ON BOARD OF THE ENGINELESS TUGBOAT TRES HOMBRES
by the Crew of Tres Hombres on 12/28/12
DATE:27.12.12 GMT:2202 POS: 14º42´53N, 48º00´03W COG:270º SOG:6.0kts
GENERAL SYNOPSIS: ON BOARD OF THE ENGINELESS TUGBOAT ´TRES HOMBRES´
WIND DIR: NNE
WIND SPD:10-15kts
CLOUDS:1/8
SEA STATE:2
SEA TEMP:26.8º
AIR TEMP:25º
AIR PRES:1016
ON BOARD OF THE ENGINELESS TUGBOAT ´TRES HOMBRES´
When we arrive on the reported position of SV ´Fidel´ the ocean is still as emty as before. Nobody is answering to our calls on the VHF. The land station ´Fort the France´ also didn´t succeed to communicate with the rudderless vessel.
We decide to take up on our old heading. On our way to the Caribbean again, the iridium rings. It´s sv ´Fidel´. Arjen, who found himself very keen on speaking German (or should I say ´IJsselmeerduits´) the past three days, could now bring his rediscovered talents into practice. The ship is about 30 miles sw from us. A German solo sailor, about 65 years old, drifting on the ocean without a rudder for two weeks now. Two weeks!
We sail towards it, and after two hours, Joel spots the 2masted sailing yacht. With as less sail as possible, we sail along his windward side and trow over a ´monkey´s fist´ attached to a towing line. The man is exhausted and it takes him a lot of effort to get the line on board. We have to try three times, before we succeed to connect the two ships.
Now the moment of communication has come.
´Wie Heissen Sie!?´ Arjen shouts.
´Maurits! Was sind die kosten!?´ the man awnsers.
A beer in the Carribean sounds like a reasonable price for both party´s.
Then Clemens is chosen to be the messenger with a ´no claim´ contract in a watertight bag he swims towards SV Fidel, checks out the problem with the rudder and has a little chat with our new neighbor.
Tomorrow we will look for possibilities of repairing the rudder, but for now, whe tug the 12 meter yacht in the light of the full moon, while the stunsails are being set again.
Regards, Freya van Zon, 2nd Mate.
