July 21, 2017


Over 200 Junior Sailors Learn Offshore Techniques At The Storm Trysail Foundation’s Junior Safety At Sea Seminar At Larchmont Yacht Club

Larchmont, N.Y. July 21, 2017 -- Storm Trysail’s 21st Larchmont Junior Safety at Sea Seminar set a new standard for our seminars.  Total attendance of juniors and their instructors totaled approximately 215.  Twenty boats ranging from a J/92 Thin Man to the Sydney 43 Christopher Dragon and Nielsen 46 Froya experienced a great sailing day, light northerlies in the morning and 12-18 kts in the afternoon.

Everyone was thinking safety that day.  Sadly, two days before the seminar a 12-year-old junior sailor lost his life in a coach boat accident in Centerport, Long Island.  Fortunately we had two great Coast Guard speakers come down from Cape Cod to make a one hour presentation on the role of the Coast Guard and in particular Search and Rescue.  LCDR Simon Greene, a helicopter pilot and experienced sailor, and AST2 Paul Mills, a rescue swimmer, captured the kids’ attention discussing the role of the Coast Guard and demonstrating the rescue equipment.  

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For the third year, under the leadership of Peter Becker, we offered the more experienced juniors a Level 200 advanced course with a big increase in participation.  Last year's three-boatloads of juniors doubled to six boats - a total of 63 sailors, with a wait list.  Next year we will plan on 8-10 boatloads.   Each level 200 crew hit the water at 10 am after the Coast Guard talk, and with two top level Storm Trysail coaches, spent the entire day on and in the water.  They handled flares and rockets, performed various types of MOB recovery with swimmers in the water, and even inflated life rafts and abandoned ship!  We understand the coaches then raided the sandwich bags.

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Meantime, back ashore the Level 100 juniors attended Bob Behringer's Heavy Weather presentation, Rand Milton’s showing of our MOB film followed by a throw line bag competition, and then a dockside demonstration of mainsail reefing, setting storm sails, and proper bosun chair technique.  After lunch Dick York, with Aragorn tied off the dock, demonstrated methods of hoisting wet junior MOBs on board.

In the afternoon the Level 100 sailors boarded boats and practiced MOB and other drills.  For the Level 100 tallboy buoys were used for the practice. 

The day ended with the juniors quickly disposing of fifty pizzas!

As with all Storm Trysail events, there are dozens of volunteers.  See the list below of boats, owners, coaches and presenters.   Special thanks to Lisa Schinella assisted by Marcy Trenholm in organizing the logistics of this Seminar. 

Richard du Moulin, Past Commodore Moderator

 Boat Owners Boat
Todd Aven Thin Man
Peter Becker American YCYoung American
  American YC Vareki
Richard T. duMoulin Lora Ann
Mark Ellman  Next Boat
Frederick Heerde Maudelayne
Roberts Kari Ishkoodah
Bengt Johansson Zig Zag
Adam Loory Soulmates
Carl Olsson Morning Glory
Leonard Sitar Vamp
Briggs Tobin Froya
Andrew B.  Weiss Christopher Dragon
Richard York Aragorn
 Noroton YCJHawk
 Port Washington YCHokulea
 Riverside YCZuma
 Riverside YC Strange Brew
Coaches  
Andrew BerdonJohn FallonWilliam R. Padin
Andrew BesheerBrenda LewisEdward R. Padin
Bob BehringerBob MathewsMike Puleo
Halsey G. BullenMary McKiege (EMT)Christopher J. Reyling
Ed CesareRand MiltonRick Royce
Charles T. Corning, IIIAnn MyerDevin Santa

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