Please select your home edition
Edition
Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 LEADERBOARD

Images from San Francisco- Savage Beauty ravaged

by Erik Simonson, h2oshots.com on 26 Jul 2009
Savage Beauty sailing on San Francisco bay before the incident Erik Simonson/ h2oshots.com
The Flying Tiger, 'Savage Beauty' cut it a little fine while racing in San Francisco on Saturday, doing a 'Telefonica Blue'. Sadly this one did not have as good an outcome as the incident involving the Volvo Ocean Race competitor, and Savage Beauty was lost. Her crew were taken off safely.

Erik Simonson of www.h20shots.com takes up the story:

Savage Beauty was competing in the YRA Second Half Opener, which is generally a pleasant jaunt out to the Golden Gate to Point Bonita and then down hill all the way back to the Oakland/Alameda Estuary and finish at the Encinal Yacht Club. On the day of the incident, there was very large flood tide, and many of the boats took well over an hour to get from the start area just to the Golden Gate bridge.

Seeking relief, many boats utilize the north sides rocky shoreline, dancing within inches of the massive basalt wall on the Marine side. Savage Beauty was with a group of other boats in a tacking duel and got a tad closer than they should have or wanted to. ( I did not see the incident's onset, just the general current events)

There was a large underlying 10ft south swell from and expired tropical storm near Tahiti a week or so ago which was mostly hidden under its 18-20 interval length. I believe Savage Beauty bumped an under water snag, lost momentum and was then picked up by the swell and placed closer to shore than they wanted. Apparently they attempted to start the engine and rescue themselves, but the prop got fouled leaving them helpless.

A nearby recreational fishing boat called the US Coastguard almost immediately, and their response was quick. The Horseshoe Cove HQ for Station Golden Gate is less than half a nautical mile away.

Attempts to dislodge the boat initially failed, and when the Marine County Sheriff Dept arrived with USCG, they quickly accessed the situation and ordered the crew off. Between sets of swells they dashed in and grabbed crew members and hauled them into their RIB. When all were unloaded and the owner finally rescued, they hung out a bit waiting for a salvage crew to arrive and attempt saving the Flying Tiger. I'm not sure if they even got a line on her, but within an hour, the boat was reduced to large pieces of flotsam and jetsam - which littered the area just west of the Golden Gate bridge between Point Diablo ...

For a chart reference see www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/18649.shtml


[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]







Hyde Sails 2024 - One DesignNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastAllen Dynamic 40 Footer

Related Articles

Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup practice day
Breezy, beautiful Baiona finds favour again with TP52 teams Takashi Okura's Sled team today laid down a marker on the beautiful waters off Baiona, NW Spain as the top performers over the two official practice races sailed today on the eve of the Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup.
Posted today at 5:35 pm
RORC centenary Rolex Fastnet Race
All set for another record-breaker Less than two months now remain until the start of the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race, this year coinciding with the Royal Ocean Racing Club's centenary.
Posted today at 10:06 am
Team Racing Worlds at Newport, RI, overall
Corinthian Yacht Club puts on top notch performance to win Sustained winds in the low 20-knot range and choppy seas brought on another challenging day in the final stretch of the 2025 Team Racing World Championship.
Posted today at 4:19 am
Young Aussie squad ready to shine at Europeans
Australia's fast boat sailors are set for the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Europeans in Greece Australia's fast boat sailors are set to take on the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 European Championships this week in Thessaloniki, Greece. With up to 18 races scheduled over the next six days, it's set to be a high-intensity regatta.
Posted today at 4:04 am
The call of the mighty
See the words Admiral's Cup and you immediately think approachable, real, hardcore action See the words Admiral's Cup and you immediately think approachable, real, hardcore action, braving the elements, and glory for the victorious. As an Australian, you have King Louie (the late Lou Abrahams), and the late Sir Jim Hardy as the poster boys.
Posted on 1 Jun
Southern Wind Rendezvous overall
A Perfect Conclusion to a Perfect Event The horn sounded right on time for the fourth day of the Southern Wind Rendezvous and Trophy. Blue skies, warm sun, and 6-7 knots of breeze with gusts up to 10 knots accompanied the fleet on a 15-mile course rounding Monaci and Secca Tre Monti.
Posted on 1 Jun
16th 151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar concludes
Mylius 60 crossed the finish line to win the IRC Over 60 maxi class It has been a long time coming after spending much of the 2024 season finishing second and even continuing this in the recent IMA Maxi European Championship, but finally Guido Paolo Gamucci's Cippa Lippa X has won a race.
Posted on 1 Jun
PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race draws to a close
With all three competing yachts now officially retired The 2025 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race has concluded with all three competing yachts now officially retired.
Posted on 1 Jun
Casa Vela Cup 2025 at St Francis Yacht Club overal
Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy team claimed a decisive victory French match racing skipper Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy team claimed a decisive victory on Saturday at the 2025 Casa Vela Cup, held in the iconic waters of San Francisco Bay and hosted by the St.Francis Yacht Club.
Posted on 1 Jun
Team Racing Worlds at Newport, RI, Day 3
Epic breeze cuts racing short; clear division between teams sets scene for final day Sunny skies met big breeze on Day 3 but by 12:30 p.m. racing was postponed, and as the wind built to 25+, the Race Committee abandoned racing at 3:00 p.m.
Posted on 1 Jun