As Greal Lakes sailors all know, storms can and do build very quickly in the summer and can generate fierce winds and steep waves. That’s just what the crew of the 70-foot Trident faced last weekend after the start of the Port Huron to Mackinac Race.
The sloop’s skipper Ken Colpaert said, “We had a really good start and were leading our class.”
But the crew noticed that storm clouds were forming to their west and behind them they saw boats quickly dowsing their sails. “The wind came in quicker than we anticipated, and it just laid the boat over unexpectedly.”
In the knockdown, crew member Pete Pryce was thrown overboard. “It was a clean fall,” Pryce said. “I didn’t hit any rigging or winches.”
As Trident righted herself, the remaining crew managed to throw man-overboard-floatation devices and cushions in Pryce’s direction. “Everything but the kitchen sink,” Pryce quipped.
Soon, the designated MOB spotter lost sight of Pryce in the building waves so Colpaert summoned the other racing boats in the area to join the search. But, it would be an hour before one of the other boats in the search found Pryce and brought him aboard.
“It was a real first class operation and they threw me a life ring to help get me out of the water,” Pryce said. “So, here’s a shout out to the crew of Amantei 2 from Bay City. These guys were first class all the way.”
In the end, skipper Colpaert credits his crew’s training for the professional way they handled the situation and managed the crisis. “It takes patience,” Colpaert said. “Everyone has to stay calm, cool and collected because it is a very tough moment.
Read more here and watch an interview with Colpaert and Pryce.
