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Newbies set sail!

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drsam
Deckhand

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USA
12 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/21/2007 : 13:13:45

Okay, so this past friday, my wife and I finally went on our first real sailing attempt. We met an old guy at the marina who has a big two-masted schooner that he built himself and basically sails around the country.

He agreed to go with us and give us some pointers. We had a nice and uneventful trip for a few hours and made it back to port without any problems.

He gave us some decent pointers, but there was one bit of advice he gave that I have subsequently found to be less than stellar, so I thought I'd pass it along.

While we were out friday, I asked him about the crab traps that are ubiquitous here (Pass Christian, MS). I asked him how likely they are to get stuck in the keel or rudder if you accidentally go over one of the floats.

He assured me that they are really not that big a deal unless you are motoring. He said that as long as the prop is out of the water, they are quite unlikely to cause any problem.

Wrong!

Saturday, my wife and I decided to go out on our own brimming with our new knowledge and experience.

We were moving along okay under sail, with my wife at the tiller. Very very little wind at all, so we were doing about 3 knots maybe.

I happened to look up and saw a crab trap float directly in our path about 10 feet in front of us.

We went over it and I thought, well, the old salt yesterday said not to worry about these things.

The boat seemed to get a little slower.

I was suspicious that maybe we had acquired an ornament on our keel.

After a while I thought I saw the same float appear behind us about 50 feet, but I wasn't sure.

After a while we decided to head home.

Now we were really going slow, but it looked like we were going against a current, so I still wasn't sure if we might be dragging something vs just inexperience sailors with little wind and a decent current.

So anyway, after a while, we decided to go ahead and fire up the motor so we could get home a little quicker.

Even with the motor, the GPS says were only doing like 1.5-2 knots.

We pass near another crab trap and I hear my wife say she thinks it is trying to chase her.

Interestingly enough, that float seemed to just sort of disappear.

Well, now I'm starting to think that once we get tied back up at the marina, I should probably think about swimming up under the boat and see if there is anything tangled in the keel. The rudder seems to be moving freely, so I'm pretty sure it's clear.

So, now were about 50 yards from the mouth of the marina, and feeling good about things, when suddenly the motor dies. No sputter or anything. It just died.

I look back and sure enough there's not one, not two, but three crab trap floats back there with one of them wrapped around the base of the prop.

I instantly recognized this one as the original one I had seen directly in front of us. Apparently it had gotten caught on the keel and we had been dragging it along, and it must have picked up two others as we went by. Now just before the harbor, they apparently came loose from the keel and went straigt to the prop.

I try and try to untangle it, but no dice. I try to lift the outboard into the cockpit, but also no dice. Too much pull from the crab traps. So I finally manage to get hold of the rope with a boat hook and get it close enough to cut it with a knife.

Now I was able to get the outboard into the cockpit and untangle the prop. Now we are starting to drift in that strong current I mentioned a bit ago.

"No problem," I think. "As soon as I catch my breath (I'm totally exhausted now), I'll remount this motor and get us on home."

So, after much panting, I remount the motor, and you guessed it. It won't start. "I thought Hondas weren't supposed to act this way," I mused. I pulled and pulled and pulled. I thought. "It's a hot engine. It's probably flooded a bit. It'll start eventually."

"Maybe I should drop the anchor, while the engine cools. Nah, were pretty much drifting in the direction of the channel. Surely, I'll get this engine started pretty soon. That damn anchor is heavy and a pain the ass to deploy, and quite frankly, I'm simply exhausted. I can't even pull the starter rope right now until I catch my breath, much less struggle with the anchor."

Well this goes on for a while, and my wife is getting increasing stressed out. "Maybe we should call for a tow," she says. "The depth meter says 5.5 feet and it's getting lower"

A bit later "Now it's at 4.5 feet! I thought our draft was 4.5 feet. We're going to run aground"

The beach is about 100 yards from us now. I tell her "Honey, don't worry. If all else fails, we can get out and walk to shore if we have to."

About then, she says "the depth meter now says 2.5 feet." Simultaneously, I can feel the keep bumping the sand below with each wave trough.

"Bummer," I think.

Well to make a long story short (too late I know), I eventually got the moter running again and was able to get us out of the sand and back to the marina.

So, my advice to all you seasoned folks is to avoid the crab trap floats whether you are under power or sail. Just avoid the damn things.

My advice to me (in addition to the above). Drop the damn anchor next time!

We can't wait to go out again. Maybe this evening!

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2007 : 20:34:13

Sam, I feel your pain! When we took delivery of our new boat in 2005, we had the dealer on board and all was well accept that we seemed to have slowed, and looking aft, we were being chased by a crab trap float. We were able to kill the engine before it fouled, but getting it untangled was a challange that the dealer dealt with.

Now we give them a wide berth.

Glad you were able to deal with it before the beach became a bunk.

Paul.

Edited by - on

saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2007 : 22:16:20

Sounds like the first time out on my Capri. I was eager to test the outboard last spring and was unfamiliar with Lake Macatawa and how quickly it can become shallow just outside of the channel markers (18' to 3'). Long story short I buried the keel in muck whilst going 5+ knots. Long story short, I quickly found that the engine was very much worth keeping after the workout I put it through getting unstuck. Engine tested.......uh hum.

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2007 : 07:07:09

Just remember, to avoid stay leeward of the markers. If not you will surely find yourself attach to the rode between the marker and the pot either by keel or rudder. There are many mine fields in my lake and the St. Johns' River to help increase your navigation and sailing skills.

Edited by - frog0911 on 05/22/2007 07:11:52

drsam
Deckhand

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USA
12 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2007 : 07:49:23

That sounds like good advice Paul.

Well, we went out again today, and learned a good lesson about the importance of fetch in the creation of waves.

Today, we had a brisk offshore breeze, and the waves really knocked us around a good bit.

No crab traps collected however, so I count that as a success!

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2007 : 22:31:05

I learned one very dark stormy night that a fouled engine is a real PITA. I now carry several very sharp knives for that sort of thing. My friend Ben has a stainless machette that he keeps in the cockpit. Still looking for to buy one.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2007 : 06:55:34

We have the same crab pot issues here in the Chesapeake. I've hooked a few myself, especially when we lived on the Eastern Shore.

It's against the law for crab pots to be in a marked channel. Stay in the channel until you're out past the pots. I don't know about the Gulf Coast, but here there are seldom pots deeper than 20'.

I suspect that your schoonerman "friend" doesn't worry about pots because he has a full keel and a prop surrounded by keel and rudder. The schooner probably just slides over a pot line.

Remember that those pots are someone's livelihood, and when you cut a line, that pot is lost to that waterman forever. I have no guilt about cutting a line in a channel, but I try to avoid diminishing someone's pretty marginal livelihood because of my recreational inattention.

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 06/08/2007 07:00:09

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.