April 2006:

• Free Spirit, a 22 foot Sea Hawk, ran out of fuel in position 34 06.364 N, 119 09.835 W. Captain Jon, on Assist Ventura, delivered fuel to the disabled vessel.

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• A Larson 30, out of fuel near the Mandalay Power Plant, was assisted by Captain Tom, on Assist Channel Islands. Captain Tom towed the boat to Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Morgan Leeann, a Slickcraft 21, disabled near the Channel Islands Harbor breakwater, was assisted by Captain Tom, on Assist Channel Islands.

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• Captain Tom, on Assist Channel Islands, came to the aid of Sea Belle, a Columbia 37 sailboat. The boat was disabled in Channel Islands Harbor, needing to go back to its slip.

• It was Captains Bev, Paul & Jason who braved the persistent rain to move the 30 foot Christcraft from a Ventura Yacht Club slip to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. Assist Ventura was the tow boat.

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• It continued to rain, and after moving the Chriscraft, Captains Bev, Paul and Jason (you can only get so wet....) towed a 30 foot powerboat from Ventura West Marina to Dave's Fuel Dock.

• Kismet, a Grand Banks trawler in Ventura West Marina, slip B-79, found herself taking on water. The persistent rain most likely contributed to the problem. Captains Bev and Paul, on Assist Ventura, braved the rain for the second day in a row. Along with a soggy Butterdoggy, they towed the boat, in pouring rain, to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. The boatyard planned to haul and inspect the boat.

• Rain was probably the culprit in the sinking of a 25 foot Fountain in Mandalay Bay, which was apparently salvaged by The Grim Reaper. The boat was soon back on top of the water where it belonged and being towed by Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands to a trailer at the launch ramp. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)

• A Beneteau Oceanis named Cake found itself hard aground on Hollywood Beach. The boat was high and dry, far up the beach, making the salvage a challenge. Captains Kris, Paul, and Tom were up to it, as was Assist Ventura who provided the muscle to pull the stranded boat from its predicament. The tow bridle broke twice so Captains Tom and Paul made the swim from Assist Ventura, who was staged outside the surf zone, to the beach two times. After rigging the bridle for the third time the beached boat finally floated free, and Captain Kris headed for Ventura Harbor with the boat in tow. It was 10 pm by the time Captain Kris and Assist Ventura arrived in Ventura Harbor. Captains Paul and Tom, who had monitored the salvaged boat during the tow to make sure no water was coming aboard, were finally able to get out of their wetsuits. The boat was hauled out at the boatyard and found to have suffered only minor damage. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3) (PHOTO 4)

• A late night grounding kept Captains Kris and Paul working all night. A Searay 22, named Toots II, ran aground just south of the Channel Islands Harbor entrance, on Silver Strand Beach. Captain Paul swam the tow line in through the rip current, and rigged the stranded boat for the pull. Captain Kris, at the helm of Assist Channel Islands, maneuvered just outside the surfzone, paying out towline as Captain Paul swam in to the beach. Ventura County Sheriff's Department stood by and provided assistance, using their spotlight to keep track of Captain Paul as he swam in through the surf in the dark. Once the stranded boat was rigged to pull, Captain Kris took the strain on the towline, skillfully maneuvering the boat off the beach. The vessel was intact and was towed to the Channel Islands launch ramp and delivered to its owner before daybreak.

• Amberjack, a 36 Californian , lost its engine about six miles outside of Ventura Harbor. Captain Kris and Assist Ventura responded, towing the disabled vessel in to Ventura Harbor.

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• A 34 foot Defever trawler, named Free Spirit, suffered engine failure just outside Ventura Harbor on a voyage from San Diego. Captains Bev and Paul, on Maverick, responded.

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• Eyes of the World, a Catalina 42 lost an engine leaving Prisoner's Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island. Accomplished sailors, the owners of the boat sailed back to Channel Islands Harbor, only calling Vessel Assist for help in getting back into their slip. It was Captains Bev and Paul, on Assist Channel Islands, who responded.

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• Captain Kris drew the short straw and ran the long case to Santa Barbara. A 20 foot Wilson lost power just out of Santa Barbara Harbor and needed a tow back in. Assist Ventura was the tow boat.

• A 26 Uniflite moved from a slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Anchor's Way Boatyard. The team was Captain Bev, Captain Paul, and Butter, on Maverick.

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• The Captain Bev/Paul/Butter team moved a Catalina 25 from Harbor Town Marina to a slip in the Ventura Keys. Maverick was the towboat.

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• Captain Kris, on Assist Channel Islands, responded to the Bayliner 22 out of fuel north of Anacapa Island. The boat, named Montana, was going back in to Channel Islands Harbor.

• A Morgan 37, C'est La, on the beach at Cojo Anchorage near Point Conception, was the object of Captain Kris and Captain Jon's attention throughout the night. The boat had been aground for over 12 hours by the time the guys got on scene with Assist Ventura and could harness the boat for the pull. Captain Jon was the swimmer who took the tow line to the beach. After the boat was successfully refloated, it was a long tow back to Santa Barbara Harbor for the guys. The boat was relinquished to the custody of the owner at 2 am, and Assist Ventura and crew then made the trip back to Ventura Harbor.

• Sweet Caroline, went from her slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Anchor's Way Boatyard. This time it was the other engine that was the problem for the boat, the first having been repaired a few months earlier. The team was Captains Bev, Paul, and Butter, on Assist Ventura.

• A sailboat near the east end of Anacapa suffered an anchor problem and called the Coast Guard for assistance. The mariners on board were unable to get their anchor windlass operational so consequently were unable to pull their anchor up. The Coast Guard referred them to Vessel Assist and Captain Jon was dispatched to help. By the time he was ready to leave the dock, however, they had fixed the problem and it ended up being a stand down.

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• A 23 foot runabout named Naughty Hooker, was disabled about five miles out of Port Hueneme. Captain Tom was dispatched on Assist Channel Islands, to rescue the boat, towing it back to the launch ramp in Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Sea Fox, a Sea Ray 20, was disabled near Platform Gina with transmission problems. It was Captain Tom, on Assist Channel Islands, who responded, towing the boat back in to Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Power vessel, Undertaker, ran out of fuel just out of Santa Barbara Harbor. It was Captain Jon, on Assist Ventura, who was the gas station guy. The mariners aboard Undertaker were able to restart their engine, after the fuel delivery, and continue on their way to Santa Barbara.

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• A Baja 22, lost power just out of Channel Islands Harbor. Captain Jon, on Assist Ventura, responded with jumper cables, but it was no-joy and he had to tow the boat back to the launch ramp in Channel Islands Harbor.

• National Park Service landing craft, Surf Ranger, needed to move from a slip under the crane to a new location. It was Captains Paul and Bev who maneuvered the big boat, and of course Butter was along for the ride.

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• It was Captain Kris who went to the aid of Morning Wood, a Radon 20 disabled in position N 34 07.239, W 119 16.163. Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands towed the boat safely back to Channel Islands Harbor.

• It was Captains Bev and Paul, on Assist Channel Islands, who went to the aid of the Baja 27 disabled in Channel Islands Harbor. The engine had overheated and the boat drifted onto a dock near the Anacapa Yacht Club. The boat was safely towed to the launch ramp.

• Saturday started early for Captain Kris, a Chapparal 26 named Sea Phantom, seven miles out of Channel Islands Harbor, called Vessel Assist for assistance at 6:30 am. Captain Kris, on Assist Channel Islands, towed the boat back to the Channel Islands launch ramp.

• It was early cases all weekend, Sunday morning started at 6:30 am as well. Captain Kris was dispatched to assist Smitty, a 24 foot Skipjack, disabled with tranmission problems. Captain Kris and Assist Ventura towed the boat back to Ventura Harbor.

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• It was Captain Kris, again, who responded to the disabled vessel in position N 34 12.411, W 119 18.045. The boat, a Bayliner 25 named Endless Summer, suffered engine failure a couple of miles out of Ventura Harbor and hailed Vessel Assist on channel 16. Captain Kris, on Assist Ventura, towed the boat back to the launch ramp.

• Double Vision, a Bayliner Trophy, overheated just off Rincon Point. The skipper called Vessel Assist for a tow and it was Captain Kris, on Assist Ventura, who answered the call. The boat was safely towed to Ventura Harbor launch ramp.

• Captain Kris wins the award for the most early morning calls this month. It was 4:30 am today when the call for assistance came in from a Hans Christian sailboat named Meridian. The boat had been outbound on a voyage to Long Beach, but mechanical failure convinced the skipper to return to Channel Islands for repairs. The boat was safely assisted back into Channel Islands Harbor by Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands.

• Uniflite 36, Dauntless, was towed from Ventura Harbor to Channel Islands Boatyard. It was Captain Kris, at the helm of Assist Channel Islands, who was the escort of the day.

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• Captain Kris, on Assist Channel Islands, moved an Ericson 35 from Channel Islands Harbor Marina to Channel Islands Boatyard.

• A 19 foot runabout with three POB, disabled about a mile out of Ventura Harbor, called Vessel Assist for help. Captains Paul and Jason, and crew, Matthew Velluto, from Ribcraft, were putting the Ribcraft Mitigator, Maverick,through her paces outside the harbor, so they went to the assistance of the mariners, towing them back to the launch ramp in Ventura Harbor. The tow was a good deed, the mariners were not Vessel Assist members, but since the Mitigator was out on trials anyway, the decision was made not to charge for the service. The mariners were cautioned to buy a Vessel Assist membership, however, since the cost of a 12 month membership is less than the cost of a one hour tow at retail rates. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

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• Captains Paul and Jason, on Maverick, went to the rescue of a Slickcraft 20, disabled off of Emma Wood State Beach. The boat was safely anchored and waiting for assistance when Maverick arrived on scene. The boat was towed back to the Ventura Harbor launch ramp.

• Captain Tom lost the coin toss and had to do the 14 hour tow to San Miguel Island. He and Assist Ventura went to the aid of a 21 foot Crestliner named Nautical II, disabled in position N 34 00.737, W 120 17.713. The boat needed to go back to Santa Barbara Harbor before Tom and Ventura could return to base. It was after midnight before the job was done.

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• Captain Kris, on Assist Channel Islands, went to the aid of a Radon 24 named Gray Ghost, disabled in position N 34 59.340, W 119 58.898, near Skunk Point, Santa Rosa Island. His tow was almost as long as Captain Tom's, he was out for over ten hours, and it was after midnight, by the time he got the mariner safely back to Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Before Captain Kris could exit the harbor enroute to assist Gray Ghost, he was hailed by another mariner in need of assistance. A Hauser 22, named Catch 22, suffered engine failure in Channel Islands Harbor and was disabled and adrift. Kris and Assist Channel Islands safely handled the mariner in need before proceeding to Santa Rosa Island.

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• Since both tow boats were busy assisting other mariners, Captain Paul was dispatched on Maverick, to assist Good Excuse, a Seaswirl Striper disabled near Carrington Point, Santa Rosa Island. The tow was over ten hours long by the time the mariner was delivered safely back to Ventura Harbor, and the fuel capacity on Maverick proved to be just a little less than that required for a ten hour tow. Captain Tom and Assist Ventura were the heroes who came to the rescue on their way back from Santa Barbara Harbor, dropping fuel so that Paul and Maverick could complete their mission and bring the Striper safely home.