Correcting the carelessness of others

(July 11, 2018) – In the Racing Rules of Sailing, Part 1 of the Fundamental Rules states that “a boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.” But what about sea life? Doug Frazer and the crew of the Swan 39 OxoMoxo answered that question along the course of the 2308nm Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race.

After sailing past a sea turtle entangled in a ghost fishing net, the team took down the spinnaker, stopped the boat mid-ocean, over 900nm NNE of Hawaii and freed the turtle from the net. After setting the turtle loose, they removed the net from the water so it could not continue ‘fishing’.

While offshore race boats have long offered a rough landing to flying fish, or served the pain of their blades to unsuspecting sea life, OxoMoxo gets high marks for correcting the carelessness of others. Frazer’s team is near the tail of the 8-boat fleet with now less than 900nm to the finish off the shores of Lahaina, HI.

Race details – Tracker – Facebook

Background: The Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race, hosted by the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Lahaina Yacht Club, got underway July 1 for the nine teams entered in the 2018 edition. The record for the 2308 nm course from British Columbia to Hawaii of 08:09:17:50 was set in 2016 by Gavin Brackett’s TP52 Valkyrie.

Source: Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race