America’s Cup boat rescuer seeks reward

Posted on 11 October 2012

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Sailor Todd Tholke was a hero on Sept. 30 when he went out on San Francisco Bay in the middle of the night to single-handedly rescue the runaway French catamaran Energy.

The America's Cup World Series boat snapped its mooring line at Piers 30-32 that night and drifted off into the darkness, unmanned and out of control. It fetched up on the rocks of Treasure Island, where Tholke spotted it from the land.

At 3:30 a.m., Tholke pulled it off the shore with his 14-foot Boston Whaler. He then towed it to the Treasure Isle Marina and handed it back to the racing team.

The French were so grateful they offered to give Tholke a ride on the bay.

Since then he has filed a salvage claim on the high-tech racer to the tune of $200,000.

Click here for the full report by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Comments

4 Monday, 15 October 2012 21:30

By TIDE ferrari racing,palm beach,tom davis

Terrific,should let the UGLY cat self destruct. Too late to save the classic Americas Cup monohulls. What a shame.

3 Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:11

By charthouse

if it was truly salvage then why did he give it back or fail at the time to negotiate his "fee".. ? I feel he's being poorly coached by opportunistic bottom feeders and he will end up embarrassed.

2 Thursday, 11 October 2012 17:46

By jkftl

Somebody will know about this right away. He will have a tough sell without authorization from the owner to perform the salvage. If there is danger to life, he could have a claim, but only for property...I doubt it. Inland salvage law is different from offshore. If he gets anything from the racing team it will be 'good will', after his case is thrown out.

1 Thursday, 11 October 2012 16:54

By vissionquest

Commercial salvage laws from long ago are currently being used for piracy -- I see nothing wrong with this fellow getting justly paid, but towing a boat off a beach with a 13' whaler is worth no more than $200 per hour. The comercial towing companies depend on these same outdated laws for windfall profits, and it has no benefit to the industry.

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