July 25, 2023 By Carol Britton Meyer
The U.S. Sailing Safety at Sea Committee recently awarded the Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal to the crew of s/v Vamoose — including Hingham resident Willie Dresser — for their rescue last December of three sailors aboard the sinking s/v Buddy, a 44-foot trimaran headed for Puerto Rico — 400 miles off North Carolina and 250 miles from Bermuda. Vamoose was in transit to Antigua from Newport, RI.
“At the end of the day, you do what’s right. It’s part of the sailing code,” Dresser told the Hingham Anchor. “[Ultimately] the Buddy got safely where it needed to go.”
On Dec. 1, 2022, the Buddy crew hailed the Vamoose sailors, who were in the same area, and they discussed their respective vessels and passage plans.
At 4.a.m. Dec. 4, Buddy began to slow down, eventually coming to a complete stop. The port ama (outrigger float) went underwater with only the deck visible, and Buddy began to slowly capsize over the next four hours.
Despite the crew’s efforts to take the necessary safety precautions, the outrigger float started to fall apart at about 6 a.m., with roughly eight feet torn away between the beams.
During this challenging and life-threatening time, seas were reported at between 10 to 15 feet and winds at 25 to 30 knots, with 53-knot gusts recorded.
The Buddy crew hailed the Vamoose on their VHF radio. Vamoose was about 11 nautical miles away, with the on-watch crew maintaining VHF watch in the cockpit. In responding to the VHF call, the Vamoose crew — realizing that Buddy was in distress — gathered as much basic information as possible in order to provide assistance.
The crew of Buddy decided to abandon ship and asked Vamoose to rescue them after providing their location. Vamoose agreed, and upon arrival at Buddy’s location after turning downwind and establishing better communications, stood by as the crew abandoned ship into a 10-foot inflatable dinghy.
Vamoose motored into position for the dinghy to drift in its direction, and the entire crew of Buddy — as well as their gear, were safely boarded. The rescue took place approximately 400 nautical miles east of Cape Hatteras.
The rescued crew was delivered to Bermuda, the closest land, 29 hours later. The Vamoose crew remained there for five days as they prepared to set sail for their original destination, Antigua, and waited for the right weather conditions.
Because the rescue was an ongoing effort over a long period of time, “there was no instant gratification,” Dresser explained.
“When it was over, there was a great sense of relief. It was nice to hit land again for a few days. It’s not something you ask to be a part of, but when something like this happens, a proper mariner steps up and does the right thing.”
Since the rescue, Dresser visited one of the Buddy crew members in Woods Hole and recognized the name of another while reading about him setting a world sailing record in a sailing magazine.
Beyond all his widespread sailing adventures, Dresser calls himself “a local sailing guy” who enjoys being out on the water and being involved with the Hingham Yacht Club. “I try to stay locally when I can. It’s a nice change of pace.”
His extensive training has held him in good stead, including working as a mate for the Department of Conservation & Recreation’s Boston Harbor Islands tours.
Dresser currently works at the Hingham Ferry terminal and recently passed the captain’s license exam. “Once I have the actual license in hand — which will be soon — I will be a captain on the Hingham-Hull-Logan-Boston boat,” he said.
The Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal is awarded as the highest recognition for heroism to any person who rescues or endeavors to rescue someone from drowning, a shipwreck, or other perils at sea within the territorial waters of the United States or as part of a sailboat race or voyage that originated or stopped in the U.S.
The medal, established in 1990 by friends of the late Mr. Hanson — an ocean-racing sailor from the Chesapeake Bay — with the purpose of recognizing significant accomplishments in seamanship, was presented to the rescuing crew of s/v Vamoose in a ceremony at the National Sailing Hall of Fame in Rhode Island on June 16.
Dresser and fellow crew members Geoff Manchester of Newport, RI, Chris Lash of Cambridge, Mass., and Tim McKenna of Chicago were recognized for their situational awareness, watchkeeping, and outstanding seamanship during the rescue.
The medal was awarded by Margaret Pommert, Chairperson of the U.S. Sailing Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal Selection Committee and Dick York, Chairperson of the U.S. Sailing Safety at Sea Committee.
Rescue details were provided in a US Sailing article announcing the award.
It runs in the family. He’s dad, Bob Dresser, was awarded the USN SEAMANSHIP TROPHY for demonstrating outstanding seamanship in 1999 for a Newport to Bermuda race.