Overboard -

So as we were leaving we started racing a Lagoon 55' catamaran. They were clearly faster, so I decided that we were going to need the spinnaker! We hoisted it and quick as a flash the bowline that I tied with my 'new fangled technique' flopped right off and the spinnaker was just flapping in the breeze without a care in the world. We managed to get it back under control with correct non-fangled bowline, but after just a few minutes it collapsed. Now there was this little girl named Innocence who unfortunately stepped over the spinnaker rope with just one foot.  As soon as the spinnaker caught the wind again, the rope yanked up between her legs/body, spun her upside down, and drug her right over/across/up the 42" of lifeline and tossed her unceremoniously into the ocean.  Both Shannon and I saw it, and I shouted, "You got to go!"  Somehow Shannon jumped clear over the lifelines with room to spare and did a nice swan dive.  I looked for the life-ring but it wasn't anywhere. By now Cassidy was aware of what was happening, and I shouted that we needed to throw something, she found a life jacket and threw it. I shouted for Shannon to get it.  Maybe 10 seconds had passed by now. We needed to get the spinnaker down so that we could turn around. 

We released the downwind side of the spinnaker and Cassidy and I drug/hauled the rest of the spinnaker behind the main. Then Cassidy ran over and started to lower it.  Intrepid was asking what he could do to help, and I told him to point where Mama and Innocence were.  We finally got the spinnaker down, but we still had some of the spinnaker ropes in the water.  I considered having Intrepid calling the other catamaran to heave-to in case we needed help, but as I did not have a radio with me I decided the time for the call was not worth it.  As I hauled in the ropes I had Cassidy start both engines, and Intrepid turned off the auto-helm.   I ran back to the wheel, and shouted "were are they?"  Nobody knew!!!

I looked straight behind us and memorized the shaped of the mountain that was straight behind us, and then bringing the engines up to 2/3 speed I spun the boat around until we were heading at the mountain that was straight behind us. 

Cassidy grabbed the Binoculars and started scanning the horizon for Shannon and Innocence.  After what seemed like forever she shouted, "There they are!”  I told her to point at them, and to keep pointing at them.  I followed her pointing, and they came into view.

What we learned was that as soon as someone falls overboard we need to press the Man-Overboard button on the GPS.  Everything else went well, and there was no panic/crying/hysteria.  We have discussed what we are going to do, and specifically what to do if the spinnaker is up.

All is well now, and where you see our course reverse itself is where Innocence fell overboard.

Courage