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Disaster but Not Totaled

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byh2os
1st Mate

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USA
32 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/29/2005 : 18:13:41

Went out sailing with the bride of 21 years Saturday. Very pleasant, partly cloudy with a south wind at about 8 to 10. Three tunderstorms decided to develope around us. None were very close. However the wind swiched out of the north at 65 MPH. Wife went nuts, I was close also. Fired up the motor and started to furl the jib. The Mainer Furler stuck. So I lowered the main and told the bride to keep the bow into the wind so I could go to the bow and fix the furler. Wrong! Jive down wind. To complicate matters she decides to fix the problem her self. There were stop knots in the sheets. Know guess what happened. To complicate it even more she got mad at one of the stern lines and threw it overboard to get it out of her way. Can you guess where it magicly appears? Yep, THE PROP. Now I'm starting to loose it. I tell the Mrs. to head toward the beach while I'm hanging over the transom tryng to get the rope off the prop. The first mate says she can't go towards the beech, so I turned around to see us headed toward the spillway. OH !#@$!
Right or wrong I took the tiller and worked back towards the beach. By now your saying, Throw out your anchor. Captin stupid left the key to the locker at home. We hit the beach and I'm still getting an earful!!! Damage, Broken swing keel cable. Broke getting boat unstuck, bow eye pulled out. Jib blown out. My ears. Hope you got a laugh out of this lesson I learned. By the way did I mention it was my anniversary.

Edited by - byh2os on 08/29/2005 18:16:55

existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2005 : 18:45:16

Laugh? No. Could have been me, maybe a few others here. I'm really sorry your trip didn't go well. Hope the repairs, all of them, come out well.

Edited by - on

ArgonautEC
Deckhand

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USA
11 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2005 : 21:43:07

Is your bride's name Katrina?

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 01:20:09

Hope she is still fisrt mate.

Sounded expensive, but! you can fix the cables, sails, eys, etc.

What would you do differently, now you have experienced this kind of near disaster, before heading out again (having fixed everything of course.)

Edited by - on

ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 09:42:03

We have all most likely done every one of those things, and plenty more (although you did get quite a few in at once) and survived. As has been already mentioned, the best question is always: "what did you learn, and how will you prepare better the next time?" Fair winds, ron Orion srsk SW FL

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 10:50:36

never, ever, lock the anchor locker.

Edited by - on

bbriner
Captain

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349 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 14:36:49

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> never, ever, lock the anchor locker.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Hear! hear!
It has been drilled into me to be paranoid about the 'hard side' (a lee shore). My buddies even joke about me warning them about the lee shore (when they are on the helm). The very first time I went out from our new berth in Richmond Marina, which has a ** very narrow ** channel that is normally beam on to the wind, with very nasty pilings and rocks on the lee shore, in our brand new C25 (literally - we had just sailed it over to its new home) I was flaking out the anchor line and my buddy and wife say... 'what are you doing?' and I said 'just making sure this works'. They got a laugh out of that... making sure the anchor works. Hahaha. Lots of moving parts there! I didn't explain my paranoia... now we no longer berth there. It was too much for me :)

Having said that... man, what a nerve-wracking experience this must have been. I'm sure it would be incredibly frightful for any of us to have the conditions change so radically and so suddenly. I don't know how much room you had (doesn't sound like much), or how long it lasted, but I am wondering if it was possible for you to go with bare poles (relatively speaking) downwind (I'm assuming the main was down)? I know my engine (6hp) would not push me upwind against 65mph wind.

What would others do? (Thanks for the learning opportunity!)

Bill B

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 15:57:58

I have been caught in winds that suddenly gusted from calm 5 knots to 35 or more in an instant (I could see the white caps coming at me like a fist).

I also failed to get the jib down in that much wind.

My winds were blowing offshore (but I wanted to go home).

I know that you cant just keep the boat pointed into the wind in that much air without lots of engine power. Any little bit off the wind and around you go, and once started, you can't stop.

Since this day I have rigged jacklines and I keep my harness and tether hanging on a hook by the door. That day, when I urgently needed them, they were below the V Berth (I finally got to them). I had to deal with a stuck roller jib on a bow that was getting swept with 4 foot waves.

Of course I almost always am sailing solo.

It looks funny, but I always keep 4 foot long lines hanging from the lifelines by a half hitch. These are to tie the jib to the lifelines. If I have to get it down in an emergency I need somewhere and something to tie it.

My boat is rigged for flattening reef, 1st reef, and 2nd reef on the main with a two lines led aft (have to move a hook to each cringle).

That day I 2nd reefed the main and let the jib flog. I had the main sheeted in as tight as possible. I let the autopilot hold the boat straight downwind. I put on the harness and went to the bow and got the jib down even though I had to pull it down with all my weight (halyard was jammed). I bundled and tied off my jib. Then I went and started the motor and motorsailed back. I always have my anchor ready and latch, but never lock, the locker. I have 4 ties hanging on the lifelines at all times just to tie things up in an emergency. Also I latch, but never lock the cockpit lockers (I keep docklines and an emergency 100 foot towline in the little locker).

I returned to the slip, fixed the halyard, and I was going to put on my 60% jib and go back out but decided against it.

Since that day I have added the jackline and also keep the harness and teather at the companionway on a hook. Never leave docklines laying about. I coil mine and hang them on the lifelines, you have to release the pelican hook to get them off.

Your decision to beach the boat was absolutely correct. It is what I would have done (of course trying to anchor on the way in). Seeing the spillway coming at you must have been terrifying.

Edited by - on

PamC
Navigator

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171 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 19:46:17

It sounds like you made yourselves quite a memory to share through the next 21+ years. Since I don't see you, your boat or your bride listed on the swap meet, I guess you have the right attitude about it all. Happy Anniversary!

Edited by - on

pjeffarch
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 23:22:25

I'd like her to post and get the other side of the story!!

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byh2os
1st Mate

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USA
32 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2005 : 11:23:45

Her post would be just like mine, with the exception that I would be refered to as the --- ----(slang for rectum). Bill

Edited by - on

Flipper69
Deckhand

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USA
1 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2005 : 23:36:11

Had no idea it was your anniversary. Happy 21 to you both!!! I'm soooo glad you two are safe.

Gotta stand up for the two of them. Conditions were very unpredictable. They were at the deepest part of the lake, very UGLY short chop (5" and about 6" apart), not exactly ideal conditions for running forward to tend anything, dodging lightning bolts and such...There's absolutely nothing stupid (Captain Stupid, that is) from learning from your mistakes and taking away positives...for her especially...make sure you TELL her the things that she did right. Next don't beat yourself up about what you coulda shoulda woulda. It takes some nuts to stik it on that beach. You committed to a plan and brought it off. Thats whats gonna make you a good sailor. In the mean time, if you're not doing the repairs yourself, make sure you see everything apart so that you have a complete understanding of everything and talk to your KOKOMO buddy who will be glad to assist you in sailing your butt off.

Edited by - on

pjeffarch
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 09/03/2005 : 13:38:51

Bill - you're crackin' me up!

with your spelling out the slang! LOL
Actually, I was also lauging at my first read of your story, but not laughing at you but with you, as we've all been there, to one degree or another. It was apparent to me that you're in good spirits about it, and your bride must be too, for I'd guess she's reading through the posts here too!
Happy Anniversary to you both...and laugh when you read the next person's similar story...with them.

Edited by - on

deastburn
Captain

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USA
334 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2005 : 00:46:30

I admire your honesty and humility for sharing your experience with all of us. We have all made terrible decisions and horrible mistakes at one time or another. Most of the time--thankfully--we get away with them. Occasionally they cost big (Exxon Valdez--remember?)
Bill-- you are absolutely right. As any sailing manual will tell you, way more sailors lose their lives going ahore than at sea. I grew up in the British Isles by the coast, and remember watching a shipwreck when I was a boy--three people died coming ashore. So avoid at all costs a lee shore. It may get rough out there, but worst case you have life vests and a submersible VHF. A sailboat grounding is akin to a Ford Exploder hitting a snowbank going sideways on the Interstate--not a good thing.
If you haven't already, celebrate your anniversary in full style, then take time (when sober) to discuss with your First Mate what you both learned from the experience. Put it in perspective. Then together make preparations so it won't happen again. Lead all your lines aft. Make sure the furler works and the halyards won't jam. And drop the sails before you need to. 65 knots of wind will drive the C25 at hull speed without any sails at all... And know that you can trust the C25--she is a good sea(and lake-)worthy boat that will take more than you or I would care to receive.
Then get back on your horse and go for it.
Good Luck!

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