A University of Hawaii sailing team member was involved in an 18 foot skiff accident this past weekend in Honolulu and has just passed away. Facebook has a Friends of Peter Wenner page with details:

His trapeze harness became tangled in the netting of the wing when the boat capsized. Peter was underwater on and off for a few minutes while they were trying to get him free. The safety boat acted immediately to call 911 and as soon as they were able to get him out of his harness they rushed him to Honolulu harbor in the support boat were an ambulance was waiting.

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PJ died doing what he truly loved. Blasting downwind on the 18′ skiff at very high speeds with good friends. PJ said with a big smile to Willy that day now that he’s been skydiving and sailing on the 18′ skiff his life was complete. PJ was a real inspiration to us all. I know we will all remember him for the rest of our lives, smiling, laughing and cracking jokes. The sailing team are all going out on the big boat Tiare on Friday at 3pm to spread flowers and celebrate PJ’s life.

The picture below shows the Pegasus 18′ skiff in action, and the crew standing on one of the big wings with netting:

Tragic, even though they say the best way to go is doing what you love.

I will take a minute to think of PJ and his family, and also double and triple check my safety gear when I next go sailing. The harness is perhaps the most terrifying piece of gear to wear on a dinghy, as the hook easily can become tangled and pin a sailor.