July 2007:

• Captain Tom, onboard Maverick, went to the aid of Brittania, a 32 foot sailboat, disabled outside Channel Islands Harbor. The boat was safely towed back to a slip in Anacapa Isle Marina.

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• Captain Tom and Retriever were the towing team that brought a 43 foot Egg Harbor from Channel Islands Harbor to Ventura Harbor Boatyard.

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• Captain Jon was the hero who went looking for the 19 foot Wellcraft disabled near Point Dume. The boat had four persons on board, two of which were children, no GPS, and was experiencing radio issues. The mariner was able to start his engine so motored toward Channel Islands without notifying Vessel Assist that he was making way so Captain Jon spent half an hour looking for him at Point Dume when the boat was no longer there. The mariner then called again for assistance when his boat died and Captain Jon had to figure out where he was in order to assist him. By this time the weather had deteriorated and the seas were becoming increasingly choppy, so the mariner became concerned and started to complain about the response time and request Coast Guard assistance. It turned out that the mariner had been able to make it to within 7 miles of Channel Islands Harbor so it took Captain Jon some time to catch up to the boat. Since Vessel Assist captains are not psychic, and are unable to read minds, this all took extra time and Captain Jon was finally able to locate and assist the mariner who was safely towed to Channel Islands Harbor where it is hoped he will remain until he buys a GPS and learns to check the weather before going out.

• 26 foot Wilson, Resurgence, suffered engine failure in position N 34:05.600, W 119:19.202 and called Vessel Assist for a tow. Captain Paul, onboard Retriever, responded towing the boat back to Channel Islands Harbor.

• Captain Randy and Assist Channel Islands went to the rescue of the 22 foot Bayliner with a loose belt in position N 34:07.044, W 119:10.582. The boat was safely towed to the Channel Islands launch ramp.

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• Celia Sea, a 20 foot Bayliner, ran out of fuel in position N 34:05.0, W 119:18.3. Captain Jason and Maverick were the fuel delivery team.

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• 41 foot trawler, Kiss, overheated while transiting the Santa Barbara Channel and called a Mayday. Once the smoke had cleared the mariners were able to determine that there was no fire and were able to get the situation under control. Captain Randy, onboard Assist Channel Islands, responded to the emergency towing the boat safely back to a slip in Channel Islands Harbor.

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• A 21 foot Seaswirl suffered engine failure in position N 34:10.340, W 119:10.950 and the mariner called for some help from Vessel Assist. Captain Paul, onboard Retriever, responded towing the boat back to Ventura Harbor launch ramp.

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• Captain Jason acted as perimeter control for a pyrotechnic display put on by FXExperts near Faria Beach. Retriever was the patrol boat. (PHOTO) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

• A 20 foot Wilson in position N 34:04.113, W 119:28.807, suffered outdrive failure and called Vessel Assist for some help. Captain Randy, onboard Retriever, went to the rescue towing the boat back to the Ventura launch ramp.

• Captain Randy and Retriever moved a 34 foot Searay from a slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Ventura Harbor Boatyard for an engine pull. The boat was then towed back to the slip in VIM.

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• A 25 foot Bayliner with engine failure near the 4 mile reef outside Santa Barbara called for a tow. Captain Randy and Retriever got underway but then the mariner was able to get his problem fixed and stood down the towing team.

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• Captain Randy and Assist Channel Islands went to the aid of Onosai, a Trojan 32 suffering from engine failure in one engine. The boat just needed some help in getting back into a slip in Channel Islands Harbor.

• Captains Paul and Randy pulled a Catalina 27 from the beach near Channel Islands Harbor. The mariner got too close to the beach and just ran out of water. Retriever was the salvage boat. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3) (PHOTO 4)

• Cutlass, a Wellcraft 26, lost its transmission while transiting the Santa Barbara Channel. Captain Randy onboard Retriever went to give the mariner some help, towing the boat to Ventura Harbor Boatyard.

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• Captain Randy assisted a 26 foot Reinell disabled near Summerland. The boat did not have a GPS onboard and the radio was inoperable so Captain Randy had his work cut out for him. Randy always finds his man so the boat was located and safely towed by Retriever to the Santa Barbara launch ramp.

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• A 17 foot Arima suffered engine failure near the Gaviota Pier and called Vessel Assist. Captain Randy got underway to the mariner's position but just as he was arriving on scene the mariner was able to restart his boat so it was a stand down for Captain Randy and Retriever.

• Captain Paul towed 43 foot Prowler, Great Escape, from Channel Islands Harbor to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• Mi Novia, a 26 foot Wilson, called for a tow from San Miguel. Captain Randy, onboard Retriever, got underway but the mariners were able to fix their starter problem and stood him down.

• A small powerboat needed some help getting from a slip in Mandalay Bay to the launch ramp in Channel Islands Harbor. Captain Randy and Assist Channel Islands provided the help.

• A 20 foot Cobalt disabled a few miles south of Port Hueneme called Vessel Assist for a tow and Captain Randy responded, towing the boat back to Channel Islands Harbor. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• El Pisano, a 24 foot powerboat, lost battery power on the back side of Anacapa Island. Captain Randy, onboard Assist Channel Islands, went to give the mariners a hand but the jumpstart was no joy. The boat was safely towed back to Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Captain Randy, onboard Retriever, towed an 18 foot open boat from Smuggler's Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island to the launch ramp in Ventura Harbor. The mariners had run out of fuel.

• Captain Tom, onboard Retriever, went to the aid of a mariner in a 34 foot Searay disabled on Dave's Fuel Dock. The boat was towed to Anacapa Marine Services in Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Captain Tom rescued Esta Bien, a 33 foot Riviera, disabled in position N 33:58.7, W 119:02.9. The boat needed a tow back to Ventura Harbor. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Captain Randy came to the rescue of an Islander 36 disabled in Ventura Harbor. Randy and Maverick towed the boat to its home slip.

• Rejoice, a Catalina 34, suffered engine failure in position N 34:16.045, W 119:20.704 and called Vessel Assist for a tow back to the harbor. Captain Jon and Retriever safely towed the boat to a slip in Ventura Isle Marina.

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• Due to dock reconstruction, a Bayliner 32 needed a tow from one slip to another in Channel Islands Harbor Marina. Captains Jon and Jason were the moving team, and Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• Fish Stick, a 24 foot Radon, lost a starter while fishing at Chinese Harbor, Santa Cruz Island. Captain Jon, on Retriever, responded towing the boat back to Ventura Harbor.

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• Chriscraft 25, Defender, suffered engine failure near east Anacapa Island. National Park Rangers assisted the mariner in tying up safely to a Park Service mooring until Captain Paul and Assist Channel Islands could arrive on scene to take the boat under tow back to Channel Islands Harbor.

• Captains Bev and Paul moved Alan T from a slip to the ways at Ventura Harbor Boatyard. Retriever was the tow boat.

• Captain Randy moved Raptor, a Wilson 26, from Anacapa Marine Services back to a slip in Channel Islands Harbor Marina. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• Khamsin, a 42 foot sailboat, was towed from one slip in Channel Islands Harbor Marina to another. Captains Randy and Paul, onboard Assist Channel Islands, were the moving crew.

• Captain Randy, onboard Assist Channel Islands, towed a 28 foot Bayliner from a slip in Channel Islands Harbor Marina to Anacapa Marine Services.

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• Theresa Marie, a 37 foot Tayana, was towed from one slip in Ventura Isle Marina to another. Captains Randy and Paul, onboard Retriever, were the moving team.

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• Aquarius, a 55 foot Californian, lost one engine while transiting the Santa Barbara Channel. The mariners were able to make way back to Ventura Harbor on their own and only needed a little help from Vessel Assist in getting back on to their dock in the Ventura Keys. Captains Bev and Paul, onboard Retriever, were the crew.

• Mai Tai, a C & L 36 sailboat, lost engine power while motoring in Channel Islands Harbor and called Vessel Assist for a tow. Captain Tom, onboard Assist Channel Islands responded, towing the boat to Anacapa Marine Services.

• Captain Tom responded to the call for assistance from Bob & Tackle, a Skipjack suffering engine failure near Santa Barbara Harbor. Captain Tom and Retriever safely located the mariner and gave him a tow back to Santa Barbara.

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• A 14 foot daysailor went missing out of Santa Barbara on Saturday. The owners, insured with BoatUS, contracted with Vessel Assist to locate the boat. It was Captain Tom, onboard Retriever, who gave the mariners a ride out to their boat which was discovered stranded in a patch of kelp off Coal Oil Point. The boat was safely sailed back to Santa Barbara Harbor and Captain Tom and Retriever returned to base.

• Captains Paul and Randy moved a 43 foot sailboat from Ventura Isle Marina to Anchor's Way Boatyard. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• 45 foot shrimp boat, Bounty Hunter, went on the beach between Ventura Harbor and Channel Islands Harbor. The boat was hard around at 1:50 am when the call came in to Captains Paul and Randy from Vessel Assist dispatch center in Newport Beach. Ventura Harborpatrol responded, as did the Coast Guard. Captain Randy suited up and swam a line in to the beach in order to harness the stranded vessel, while Captain Paul positioned Retriever offshore for the pull. It took almost two hours of effort to finally pull the grounded boat free but when it came free there was no apparent damage and the mariner was able to motor back to his slip under his own power. Not only was the boat saved, but also the catch onboard. (PHOTO)

• Captain Paul was the sole towing crew who moved Trinity, a Pearson 36, from a slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Anchor's Way Boatyard. Retriever was the tow boat.

• Captain Randy was the hero who went looking for Blew By You, a 30 foot sailboat lost in the vicinity of San Nicholas Island. The mariners were unable to provide a GPS position and were attempting to communicate on a handheld radio so communications were poor. There were no charts onboard so they were unable to even provide a dead reckoning position. When the mariners reported an injury onboard the Coast Guard launched a number of assets, including a rescue helicopter, a C-120 and a cutter. When Captain Randy arrived on scene the mariners requested a tow to Marina del Rey so it was a long case for him. The total hours spent behind the wheel of Retriever was over 17, with most of it towing at night. Randy and Retriever arrived back at the docks at about 6 am.

• Red Tide, a Gulf sailboat, suffered engine failure entering Channel Islands Harbor. The mariners were able to anchor and wait for some assistance from Vessel Assist. Captain Randy, onboard Assist Channel Islands, responded, towing the boat back to a slip in Peninsula Yacht Marina.

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• Radon 22, Class Act, lost its starter while fishing near Prisoner's, Santa Cruz Island. Captain Randy and Retriever went to the rescue, towing the boat back to Ventura Harbor.

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• Pearson 36, Trinity, went back to her slip from Anchor's Way Boatyard. Captains Bev and Paul on Maverick were the towing team.

• Tolleycraft, Sally Ann, went from a slip in Ventura West to Ventura Harbor Boatyard for an engine pull and installation. Captain Randy and Retriever were the towing team.

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• Wicked Walo, a 22 foot Grady White, suffered engine failure in position N 34:03.168, W 119:28.512 and called Vessel Assist for a tow. Captain Randy and Retriever went to help the mariners, towing them back to Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Naughty-Cal, a Cal 29 sailboat, called for a tow to the boatyard in Channel Islands. Captain Tom and Assist Channel Islands responded.

• Sweet Pea, a 28 foot Bayliner, suffered engine failure about six miles out of Ventura Harbor, calling Vessel Assist for some help. Captain Randy, onboard Retriever, went to their assistance, towing the boat to Ventura Isle Marina, Ventura Harbor.

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• A Bayliner 30 suffered engine failure in Channel Islands Harbor and needed some assistance getting back to a slip in Peninsula Yacht Marina. The mariners had been able to drop an anchor near kiddie beach and wait for Captain Randy and Assist Channel Islands to arrive.

• Captains Jason and Bev moved Sweet Pea, the 28 foot Bayliner towed in on Sunday, to Anchor's Way Boatyard for some engine work. Retriever was the tow boat.