Catching the COVID vs. Catching a Sailboat

[spartonboat1]

Well, if you are alive and read the Internet or Cable news, you are very aware that the US and Global population is catching the COVID virus.

But this is not about that. It is about a friend/co-worker who "caught" a Sailboat; his name was George, that's all I remember. He and I were "Deckhands" together, on a Yacht "Natoya" and I ran one of the two 16' wooden Grey marine powered launches.

So here is the story. Back in the early's 60's, yes I was there, they did occur, I was a Deckhand on one of the two largest yachts on the Great Lakes: The Natoya, out of Grosse Pointe Club, Grosse Pte, MI. She was a 118' steel hulled yacht, that was constructed at the DeFoe Boat Works in Bay City, MI, back around 1947 powered by four GM (before Detroit Diesel) 6-71's two to a side. Her Great Lakes sistership was the Chanticleer, that ran around in the North Channel and was owned by Ralph Evinrude of outboard fame. He was married to WWII singer Francis Langford. These two yachts were 2 of 7 such boats built by DeFoe and were called the "Cruisemasters". Both these yachts are gone long ago!

Quick Note: The Natoya had multiple cameo shots, in the James Bond Movie Thunderball. She is always at anchor and is painted in White; in her yachting days, she was in Grey. She is seen offshore, while Bond is shooting skeet on shore and other times, including when Bond motors up to her in a dingy, for a closer look. The boat that was always moving, under power, was a completely different boat! OBTW, after the movie was completed, the Natoya was later scuttled off Florida, as a "reef".

So I sailed on her two different summers, 1961 and 1963. I think the incident occurred is 1961; forgotten. We are running West of the Mackinaw Bridge, when we haul up next to a sailboat, about a 40-50 footer. They may have hailed us on the radio; don't know- never knew.

At any rate, she had lost steerage in some manner, because if she had engine power, she could have sailed on. She we stop to render assistance.

That day there was 3-4' sea, the norm for that area, I would say, after boating up there for 60+ years. The Natoya had a large fantail, where there was large lounging area, for the owner and guests. George and I proceeded to crawl back over the lounge area, and positioned ourselves on the fantail, which was 5-6' long by beam of probably 15' back there; this was to secure a line and bring the sailboat under tow. I used to raise the flag back there in the mornings.

So "George" and I are back there ready to take the sailboat under tow, and we were backing down on her very slowly. Well, as we got very near to the sailboat, her prow was rising up and down in the seas and was about to come down, in the seas, and land on and hit the Natoya! George, being a quick thinker and strong guy, reaches out with his hand to "catch" the prow of the sailboat, which he proceeded to do.

However, the prow came down on his forearm, which was caught on top of the fantail. That was mostly clearly and cleanly broken arm I have ever seen. It had a nice "Z" shape to it! Did I mention that later, when he learned of this, our Captain, Jim Mertaugh, was none to pleased to hear this. Jim was a brother to man who owned and ran Mertaugh Boat Works in Hessel, MI.

Can you believe George's luck?! One of our guests was an Osteopathic (bone- you knew that...) Surgeon from Detroit! He immediately went to work setting George's broken arm. Nicely bound and in a sling he was.

Well, I was about 4 feet away from George, when this happened, so I do remember the event.

Now to where we towed that sailboat, I have no remembrance and I definitely do not have her name. But its a boating story - catching sailboats may be more dangerous that catching the COVID!