February 2006:

• Happy Ours, a 26 foot Sea Ray, lost power just outside Port Hueneme and Captain Tom responded on Assist Channel Islands, towing the disabled boat back into Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Whistle Down, a Spencer 35 sailboat, lost engine power in the middle of the main channel of Ventura Harbor on its way to its home slip. It was Captains Bev, Paul and Butter who caught up with the helplessly drifting boat before it ran into anything, and hipped up, towing the boat safely to its slip in Ventura West Marina. Assist Ventura was the towboat.

• Serenade, a 45 foot Dufour sailboat, lost its starter and even though it was Super Bowl Sunday, Captain Tom and Assist Channel Islands were dispatched to assist. The boat was towed to Anacapa Isle Marina, Channel Islands Harbor.

• Captain Kris and Assist Ventura took Free Spirit, a Newport 27, back to its slip in Ventura West Marina. The boat had been at Ventura Harbor Boat Yard for a few days having some work done.

• The Santa Anas do not deter Captain Kris! A 45 foot custom steel schooner, Sunday II, was the boat behind Captain Kris and Assist Ventura this windy morning. Previously the schooner had been in a slip in Channel Islands Harbor and it was headed for Ventura Harbor Boat Yard where it was scheduled for engine installation.

• A 32 foot Wellcraft, disabled just inside the detached breakwall in Channel Islands Harbor, called for assistance at 9 pm. Captain Kris and Tracey, on Assist Channel Islands, responded.

• Early in the afternoon Vessel Assist Ventura copied a distress radio call which was placed by dive boat Spectre, to Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles, on behalf of a pleasure boat that had gone aground on the backside of Anacapa Island. Two good samaritans, Cora C and Easy Living, stood by and attempted to assist the grounded boat but they were unable to get in close enough to the beach to help. The Park Service Rangers from the Channel Islands National Park also responded with their inflatable boat, but they were unsuccessful in removing the mariners from their predicament on the beach. The tide was nearing the low water mark, so as the tide came up over the ensuing six hours, the beach on which the mariners were trapped would have disappeared. Also, it was important to act quickly so that the rising tide could be used to advantage in refloating the stranded boat. The decision was made to mobilize immediately and to dispatch Maverick (the high speed Ribcraft Mitigator), with Captain Paul at the helm, with Assist Ventura following closely behind with Captains Kris and Jon onboard. When Captain Paul arrived at the scene of the 24 foot Wellcraft, the two mariners who had been aboard the stranded vessel were on the beach next to their boat. Captain Paul swam in with a tow line and a 10 foot inflatable, which was to be utilized for removing the boaters from the beach. The inflatable was attached to Assist Ventura by another line, and once the mariners climbed in, Captain Kris rescued them by pulling them to safety, through the surf zone. Aboard Assist Ventura, the cold, wet mariners were given dry clothing while the recovery effort for their boat continued. At this point the surf had increased, complicating the situation. Captain Paul, still on the beach, attached the tow line to the Wellcraft, and Captain Kris began to take the strain on the line. The boat was gently nudged in the direction of open water and ultimately, successfully refloated. Due to the rapid response and skillful recovery, the boat sustained a minimum of damage. It was subsequently towed to Ventura Harbor where it was placed on the owner's trailer. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

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• After the successful rescue of the Wellcraft from the backside of Anacapa Island, Captains Kris and Jon, aboard Assist Ventura, towed a disabled 27 foot Fiberform to Ventura Harbor.

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• Captain Paul, on Maverick, barely had time to catch his breath before he had to respond to a Skipjack 25 with fuel problems near Platform Gilda. The boat had 7 POB and a puppy. Everyone onboard was happy to get back to Ventura Harbor. (PHOTO)

• Lady Washington visited Ventura Harbor, taking the public out on excursions and sailing trips outside the harbor. The crew onboard fired the cannon and hoisted sails and sang sea chanties. (PHOTO)

• Captain Kris, on Assist Channel Islands, responded to the 26 foot Meridian, disabled in Channel Islands Harbor. The skipper had lost power and drifted onto a dock in Vintage Marina. He tied on to the dock and waited for help to arrive, to assist him back to his home slip which was only a few hundred feet away.

• Leprechaun, a 37 foot trawler at a private dock in Mandalay Bay, Channel Islands Harbor, went to Channel Islands Boat Yard for haulout and placement on a trailer for trucking to Port Townsend, WA. The owner relocated to Washington from Channel Islands and needed his boat delivered to him by road. It was Captain Bev, Captain Paul, and Butter, on Assist Channel Islands who responded.

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• It was 5 pm on a Friday afternoon and Mike Hansen of Ventura Harbor Boatyard realized that the big boat on their docks wasn't going anywhere under its own power. He called Vessel Assist and Captains Bev and Paul, who had left the office for the day and were standing in line at Starbucks, headed back to the docks to help. Assist Ventura was used to move the 55 foot power boat back to its home slip in Ventura Isle Marina.

• A Flicka 20 lost its engine in Ventura Harbor and was in danger of drifting on to the rocks near the launch ramp. Captain Paul responded on the Mitigator, rushing to the aid of the mariners just in the nick of time. There were 3 POB and everyone on board was relieved to see the black inflatable speeding to the rescue. Captain Paul picked up his crew, Captain Bev and Butter, and the boat was towed back to its slip in Ventura West.

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• Better Than Nothing, an 18 foot Thunderbird, ran out of luck in the gap between Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands. Engine failure prompted the three mariners on board to call Vessel Assist for a tow back to Santa Barbara Harbor. It was Captain Tom, on Assist Ventura, who went to their aid.

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• A 23 foot Parker, named Dorsil, experienced engine trouble at Pitas Point. The mariners dropped a hook and called Vessel Assist for help. It was Captain Paul, on Maverick, who responded towing the boat back to Ventura Harbor. (PHOTO)

• Ellie Rose, an Azimut 55, went to Ventura Harbor Boat Yard to have her props pulled and needed a tow back to her slip in Ventura Isle Marina. The towing crew consisted of Captains Bev, Paul and Butter on Assist Ventura.

• Captains Kris and Paul, on Assist Ventura, moved the 100 foot crew boat, Jackie C., for Ventura Harbor Boatyard. The yard needed the crew boat moved from the docks into the big slipways for hauling and repair.

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• It was Sea Woody, headed to the dump, that required the attention of Captains Bev, Paul, and Butter. The boat went from a slip in Ventura West to Ventura Harbor Boatyard, where it was placed on one of Lynn's Heavy Hauling trailers. Assist Ventura was the tow boat of the day.

• Romance, a 35 foot sailboat, went from its slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. The tow captain was Captain Bev, deckhands were Captain Paul and Butter. Tow boat was Assist Ventura.

• Gigi Marie, a 25 foot Radon, encountered engine failure near Santa Rosa Island. The skipper was able to repair the problem so he called Vessel Assist and stood down the tow. It was Captain Paul, on Assist Channel Islands, who was dispatched.

• Captain Kris went to the aid of the mariners aboard the 22 foot Radon, named Silence, in position N 34 02.386, W 120 08.882. The boat was adrift and disabled in the gap between Santa Cruz Island and Santa Rosa Island. The destination was Santa Barbara Harbor so it was a long day for Captain Kris and Assist Ventura who were out for almost 11 hours.

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• Nimue, a Radon 21, suffered outdrive failure near Platform Gail. It was Captain Paul, on Assist Channel Islands, who responded to the mariners in distress, towing them back to Channel Islands Harbor. At least it was a pretty sunset. (PHOTO)

• A 20 foot Grady White, broken down in position N 34 11.959, W 119 22.869, was the object of Captain Kris and Assist Ventura's attention. The boat was towed to Ventura Harbor launch ramp.

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• Out of fuel near Platform Gail, a 23 foot Baja called for Vessel Assist. Captains Tom and Sean, and deckhand Fletcher, delivered the fuel on Maverick, the Ribcraft Mitigator, 7.8. (PHOTO)

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• Elesyee, a 31 foot Pearson sailboat, ran out of fuel and out of wind in position N 34 06.027, W 119 18.423. It was Captain Jon and Assist Channel Islands who were on call for this one. The boat was safely towed back to Channel Islands Harbor and put away in its home slip in Vintage Marina.

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• A dead battery was the problem for Fast Cash, a 27 foot Owens. The boat was parked in front of The Whale's Tail in Channel Islands Harbor and needed to go back to Channel Islands Harbor Marina. It was Captain Paul on Maverick who responded, attempting to give the boat a jump start and when that was not successful, towing the boat to its slip.

• Rainy Day Schedule. (PHOTO)

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• Captains Jon and Paul were the Rainy Monday Team who moved the Bayliner 26 from its slip in Channel Islands Harbor Marina to Anacapa Marine Services where it was scheduled for a haul out. Assist Channel Islands was the designated Rainy Monday tow boat.

• The heavy rains claimed a victim in Mandalay Bay. An Owens 33, at a private dock, went to the bottom on an extreme low tide. Captain Paul, along with Captain Bev and Jason, surveyed the situation and put booms in place to contain hazardous substances. The decision was made to begin the effort to raise the boat the following day, so that the work could be safely performed in daylight. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)