06/20/2025
As a sailor, I 10 occasionally take out passengers to learn sailing. I was on my sailboat Mystical Paradise, a 40-foot Catalina c 400. I was trying on a brand-new Inflatable Personal flotation device (PFD) and was installing a new safety tether. The tether is designed to attach oneself to the boat and prevents one from falling overboard. At approximately 6 pm, I decided to go out with a friend on his boat. to assist him. He was a new sailor and needed help. I decided to keep the PFD on, as to make sure it fit right. A few minutes later I was on Ken G. s boat. The wind was brisk, blowing about 30 knots or 35 miles per hour.
As I approached Kens boat, I noticed that although the boat was still on its mooring, the mainsail was up and luffing (shaking ) violently from the wind. (The mainsail is the large primary sail, attached to the vertical mast, and horizontal boom). The boom holds the bottom of the sail and its horizontal movement controls the sail.) I mentioned to Ken as I climbed aboard, that perhaps in this high wind, it might be better to raise the sail after releasing the boat from the mooring . This is the safer way to start sailing off a mooring. He replied that he had always raised his sail first and that he preferred doing it that way.
On the boat was another friend Steve D. , and three (3) other non experienced adult sailors, and Ken the owner. Steve went forward to release the lines from the mooring and release the boat. As he did this, I noticed he was not wearing a PFD. I asked him to put on a PFD to which he replied he did not need one. Steve was at the front of the boat having a hard time releasing the mooring lines on the boat. The boat was “sailing” back and forth violently, putting pressure on the lines creating tension on the cleats. The boom was still violently swinging to and fro. I suggested to Ken to start the engine, to push the boat slightly forward to take pressure off the lines. Steve finally released the lines, and the boat slipped off its mooring. Steve started to walk back to the cockpit to resume his duties. While Steve was returning to the cockpit the wind caught the front of the boat violently turning the boat around and was now going downwind. As this occurred, Steve was about midships near the boom. The violent turn of the boat caused to boom to swing to the opposite side of the boat. I watched in horror as the boom swung violently and struck Steve about the head. I saw him being thrown into the water. As the wind caught the mainsail the boat was quickly sailing away. As the boat was sailing away from Steve, I saw he was not swimming, but appeared to be unconscious. The high wind was putting distance between the boat and Steve. I screamed to Ken to turn the boat around, but just saw a look of horror on his face “like a deer caught in the headlights.” He did not react, just kept sailing away, with a grip on the steering wheel that would leave indentions on the metal. As I was wearing a pfd, without hesitation, nor fearing for my own safety, I dove into the water. The water was still cold from the spring, and there was a strong current against me. I swam about a hundred yards towards Steve’s location. I heard a low explosion from my self-inflating PFD which meant the CO 2 cartridge had been activated and the vest was inflating with air. Normal swimming with an inflated PFD was nearly impossible , so I turned around swam backwards in the direction I last saw Steve. With luck and the help of God, I somehow found Steve. By the time I reached him, he was face down in water, and not breathing. I immediately turned him over gave him mouth to mouth resuscitation , by hoisting him on my chest and inflated pfd. He was a large man and I was pushed below the water and had to struggle to keep my own head above water. As I kicked violently to stay above the water, I started squeezing his chest to try to expel some of the water , which I know he swallowed during his time in the water. I was able to have him expel an extreme amount of sea water, but he was still not breathing. I again lifted him onto my own chest and gave him two quick breaths of my own precious air.
I noticed that Kens boat was now returning to me. I swam with Steve in tow to the back of the boat and grabbed the lowered ladder. I was physically exhausted, and I held on for dear life. I expected the boat to stop and the crew to help me get Steve into the boat. To my surprise and horror, the boat engine was in gear and the boat was still moving. I now was struggling to hold on to Steve while being towed in the water like a fish on a fishing line being dragged. I screamed to Ken to stop the boat which he finally did. My lungs were screaming in pain from physical exhaustion. I had no strength left and I could not climb the ladder to extract myself, much less Steve. Ken had no emergency gear to get us aboard , and the three non-experienced people were useless. I thought to myself, Steve would die despite all my efforts.
As luck would have it, a Coast Guard small boat was leaving Northport harbor when the call for help “man overboard” went out. As the CG boat got closer, I decided my chances with them were better than being dragged to our death by Ken. I somehow gathered my strength, swam with Steve in tow to the CG boat and screamed at the crew to hoist him aboard. With the crew’s assistance, I was able to push Steve’s body onto the CG boat. I told them I was OK and that they should expedite him to the nearest dock and transport him to a hospital. At this time, I swam back to Kens sailboat and managed to get aboard. Ken complained to me that the CG boat had hit him as they left with Steve, I told him to shut up. I was later transported to the dock where I collapsed on the dock from physical exhaustion. I received a contusion to my right ankle.
Steve was taken by boat to a local Marina. A Suffolk County helicopter was just returning from a fuel stop, passing by Northport was redirected to Northport elementary school. The chopper picked. Steve up. He was airlifted to Stony Brook hospital in critical condition. There he was treated for fractured skull, fractured orbital both sides, broken jaw ,and saltwater inhalation . On July 7, he was transferred to St Charles rehabilitation center in Port Jefferson. On July 15 he was released and is home where he is currently recovering.
Anthony Pozun member/ instructor, Northport Yacht Club, Executive Officer and senior boating instructor, USPS Neptune chapter Northport Ny,
NYS Registered professional nurse. (R.N.)
American Heart Association BLS CPR instructor
Retired Det/ Sgt Nassau County Police, 35 yrs. service. NYS
This content isn't available right now10 years ago today i saved a life for northpotrt
