flash shoes. Safety knives are razor sharp – keep them that way. If you have to use it for real, you won’t regret it. Tramp cutter Knives won’t cut the tramp, well, they will, but for a very short way. The netting on the tramp is super-strong Dynamica and, although it is very thin, it does dull the standard knife very quickly. Thus each crew member carries a tramp cutter. These cutters were invented for cutting tangled parachute lines, so you get rid of the tangled chute before you deploy the back-up one. It
looks like a small metal bar with a hook on it, inside the hook are the two blades that make a V. Almost like a seam-ripper you pull it towards you. This tool cuts the Dynamica netting on tramps like butter. Don’t cut the lashing, cut the tramp. Yeah, I know, it ruins the tramp, but the lashing takes too long to cut, and the only reason we are cutting the tramp in the first place is because someone is under there. If you are wondering, it’s not for the faint-hearted. If a trapped crewmate’s fingers are in the way, just cut… just get him out and deal with the rest later. Helmets We keep going up in the spec of our helmets. It’s not rocket science, guys, your head needs protection, great protection, if you are going to head-butt a winch or a wing or board. ETNZ had the communication units mounted on the back of the helmet. This allowed Dean [Barker] and a few others to talk to the team. Communication is hard at the best of times, inside a helmet it’s even harder. Bright colours for helmets are mandatory too. In case you’re floating right side up. Hopefully! Then the rescue boats can see you quickly. It’s about training The best equipment in the world is useless junk if you don’t know how to use it. Take that emergency air, don’t think of it as a dive tank, think you’re free-diving and only taking a breath when you need it. The time between the first and second should be at least 20 seconds, and then 15 seconds and so on. It will last a lot longer, and that could make the difference between… you have got the picture.
There are two types of capsize. The classic roll-over, and the dreaded pitchpole. Pitchpoles are violent and messy. Both are majors. The first thing each crew should know is when they are no longer racing but they are just surviving. That comes much earlier than you think. Get as low and locked in as you can, and hang on for the next 10 seconds like your life depends on it. If you’re good after that period, I like your chances. The trick is to survive the first bit.
Quick-fire heads-up and tutorial when the cat capsizes: When you’re in the water the universal sign for ‘I am OK’ is to tap your head when the rescue boat comes to you. When they see that they will go on to help those who are not OK. We got instructed by the Kiwi paramedics: if all you have is some piss- ass broken arm, reach up and tap your head with your good arm. You will be just fine in the water, while they help more important cases.
If the platform is inverted, upside down, turtled, or whatever you want to call it, it’s all rescue divers in the water. Yep, they spend all day suited up so they can be in the water in quick order if they need to be. Tramps cut, full on.
In such a case, head counts don’t work. By the time you count everyone, and find you’re missing one, too much time has passed. Far better to assume there are people trapped under the tramp and start getting them out.
One rescue boat, with divers, goes in. All other chase boats stand off. We don’t want lots of boats charging in to help. Swimmers and whirling propellers don’t go well together.
Every capsize is a crisis until the all-clear is given, and then it becomes a salvage operation. From the time the wing hits the water it is treated as a full-on rescue.
The sailors on the capsized boat are, by and large, in shock. They can’t help. Leadership comes from one person in control and in charge. Everyone, as in everyone, follows procedure. This is no time for freelancing.
Radio communications One person directing radio traffic. He/she needs to be clear, concise, and speak slowly. The first thing that happens when you’re under pressure is you speak too fast, even slurring your words. No good in the heat of battle. Ever wonder why a pilot can sound so calm on the radio when you know he has a lot on with the situation? They are trained to speak clearly and slowly.
Is all this enough to put the fear of God into you? Don’t panic, it’s not likely to happen, but you need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
OK, now that we are prepared, let’s see how to push and race this foiling winged beast!!!
q SEAHORSE 21
ERIK SIMONSON
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