My father-in-law (Alexandra's dad, Gregg) paddled with a Marina crew last year in the Oxnard/Anacapa 12-person co-ed race.
Out in mid-channel, as we pop out of the canoe and the ladies start to paddle off, the canoe came down on his noggin and stunned him. He lost his blade and was just kind of drifting off in the current--it looked like he was taking a slightly frantic pee break. He wasn't calling for help, wasn't freaking out, and didn't look panicked, but he also wasn't trying to swim to the boat. Matt C. and I yelled something over to him and when he didn't respond swam over. If I hadn't known him for 8 years at that point, I would have had no idea he was having trouble. Matt went and got the escort while Alexandra's dad climbed up my back to get his head out of the water. Escort boat got there and threw a ring to us, we got on; Gregg was clearly freaked out but finished the race.
After the race, he tells me that he was drowning and thanked me. I kind of blew it off until I got a call from Alexandra's mom, then some of his close friends... he is convinced that he would have drowned.
Anyway, the moral of the story is to keep an eye on your crew. That article is full of great information, but you have to pay attention and communicate with everyone to notice if anyone is in distress.
