Mondays 09/13/2010 Question and boating safety tip

[CaptainScott]

[EmergencyExit]

I'll fess up and paste in the personal "complacency" part of the email I sent Scott, added after the part about the tragic accident. Thanks Scott for not outing me !!!

Happened on a beautiful day, good stiff wind, and on a boat I know so well..so comfy aboard under sail, just swinging thru a sweet tack..

"Last year I was single handing, and a jib sheet caught on the loose forehatch. Before I thought about it I had bounded up front over the cabin top past the mast, yanked on a luffing jib that immediately swatted me when the sheet came free, and bounded back to the tiller, jumped down from the cabin top into the cockpit. Hit me that I had on no life vest, was alone on the lake, and had no safety line on me. Reality moment right there."

Now how many things were there between me and that foredeck snag ? Relax, none at all, just the flat cabin top.

Well that and the boom that could have swung free and knocked me in the head since the tiller was unattended and she could have veered off as I was climbing under the boom. Or could have caught me in the side as I scooted past it.

Well, and the jib that once filled could have knocked me down and over. Well of course I was on the lee side of the jib, duh, that was that side I needed to pull on ! Or could have swung the tiller when the sails changed the boat balance after the jib snapped full and tossed me off balance/

And the snapping sheets that could have wrapped around my legs and tripped me up and out.

And the boom I had to go by again on the way back.

And the big jump I made from the cabin to the tiller again.

Hey but it was just a quick trip up and back took 10 seconds out of my life and I am very comfortable on EE...

EE's skipper was a complacent dumb butt in all of those 10 seconds

[CaptainScott]

Hey EE, Thanks for chiming in! I was hoping you would!

I try not to "out" someone without their knowledge and permission.


sometimes . . . . .


LOL!!

Scott

[lecker68]

Back in June on our trip to Croton point 3 sailboats we got in a blow boats were O'day 22 Karlskrona Viggin 24 and My C-26 it came up quick the O'day went to about 50 degrees and brought it about and dropped sails safely but broke his port block on the jib sheet, the viggin came into the wind and dropped his sails and even though I had reefed my main and partially furled the jib I too dropped the main and furled jib when I found I was the only one that could sail as the Viggin had broken his main sheet.
we motoredtill we anchored for the night and in the morning we pooled the extra parts and put both broken boats back to sailboats. The experience helped us all learn and we travel together often and we will not leave anyone behind.

[sharps4590]

First off I've never sailed in very stiff winds and I have so little experience I probably shouldn't chime in but here's what I've done and learned so far.

I KNOW I don't know much about sailing and that there is no substitute for experience. That's exactly why before I ever put either of the two boats I've owned on the water I rigged them in my driveway, learned all the sail controls, how to reef, how the furler jib worked, where stuff goes, where everthing lives, what it does and how to keep the boat tidy and hopefully as safe as possible. Now driveway sailing doesn't prepare one for actually being on the water but at least I don't have to frantically try to learn how to do something if....perhaps I should say when....I find myself caught by stiff winds.

As I get even older I become more conservative. I won't knowingly put myself in a bad situation. But I want to become a good sailor so I'm going to have to learn to sail in stronger winds and I'm willing to do so. I just want all the "knowlegde aforehand" I can acquire and will hopefully use good judgement, ie, not become "complacent".

[CaptainScott]

[Alanhod]

[thepartydog]

Scott,

No fair stealing my "first day sailing You Never Know" sea story. You know it's funnier when you don't leave out the part about the main sail ripping and dropping the boom on the captain's head.

[thepartydog]

Is it bad that I can answer yes to every one of the "have you ever" parts?

[Windward]

1 ) Does your main have reef points?
2 ) Have you ever reefed your main?
3 ) Can you drop or furl your jib in a blow? Have you ever tried?
4 ) Can you drop your main in a blow? Have you ever tried?
5 ) Do you know how to "heave to"? Have you ever tried?
6 ) Have you ever had to drop anchor in an emergency? Have you ever tried?
7 ) Do you have an emergency tiller? Have you ever used it?
8 ) Do you know how to get help when in a dangerous situation? What options have you provided yourself?
9 ) Flares? VHF? Smoke? Dye? Cell phone?
10) Do you have lifejackets fitted for each perminant crew member?

OK, this isn't fair. I'm not just Walter Mitty, I'm also anal retentive.

Windward has three reef points in the main. I just rerigged the 3rd set, along with the lazy jacks, because it took too long to tie it in the two or three times a year I need it.

Permanently mounted preventers all but prevent the unplanned jibe. Does nothing to prevent idiots from flying the spinnaker in 20 knots of breeze and rounding up / washing the cockpit repeatedly, but that's a whole different story.

The same steps on my mast that make it possible to attach the windex I forgot, do other maintenance readily, or get a better vantage point when necessary make it a PITA to reef the main off the wind. I've worked through that, too, although "relocate upper mast steps" is still on my list of ToDos.

I generally carry three full sets of ground tackle (two different styles of anchor), two of which can be deployed immediately. Each is sized for a boat at least 4 feet larger than Windward, and has held both Windward and at least one other larger, rafted-up boat in winds up to 25 kts (no significant seas, though) without dragging. There's enough scope to Bahamian moor at 7:1 in 40 ft of water and still have some rode in the locker. Four cleats with large stainless backing plates forward, two amidships (slated for replacement with larger models) and four aft give me enough options for mooring or rafting up.

Having put the spare in place (already set up with the spare tiller tamer and a tillerpilot pin), I'm now reworking my "normal" tiller, which had some cracks that I found during my last semi-annual disassembly inspection.

Two life jackets -- an auto-inflatable with harness and a normal Type III -- for each regular crew member, plus three spares of various sizes. That doesn't include the ones I keep at the house. This weekend I'm installing the cockpit tether padeyes to supplement the jacklines.

The companionway dropboards are positively pinned in place, and the companionway hatch can be securely latched from inside or outside. The forward hatch has two additional dogs on it. There are grab rails inside and outside, with toe rails installed on the edge of the cabin trunk.

Lifesling, plus a throw bag and Type IV tossable, are ready to deplay from the cockpit when we're underway (the extra four-part tackle for lifesling recovery is below, second compartment back above the starboard settee.

Separate starting battery for the outboard, so that even running down the pair of Group 27 deep cycles won't prevent remotely cranking the outboard.

Three fire extinguishers (v-berth, salon, cockpit) may make the unthinkable at least addressable.

Two VHF's, one of which is handheld and runs on fresh AA lithium batteries. A spare depth-sounder display, although the second transducer is not yet mounted. Two back up GPS's, two hard-mount and a bearing compass, paper charts to supplement the GPS-side ones, plus a full, current NOAA set on the laptop. Hourly log entries when I'm someplace that matters.

There's a puny but functional set of emergency nav lights aboard, with batteries that work. I carry a second spotlight, too.

Just got a radar reflector, for those few times I'm out in the ocean at night.

It sucks to paddle Windward anywhere (I've done it) but a pair of paddles is below, in case wind and motor fail simultaneously.

The biggest "be prepared" thing, though, is that every time is the first time. I realize that I can screw up and could lose the boat, my life, or my crew. Every time I set the anchor, I make a couple of passes to ensure I know the bottom reasonably well. I back down on it, forcefully, to ensure it's not dragging. I wonder: what happens if the wind shifts? Am I screwed if it comes from the only direction it can't come from? I wear my PFD more than any other adult who can swim that I know. When I need to reef, or sailing at night, or sailing alone with my son, my PFD is on. If it's looking maaybe dicey later, the jacklines are rigged and the tethers are clipped into the cockpit. If it's a new inlet, I've studied the charts, laid in at least tentative waypoints, and have a pair of binocs ready at hand.


My complacent aspects? You bet...

• =>I've not yet disassembled the keel to inspect the pin.
  =>The ditch bag is half-hearted. I would not want to have to abandon the boat at all, but for sure not within a couple of minutes.
  =>No true storm jib; the 70 sq ft yankee does roller furl to about 30 sq ft, but I sure don't like removing a larger sail in 25 kt of wind to strap it on, and I've not made the solent stay a priority.
  =>My rudder shaft broke a month ago, and while it's sturdily repaired and tested I've not yet ordered the drogue that I'm planning to use for emergency steering (and on the off chance I have to run off in following seas). Dumbass!
  =>I only have the one bilge pump permanently installed, plus the bucket, portable tubular manual pump and the portable electric pump; I've not yet installed the two other hard-mount electric ones I bought, or the two manual ones.
  =>The softwood plugs and hammer are in the swing keel tray, not tether to the individual through-hulls.
  =>No MOB pole with a strobe. I might only be able to use this a week or two each year (only coastal, and no need when I'm solo), but it would be bloody hard to find someone in big waves and every little bit helps.
  =>Again, I'm only coastal a couple of weeks each year, but the 10 aerial flares (plus the hand helds) are a joke. I should really have at least 4 parachute flares to supplement them, the handhelds and the CG-not-SOLAS smokes.
  =>I sail solo a bunch (need better people skills), but the crew is only so competent with boat handling and less so with nav. I'm the single point of failure on the boat. I've stopped telling my wife what the life insurance is worth, but still need to get her more up to speed on how to recover my sorry butt when it eventually hits the water because I'm doing something that only I know how to do.

Actually, I think it's worse to know there are shortcomings than to simply be complacent, and I'm certainly guilty there. I probably have other liabilities, too -- I could look at my list, but I'll bet there are some I haven't even considered -- but these spring to mind.

[sauerleigh]

1 ) Yes, but only one set.
2 ) Yes, the first time we took Redux out.
3 ) Yes.
4 ) No, the cars hang up in the slot. You have to pull the main down.
5 ) Yes, my last boat.
6 ) Yes, my last boat.
7 ) Yes, I made one from hard maple while we were waiting for a new tiller
the PO ordered. I left on board when I made the switch. My young other
half owner asked why, you never know.
8 ) Yes, those required by USCG.
9 ) Yes, to all.
10 ) Yes.

Looking at everything, I'm the biggest liability. The decisions I make, the who, when and how are probably the most important.

I so want the first mate to share this time with me. We went out last week, late afternoon. Maybe a steady 10 knots, lake was pretty flat, warm and sunny. Got the main up and while trying to lift the kicker ( undersized bracket ) I lost my balance, went down with motor, chest on the transom and cracked a couple of ribs (didn't realize it at the time). We were only out for a short time. At home I realized that I put her in some jeopardy. She could not have come back on her own. She did not know where the signaling devices were let alone how to use them. She could not have lowered the the motor and started it and controlled it.

I need to think smarter.

[EmergencyExit]

sauerleigh brings up a good point, so in his absence I'll add number 11 to Scott's list

11. Can your usual crew (family, etc) at least drop the sails enough to slow/stall the boat in the event you go overboard ? Or at least know how to loosen all the sheets to depower the boat ? Bonus points if they can operate the outboard well enough to come back to you. (You better be buying nice jewelry if they could actually sail back to you.)


When I sail with the redhead I usually leave the outboard down. I know it drags, but she wouldn't be able to lower it alone. We have done a bit of training on how to unsheet everything and start the outboard (starter button) and how to operate the remote control and tiller.

[Alanhod]

[Steve Sailor]

Had a good friend drown this past summer sailing, but he need not have.

Key item ... those aboard, not used to boating, never thought to throw him the life ring or any other throwable as the boat drifted away from him in high wind and seas.

ALWAYS instruct anyone coming aboard, even for just an afternoon sail in calm winds, the importance of throwing anything floatable to someone who ends up in the water.

DO NOT ASSUME that in a moment of panic that they will remember, even a seasoned boater, if they haven't been recently reminded.

At 3 knots of drift a boat is moving away from someone in the water at 5 feet per second!! That is faster than most can swim in calm water, forget about it in 3 to 5 foot seas with high winds.

In any sort of wave action over 3 feet it is almost impossible to see a head in the water from even 100 feet unless that person has a bright hat on or some other item is in the water near them. A head is only the size of a Pineapple and virtually the same color as the water.

If regularly boating where wind and waves do occure think about adding a sea anchor to your main horseshoe bouy or life ring ... since those things will be floating away from anyone in the water in the wind and waves.

Safe Sailing everyone

Steve

[EmergencyExit]

Good points added there, thanks for pitching in. Sorry about your friend.

[Alanhod]

Thanks for the story Steve. Sorry about your friend, with your story though hopefully everyone here will remember and learn so it does not happen to someone they know or love.

Thank You,
Alan