Bowman Down (but not out) on Platoon
Platoon Bowman Doogie Couvreux’s Account of Race 1 Mishap at 52 Superseries World Championship
This in overnight from our Hood River sailor Sean “Doogie” Couvreux, who is sailing with Platoon in Cascais.
This will be hard for some people to read but I’m writing it so we can all learn and I want to be transparent about today’s actions.
I’m here in Cascais, Portugal racing the TP 52 World Championships. I have been fortunate for the last several years to be racing with one of the top 52 teams in the world, Platoon Aviation. Our training leading up to the event has been going well. Today was the first day of racing. After 2 general recalls, we finally got a clean start and off we went. The beat did not go as well as we wanted and we were in the pack. We struggled a bit on the run, but rounded the leeward mark and began the second beat. This team knows how to dig deep and work our way back. We slowly picked off a boat here and there and we started the final run to the finish. Let me say that conditions were fresh with some big puffs rolling through the course.
On the first gybe on the second run, our windward kite sheet got jammed and I had to cut the sheet.
So now began the preparation to run a second sheet for a gybe.
The quickest solution was to grab the sheet at the tack of the kite from the bowsprit and tie the new sheet to the cut section so we could jibe. In retrospect, I should have done this with a boat hook but I was worried about how long this was all going to take.
I made it out the sprit, got the sheet and then worked my way back. As most bowman know, there is a “no man’s land” on your way back before you can grab the pulpit. I grabbed the pulpit, but now you have to turn around to get back on the boat. Just as I started this, the bow plowed into a wave and washed me off the prod. I ended up basically sitting on the bobstay. Michi Mueller quickly ran forward and extended his hand to grab mine and get me back aboard. Just then, another wave caught me and washed in the water but both my legs were still on the other side of the bobstay. As I got forced back underwater and backwards with my legs pinned on the other side, I realized I was in a pretty bad situation. It took all strength I had to extend my leg and free myself. Running out of breath, I bumped along the underside of the hull until I popped out the back. I signaled to the boat that I was conscious and able to swim. An umpire boat quickly pulled me out of the water and got me back to the boat.
This was one of scariest things that has happened to me on a boat and I’ve had plenty of things go wrong in my sailing career. There are definitely some decisions I regret taking. But this is racing. We are all professionals and everyone acted accordingly. The support I’ve had from my teammates and competitors is unbelievable. Thank you to everyone.
I am thankful that these boats only have one rudder and will be thinking of that in the future when sailing on boats with 2 rudders. I am thankful that the umpire boats are very aware and he was there so quickly after the incident. I raced the second race but was definitely moving slower. After racing I got checked out in the hospital and so far, all seems ok apart from some massive bruising and not walking well. I’m definitely shaken up but ready to keep going.
We are grateful that you are OK Doogie and thank you for this terrific account. Good luck to you and the Platoon team today.