-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Perkins [mailto:mperkins@quantumhydraulic.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2004 10:21 AM
To: Captain Carl Sputh
Subject: RE: STARLET / Break loose

Dear Carl,
      Thanks much for the copy of your report - Good to hear that there are more uses for the ZeroSpeed than just keeping the olives in the Martinis!! I am sorry we missed you in Monaco - we were just there for the show. There were 7 other of our ZeroSpeed yachts in the harbor and the comments from all were universally positive.

             By the way, we do love hearing the positive remarks so please keep us up to date. See you on the other side!         

Regards to all,

Mike Perkins

ps. You looked pretty smart in the picture in ShowBoats!

 
From: Captain Carl Sputh
Sent: Tue 9/28/2004 5:39 AM
To: mperkins@quantumhydraulic.com

Subject: STARLET / Break loose

I thought you may enjoy this report...  That I wrote to the owners!

At 1945 we departed Livorno for Monaco.  The weather forecast for the trip was 10-18 kts and 3-5 ft seas out of the WNW.  As the yacht approached Monaco the weather forecast showed improvement.  At 0100 the wind had increase to about 25kts and the seas were running 6-9ft.  We were passing through a squall.  Just after 0100 the towing eye on the tender broke.  Trevor & Stephanie were on watch and noticed it was missing right away. 

We awoke the crew and begin the process of turning the vessel and spotting the tender.  The tender tracker that was installed worked perfectly, we were able to drive directly back to the location where we lost it, which was about 5 nm back and about .30 NM off our track line.  In the weather conditions we had and with the dark blue hull of the tender it would have been VERY HARD to locate. 

Ryan and Todd were nominated for the recovery and they accepted their mission willfully.  As the boys prepared their safety gear, and donned their wetsuits.  I made 3 trial runs at the tender knowing that I only had one chance when the boys hit the water.

Ryan and Todd were ready and standing by on the starboard side bow.  All of the safety recovery equipment was in place and the crew was ready if there was a problem.  I approached the tender slowly from down wind.  

The spot lights illuminated the tender, the boys got there final pep-talk and they prepared to jump.  At 30ft off the tender, the yacht was in position and the JUMP command was given.  Todd and Ryan hit the water and swam quickly without hesitation to STARLET and boarded, Ryan first then Todd.  They were in the water for less than a minute but it seemed like and hour to me.

  The ZeroSpeed stabilizers kept the yacht perfectly stable, as I spun the stern away from the tender and Trevor kept the spotlight on STARLET.  The girls had blankets, fresh clothes and drinks ready in trash bags for the boys.  Which they tossed to them after the tender engine was started.  It truly was a work of art and you would have been proud to see your crew in action.  Todd and Ryan then drove the tender for the rest of the night to Monaco.  Of course after the sun came up the weather subsided but they had a rough 5 hours.  Other than a broken towing eye, there was no damage done.  

We arrived safely in Monaco at 0900 which was an hour late for the broker showing I had scheduled.  We were going to have 15-20 of Fraser's top brokers onboard for breakfast.   I'm going to see what else I can put together today but the crew is pretty beat so all let you know how it goes later.

Warm regards

Motor Yacht STARFIRE
Captain Carl Sputh