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Remember When!
***SHARK SINKS OFF 50 POINT IN LAKE ONTARIO*** Phil and Ruth Van Horne's shark #828 "Remember When" sank in about 45 ft. of water while racing off Fifty Point on Sunday, August 25. Phil and his regular crew of Rob Dueckman and Jim Gallagher were in the water for only about 10 - 15 minutes and were efficiently picked up, uninjured, by "Loki" and her crew, aboard a cruising sail boat. Phil has promised a "full report" in due course, but for the information of other Shark sailors gave me the following summary of what happened: "We were on the last leg, beating to the finish line of the race, in about 22-25 knots of wind, (gusting higher), under main and genoa and were not uncomfortable with the conditions. Because the wind had shifted from a previously steady west wind, we were forced to sail directly into the well established 4-5 ft. wave pattern and were "feathering up" over the crests. On one crest the boat went "into irons" and was then knocked over, which backed the genoa. The wind held the sail against the rigging and although we had been able to uncleat the genoa, before we could get the main uncleated, we were hit by a second gust and/or a second wave which put "Remember When" on her side, with the mast in the water. She then turned "keel up" and continued to rotate into what we hoped would be a full 360 degree turn, however she failed to right herself, filling with water and sinking very quickly, bow first, leaving the three of us in the water. Happy Ending: On Thursday, August 29th,C. & C. Yacht Recovery found "Remember When" and pulled her up from the bottom at a spot only 100 - 150 ft. from where I had marked her the night before and she is now safely back at Fifty Point Yacht Club in her D18 slip a little soggy and battle scarred, but with minimal damage and loss." Ruth Van Horn's and Rob Dueckman's great pictures of the recovery :
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