September 2006:

• It was Captain Randy, on Retriever, who responded to the distress call from a Radon 18 with dead batteries. The mariner was near the Gaviota Pier when he lost power but he still had a kicker motor so he was able to continue fishing while waiting for a jumpstart. The mariner was able to get his engine started and continued on his way after motoring around on his kicker for awhile, so he called and stood down Captain Randy.

• A Catalina 30, in need of some assistance, was the object of Captain Randy's attention this morning. On Assist Channel Islands, he moved the sailboat to a new slip in Channel Islands Harbor Marina.

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• Captains Bev and Paul moved 37 foot trawler, Magpie, from Ventura Harbor Boatyard to a slip in Ventura Isle Marina. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Captain Randy and Assist Channel Islands went to the aid of Catalina 34, Morris B Fox, disabled about 12 miles out of Channel Islands Harbor in moderately windy conditions. The mariners were able to continue making way under sail toward the harbor while Randy and Assist Channel Islands traveled to their position. Upon arriving at their location Captain Randy asked that the sails be dropped and the crew onboard be ready to accept a tow line. After getting the boat hooked up, it was taken under tow and about four hours later it arrived safely at Anacapa Isle Marina, Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Captain Tom almost had a case, but it turned into a stand down. A Beneteau named Synapse lost engine power near the Channel Islands breakwall and called Vessel Assist for a tow. The mariners were able to get their engine started however, and Captain Tom and Retriever returned to base.

• It was an early morning wake up call for Captain Randy, but it was a ruined day of fishing for a 22 foot Larson. The boat launched out of Channel Islands but suffered engine failure before making it out of the harbor. The mariners called Vessel Assist for some help so Captain Randy and Assist Channel Islands towed the boat back to the launch ramp.

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• Captain Randy won the coin toss again. It was he, and Assist Channel Islands, who went after the 21 Seaswirl, Reel Lucky, anchored 1/4 mile off Point Mugu. The boat was towed back to Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Captain Tom moved a boat from Ventura Isle Marina to Dave's Fuel Dock. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Hero of the Day Award goes to Captain Tom who suited up and got in the water to rescue a PWC that was disabled in Ventura Harbor. Captain Tom was working alone so he first had to anchor Retriever, then he swam a line in to the beach and attached it to the ski, swam back to Retriever, climbed aboard, and towed the ski off the beach. The PWC was safely returned to Ventura Boat Rentals.

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• Captain Randy was off on another rescue this afternoon. A Catalina 30, named Joss, lost engine power and was sailing around inside Channel Islands Harbor awaiting help. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• After completing the jetski rescue Captain Tom responded to the disabled sailboat, Kokomo, outside Ventura Harbor. The 41 foot sailboat was under sail waiting for Captain Tom to assist it in to the harbor. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• A second Hero of the Day Award has to go to Captains Jason and Randy who went out in a Small Craft Advisory to rescue a 17 foot Glastron taking on water on the backside of Anacapa Island. The small boat was under water to the gunwales when Coast Guard arrived on scene to take the passengers off. The boat was not equipped with a VHF radio so the mariners had been unable to communicate their difficulty. Good Samaritans standing by were responsible for getting help for the vessel by radioing the Coast Guard and Vessel Assist. After de-watering, the boat was towed back to Channel Islands Harbor where it was placed on the owner's trailer. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat/salvage vessel. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3) (PHOTO 4)

• The first tow must have been good, Donzi 28 Ilmio Sogna, came back for a second. It was Captain Randy who went to the rescue this time. The vessel was anchored just outside Channel Islands Harbor and needed a tow back to Channel Islands Harbor Marina. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• Captain Jon and Retriever responded to the 21 foot Key West disabled a mile and a half off of Pedro Point, towing the boat back to Ventura Harbor.

• Earthrace, a bio-diesel powered vessel, stopped in to visit Ventura Harbor on an around the world voyage. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)

• Captain Randy moved an Islander 32 from one slip to another in Channel Islands Harbor Marina. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• Captains Bev and Paul moved Pacemaker 38, Out of the Blue, from A dock in Ventura West Marina to B dock in Ventura West Marina. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Captain Paul towed Bayliner 24, Sea Mist, to Ventura Harbor. The boat was disabled in position N 34:03.72, W 119:37.39 and called Vessel Assist for help. Retriever was the tow boat.

• Captain Paul, onboard Retriever, towed the Roughwater 36, Rock On, back to Mandalay Bay in Channel Islands Harbor. The boat was disabled near Point Mugu.

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• Blue Albatross, a 17 foot Boston Whaler, was disabled near Yellow Banks, S.C.I. and called Vessel Assist for a tow back to Channel Islands Harbor. It was Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands who responded.

• Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands went to the assistance of Suzie Q, disabled on the backside of Santa Cruz Island. The boat's destination was Channel Islands Harbor.

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• Captain Paul, aboard Retriever, responded to a Bayliner, named Heaven Sent, in need of a jumpstart at Smuggler's Anchorage, S.C.I. After receiving the jumpstart, the boat was able to make way under its own power back to Channel Islands Harbor so Captain Paul continued on to a second case in the same vicinity.

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• A 22 foot Sea Dory named Green Frog was disabled on the backside of Anacapa Island and called Vessel Assist for a tow. Captain Paul responded. He and Retriever had been successful in giving Heaven Sent a jumpstart and getting them back on their way, so they were available to tow the Sea Dory back to Channel Islands Harbor.

• Captains Jason and Bev moved a Bayliner 28 from the Small Boat Marina in Channel Islands Harbor to Anacapa Marine Services. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• It was a 70 foot ocean going boat, named Round Trip, disabled in the Anacapa Gap, that got Captain Randy's attention this evening. Dead batteries were the problem but a jumpstart was not the solution so Captain Randy towed the big boat, with nine people on board, back to Mandalay Bay in Channel Islands Harbor. Due to the size of the disabled boat Captain Randy opted to use Retriever instead of Assist Channel Islands.

• Patriot, a 26 foot Sea Swirl, dead in the water off the Ventura Pier, called for Vessel Assist. Captain Tom took Retriever and responded to the call, towing the mariner back to Ventura Harbor.

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• 26 foot Bounty, Bounty Hunter, suffered engine failure near Cat Rock, Anacapa Island. Captain Tom, onboard Retriever, responded, towing the boat back to Ventura Harbor.

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• It was a starter problem that ruined the day for the 23 foot Boston Whaler on the backside of Anacapa Island. The mariners called Vessel Assist for a tow.

• Captains Jason and Bev moved Talaria from a slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Anchor's Way Boat Yard. Retriever was the tow boat.

• Captains Jason and Randy stood by crewboat Peter Mac while sistership Patrick attempted to tow her out of Ventura Harbor. Retriever was the standby vessel.

• Captain Randy went to the rescue of Amiticio, a Newport 33 with engine failure, 1 mile south of the Channel Islands Harbor entrance. The boat was headed back to Channel Islands Harbor Marina. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• Wild Goose, a Catalina 34, went from a slip in Ventura West Phase II to Ventura Harbor Boatyard for an engine pull, and then back to its slip. Captains Randy and Jason were the moving crew and Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Water Bug, a 17 foot Boston Whaler, ran out of fuel in position N 34:01.829, W 119:28.95 and called Vessel Assist for a fuel delivery. Captain Randy responded on Assist Channel Islands, giving the mariners 10 gallons of fuel, enabling the boat to continue under its own power.

• Captain Kris responded to the 25 foot Searay disabled in position N 34:01.00, W 119:21.50, towing the boat back to Channel Islands Harbor. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• Captain Randy, onboard Retriever, responded to the 24 foot Bayliner suffering an overheated engine at the pumpout station in Channel Islands Harbor. The boat was towed back to Mandalay Bay.

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• A Catalina 36 suffered engine failure in position N 34:13.3, W 119:30.6 and called Vessel Assist for a tow back to Channel Islands Harbor. Captain Randy and Retriever responded.

• Captain Randy towed a CT-41, named Sea Dragon, to Marina del Rey from Ventura Harbor. It was a long case, starting at 0400 in the morning and not ending until 0500. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Captain Jon was the go-to guy today, responding to a 22 foot Stuery, named Fish Killer, disabled in the shipping lanes. While still on that case he received another call from a boat needing a tow from Santa Rosa Island to Santa Barbara. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• The boat disabled near Santa Rosa Island, a 22 foot Skipjack named My Toy, was assisted to a protected anchorage by a good samaritan where he awaited Captain Jon's arrival. It was a long day for him and Assist Channel Islands by the time the boat was towed all the way to Santa Barbara it was midnight. Assist Channel Islands developed an exhaust leak while in Santa Barbara Harbor and Captain Paul had to get out of bed and drive to Santa Barbara to effect repairs and bring her home to Channel Islands Harbor. It was 0400 before she was safely back in her slip and Captain Paul was home again.

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• It was a busy day for Vessel Assist Ventura. Captain Jason responded to a disabled Skipjack near Platform Gina on the only boat left on the docks, Maverick. It was short choppy seas in the Santa Barbara Channel, making for a wet ride on the fast RIB. The Skipjack, named Popeye, was headed back to Channel Islands Harbor.

• Captains Bev and Paul moved a 28 foot Winner, named Three Wishes, from a slip in Ventura West to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. Maverick was the tow boat.

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• Captain Paul and Retriever responded to the call for a tow from Mariana, a Celestial 48 sailboat, about 3 1/2 miles out of Santa Barbara Harbor. The boat was on a voyage from British Columbia to Southern California and suffered transmission failure just outside Santa Barbara Harbor.

• Captain Randy moved Dances With Dolphins from a slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Anchor's Way Boatyard. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Three Wishes went back to its slip in Ventura West Marina from Ventura Harbor Boatyard. Captain Randy and Retriever did the honors.

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• A trip from Marina del Rey to Ventura Harbor was almost behind the mariner when he realized he had lost engine power on his Bayliner 28. The boat was precariously close to the shallow river outflow just south of Ventura Harbor by the time the call was made to Vessel Assist. The mariner had managed to deploy an anchor but had no confidence in its holding ability, adding to the seriousness of the situation. Captains Jason and Bev responded to the emergency, taking Retriever in to the surfline to throw a line to the mariner. With the strain taken off the anchor rode the mariner could begin pulling his anchor. Retriever dragged the boat toward deeper water while the anchor and rode were recovered and stowed. The boat was safely towed inside the harbor and put away in a slip in Ventura Isle Marina.