With a crew of either, the Santa Cruz 50 Horizon was competing in the 2021 Coastal Cup between Monterey and Santa Barbara. The race started on May 31, 2021. Before departure, the crew participated in their usual pre-underway discussion of duties in the event of an emergency.
During the 204-mile race, Horizon lost a large lead over competitors with Oaxaca extending a ten-mile lead. Late in the afternoon, Horizon gybed towards the beach while Oaxaca headed out to sea. As the two boats converged on Point Conception, it appeared Horizon had taken the lead while holding a speed advantage. The call was made to gybe back into the breeze to maintain the advantage.
As the maneuver was being executed just before 7:00 PM, the spinnaker clew made it past the head-stay, however the mainsail had not completed the gybe. Hit by a 25-knot puff, the mainsail gybed at the same time the spinnaker filled on the new gybe. As a result, Horizon violently rounded into the wind and Horizon owner John Shulze was thrown overboard. The crew onboard quickly got Horizon under control. After several attempts to bring a Lifesling close enough to Shulze by maneuvering the boat, they were finally successful in retrieving him after Steve Natvig donned an inherently buoyant life jacket and swam out to effect Shulze's resuce.
With Santa Barbara the nearest safe harbor three hours away, Shulze was immediately taken below and treated for hypothermia. The Coast Guard was contact via cell phone and assisted the crew in monitoring Shulze's condition. Upon arrival in Santa Barbara, Shulze was checked by paramedics and not requiring additional treatment, was released and returned home. The crew secured Horizon for the evening and assisted Shulze in returning to his home.
For their preparation, seamanship, and quick thinking resulting in the resuce of a crewmember in peril in the water, US Sailing is pleased to award the Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal to the rescuing crew on Horizon: Len Bose, Peter Heck, Steve Natvig, Chris Vilicich, James Malm, Kenneth Sherb, and Taylor Schlub.
