oh dear....More terrible news :(

[Miss BK]

I just hate to be the one to post more tragedy today...
This has been a really horrible weekend for boating :(


This was posted on the Inboard list:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have recieved a call from Robin Shane asking me to post to our
racing family some trajec news from Port Deposit,MD. Racing was
cancelled today after Paul Sohn,(JS-57)"Jumpin' Jack Flash", was
killed in a single boat accident, his rider was not injured.

These are extremely tough times for the Sohn family and I ask everyone
to keep them in our prayers.

Dan Kanfoush
Region 2 IRC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Miss BK]

My prayers to the entire Sohn family.

To learn more about this fantastic racing family, here's an article from just a few week ago :(


http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/08_06-74/TOP

Let's all keep the entire crew from Port Deposit as well as the grieving Sohn family in our prayers. :(

[John Howe]

I just found this over on the Jersey Skiff website.

I truly regret having to post this. However, word is going around, so I very reluctantly must report the sad news as I know it. Paul Sohn, of the Sohn Jersey Speed Skiff Racing Family, out of Grasonville, MD, had a terrible accident while participating in a race at Port Deposit, MD earlier today. Initial reports as they have been relayed to me indicate that the boat, JS-57 "Jumpin' Jack Flash", owned and driven by Paul, crashed and broke the bow off causing the boat to sink rapidly. Paul's son TJ, who was riding in the boat, released himself as the boat sank, but apparently Paul was unable to escape as the boat sank. As of this writing, the boat and driver have not been located.
I will post more info as I receive it.

From myself and my family, our prayers and deepest sympathy go out to the Sohn family; Kim, Brittany, Tiffany, and TJ.

[Miss BK]

I can't even begin to imagine what the family is going through. :( :(
His poor son. Just so sad. Sounds like Paul had three teenaged kids, and they all loved to go boat racing. My heart goes out to them all....
:(

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/08_06-74/TOP

[Miss BK]

From Unlimitedsondown Yahoo Group:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jeff Ayler just called and asked me to relay a message to the board
that the search for Paul Sohn has been called off for the night with
it scheduled to resume at 7:30 in the morning. There are two TV
stations that were on site. The addresses are:

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/index.html

http://www.wjz.com

My apologies for not reporting it earlier. Jeff called within a minute
of the accident and we agreed not to post anything until something of
substance came up. Even then I didn't want to be the first to post
anything on this. Jeff asked that you keep the Sohn Family in your
thoughts and prayers.
DCJ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[John Howe]

Sohn, two weeks ago in Hampton.

[Miss BK]

This was posted today at 7:30am on the Inboard discussion list:


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Update

Maryland state police/DNR have stopped the APBA rescue team in there efforts at this time they were unable to put the boats out

The DNR boats are on the water with sonar trying to locate the boat and
divers are standing by

Bill Pierce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Miss BK]

My heart still goes out to all these great folks who are still suffering so. This bunch is a very tight knit group and they are really trying to pull together to help Paul's family get through this. Let's say a prayer for them all.



Update from the Inboard Yahoo group:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

List Members,

I just spoke with APBA Members still on site at Port Deposit, Maryland and the search continues for Paul Sohn this evening.

Please keep Paul's family in your thoughts and prayers.

This has been a difficult time for the APBA Inboard category and the Jersey Speed Skiff class since yesterday afternoon.

Also, please keep the rescue teams in your thoughts as they continue their search. The community of Port Deposit is helping in bringing food, drink, and other needs to the rescue workers.

Thank you,
Jeff Ayler

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Ron Hill]

I ran into Bob Goettle at the Long Beach Sprint Nationals...Bob was one hell of a K Boat driver...He invented the Goettle Bob...This was a float that when your boat went over, the Goettle Boat floated to the surface , so you could locate your boat..

I'm not sure this would have helped in this accident, but maybe, had someone been able to find the boat, they could have gotten the driver out...

Also, quoting Marcel Bellville,, "If it doesn't look right, it probably isn't"... When you look at the roll cages in the Tri Hulls and Jersey Speed Skiffs, they appear to be sitting targets (They sit up like oil derricks wating to be hit)....and not that strong...and no padding on the pipes...

Seems to me, these roll cages should be beefed up and everyone on board should be wearing oxygen....The technology is there, save one life, and the cost of "ON BOARD" oxygen is very cheap...

Anytime we lose a driver it is terrible, and it has a ripple effect on the sport....Not to mention we lose a team...we lose a lot...

I'm so sorry about this accident.....

Do Skiffs have weigh limits?? Was there a collision??? What really happened???

[David Weaver]

The article that I read mention the boat may have taken a nose dive of a wave and broke the front of the boat clean-off. The boat quickly sank unfortunately and it reads that the driver and rider were strapped in.

I always have though of the Skiffs as one the safest classes in racing. Very durable boats generally. My guess is that the "roll cages" have some minimum standard to meet.

Just a terribly unfortunate event.

[Miss BK]

I'm sure this will bring about important talks - perhaps adding flotation boxes like the capsules have. Or maybe someone will come up with something else that's even better. I'm sure nobody ever expected something like this. :(

This mission is difficult. Divers say the visibility is zero - and they can't even read their air guages when they are down there. :(

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/9787403/detail.html

[Miss BK]

Welll, right now I'm trying to drink my coffee with tears in my eyes after reading this message posted by Patti Kennedy Hayes. Boat racers are one special breed.....


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am on the phone with my Mother right now. They are still in Port
Deposit with the rescue team. Right now it is raining in Port Deposit.
The APBA rescue team and the team that was brought in to use sonar in
the river is supposed to be back on the river this morning.

She also told me how unbelievable the town has been to them. They have
supplied everyone with food and drinks since this happened. They have
even brought in a grief counselor for the family and anyone who needs
them. The Mayor has been directly involved with the search and has had
the Sohn Family staying at his house and he is determined that he will
not give up until they find Paul.

There is a lot of support for the family there. There are a few families
that have stayed to support the family and there has even been some race
teams that were not at the race that are there now to help wherever they
can.

I will give more updates as I get them.

Thanks!
Patti Kennedy-Hayes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The rescue team says they'll be posting further updates to the forums at:
www.jerseyspeedskiffs.com

[Miss BK]

Patti just added this note:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was talking to Kim Liddycoat last night and we are trying to come up with a fund raiser or two to help raise money for the Sohn Family. We are not sure what we are going to do and would like some suggestions from people. I am looking for donations of raffle items to help in this situation. If anyone would like to donate some nice items to be raffled off please email me directly at PHayes25@comcast.net If any items are donated I will post the items on this list with the details on the raffle tickets (cost, drawing date, drawing location, etc…)

Paul has left behind a wife, 2 daughters, and a son. His two daughters, Brittany and Tiffany, are taking classes at a college in Salisbury and his son, T.J. is in high school. The financial burden on Kim is going to be very tough. As a racing family I am sure that we are all wanting to help this family and we would appreciate all of the help we could give the family.


I have already received my first donation for a raffle item. Scott and Kim Liddycoat has donated a handmade replica wooden boat. The winner of this raffle can have a boat of their choice made. If you have not seen Scott’s boats in the past, they are absolutely beautiful.

He does all types of boats.

We have not decided on the cost of the raffle tickets yet but it looks like the winners of any raffles that we have will be drawn at the race in Clarksville, Virginia. We will work out the details of the raffle and post them later.

If anyone has any questions please contact either Kim or myself. Kim’s email is kimliddycoat@yahoo.com and mine is PHayes25@comcast.net

[Miss BK]

He's been found.


FROM JERSEYSPEEDSKIFFS.COM:
Hello everyone. Jimmie Stewart from Port Deposit.
At 10:50 am we brought home Paul Sohn.
Everyone needs to pray for the Sohn Family!


:(

[Sked@jerseyspeedskiffs.com]

The Jersey Speed Skiff Class is soliciting donations to help out the family of Paul Sohn, the skiff racer who was killed during a race in Port Deposit, MD. last weekend. Paul was a great guy but he was not a wealthy man financially speaking. He and his family sacrificed alot in order to participate in the sport they loved. He leaves behind a wife and three children all of whom participated with him and were regulars at all our races. His son and two daughters all took their turns racing in the boat with their dad and his wife drove the tow vehicle and handle logistics for their team. The nicest of people.
Any contributions to help out our brother's family would ease the burden of Paul's untimely death and would be greatly appreciated. If you are inclined to make a donation, please click the link below.

Make a donation to the Sohn Family (http://www.jerseyspeedskiffs.com/sohn_family_fund.htm)

All donations go to a non profit, tax free bank account set up exclusively for the Sohn family.