When a boat designed to teach high school girls how to sail started to take on water during a race in the Bay on Saturday afternoon, all of the adults on board were rescued by San Francisco firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard.
A yacht in peril near Gashouse Cove off Marina Green near the city’s northern waterfront was the subject of a 911 call shortly before 2:00 p.m. Eight of the nine persons on board were rescued by the authorities when they arrived, but the skipper of the boat refused to leave until it could be brought to land, according to San Francisco Fire Lt. Mariano Elias. There were no injuries.
The vessel was the Sea Scout Ship Viking, which is affiliated with the San Francisco Sailing Whaleboat Association and is an all-girls organization. The boat was being sailed by adult alumni in the San Francisco Bay Master Mariners Regatta competition without any youngsters on board when the rudder failed and the boat started to capsize, according to social media posts made late Saturday night by SSS Viking program officials.
“The seasoned crew on board righted the boat, and the crew was subsequently taken off while the experienced pilot stayed with the vessel to supervise the tow,” the post on social media stated. “No one was injured, and the boat was never in danger of sinking due to its being a wooden lifeboat.”
According to the post, the Viking was brought to its residence in Aquatic Park, which is located along the northern waterfront.
