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Third Power Source???

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Phredde
Navigator

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125 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/12/2002 : 19:28:06

OK, this is embarassing, but another true story. The admiral and I headed out on SF bay last week for a nice evening sail. Very pleasant conditions, with modest winds from the w / sw (10-15), pretty flat waters, relatively warm for SF evening temps (low 70s), 3 knot flood current, and no moon.

All went well and we enjoyed a great sail for an hour or so and headed back as the sun was setting. Was just dousing the main when the motor died. No problem, raised the main back up and investigated.

Main gas tank was dry. No problem, opened the port locker for the reserves and S$%!, they weren't there. No gas!!! Turns out my false memory of filling them back up after a recent long motor wasn't really a memory, but still on my to-do list.

No problem, will just have to sail into the dock. OK, but that darn current was pushing us east pretty fast. Got the sails all back up and shook out the reef, but it still took a couple of hours to tack upwind against the current as the current was strengthening and the wind was dying. We finally got past the breakwater just as the wind died completely. A few anxious moments as slight gusts pushed us towards anything dangerous looking (like cement piers) or expensive (big yachts for sale). Ended up working the tiller back and forth like a madman to make just enough headway to reach the slip. Boy am I glad there was no fog that night!

Needless to say, I've now got a pre-sail checklist, and will never run out of gas again, but what about other engine failures?

Anyway to cut a long story short, my question is: do any of you guys carry an oar or paddle or something for these special occasions?

P.S. Thanks for letting me share. I'm not too religous but sometimes a little confession is good for the inner sailor.

Phredde
Catalina 25
San Francisco

Edited by - on

Jeff
1st Mate

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37 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2002 : 19:52:50

Yes. We carry a paddle. About 5' long. Have never had to use it for any serious distance. But have used it coming to a mooring buoy when the wind went completely dead and I didn't want to spoil the evening with the noise of the outboard. I wouldn't want to fight any current, but it wasn't a problem to paddle the boat 200 yards in a dead calm.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2002 : 20:10:25

I guess I never gave much thought to the circumstances you found yourself in. That situation would certainly motivate one to practice preventative maintenance!
We saw someone try to use a paddle with C-25 in calm waters - it just didn't cut it.
Speaking of a third power source though, has anyone ever tried using a battery powered trolling motor on a C-25? It would certainly stow nicely.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2002 : 21:33:02

I've seen a trolling motor push a 23' Ensign keelboat--slowly, but surely. Question: Where and when would you mount it?

Our DPO left us a pair of oars--I half-seriously wondered if he'd mounted oarlocks somewhere. I gave the oars away--pretty big, and in my estimation, pretty useless in anything but a totally becalmed situation with no current--a very unlikely combination here. Sometimes, especially in a current, the best temporary solution is an anchor. In true dead calm, try pulling the boom back and forth--sorta like skulling, but with the sail.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2002 : 22:19:02

Phredde,

Isn’t it amazing how much grief a teeny little oversight can cause!

I don’t carry a paddle on my C-25. My marina is very uncrowded and, in a worst case scenario we can find a place to sail in and tie up temporarily until we can solve our problem, so a paddle would be unnecessary. If I sailed SF Bay like you, I would carry a long paddle and hope I never had to use it. It would have to be fairly long to reach the water from the deck or cockpit of a C-25, and, without an oarlock, you couldn’t get much leverage with it. I’ve never tried it, but you could probably lash the oar to a lifeline stanchion, to use as a makeshift oarlock. You’d have to steer with the rudder.

I occasionally crew on a friend’s Etchell, which has no motor. He carries a paddle, but his boat doesn’t have as high freeboard as the C-25. You can move the Etchell with a paddle, but it is very slow going. It would not be effective against much of a current. Once you get into the marina, a paddle would help you keep away from other boats and to get into your slip, but it would be very awkward to use on a C-25.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2002 : 23:57:11

Three summers ago we left Ken and Betsy Cave at Stuart Island in the San Juans and sailed to Sydney, Vancouver Island. As we approached the marina entrance motoring we passed about a 30 footer just dousing the sails and deploying two very long oars that fit into oar locks. He manouvered into a fairly tight space just ahead of us after rowing about a quarter of a mile. We were very impressed with his seamanship and let him know it. Can you imagine the howling from the crew if they had to paddle when the wind got light. Pictures of Eric the Red flash through my mind rowing across the North Atlantic.

Ed Montague on 'Yahoo'
1978 #765 SK, Stnd, Dinette ~_/)~

Edited by - on

coldducks
Captain

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USA
342 Posts

Response Posted - 08/13/2002 : 00:50:18

we never thought of carring an oar, because of our freeboard, but because of this post, will carry one from now on.. thanks...

COLDDUCKS
FANTASY #409 C250WK

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 08/13/2002 : 00:55:22

To much trouble to carry oars around big enough to go over the side and row with. I have seen several world cruisers that cary one long skulling oar. Its a realt long paddle with quite a long blade to it. Its curved and stows along the gunal. Very efective used off of the stern. I use vessel Assist if I had an emergency or wait for the wind if I have the time. Never had to so far.

Doug&Ruth
Wind Lass
Tacoma Wa.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/13/2002 : 10:32:04

One other thing about working very light air (including almost imperceptable air movement), which was mentioned in another thread recently and all dinghy racers know... Get all of your movable ballast (yourself and crew) onto the leeward rail to heel the boat as much as possible, with the sheets relaxed. Your sails can do amazing things with almost no breeze if they're positioned and shaped properly, which heeling will help to do. Now, if the current is going the other way, well, your just S.O.L. <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

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jellyfish
Navigator

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USA
171 Posts

Response Posted - 08/13/2002 : 11:35:24

we keep the oars for the dink on the boat at all times. they would work in a pinch, although never had to use them. when all else fails call sea tow!

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swarchitect
1st Mate

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USA
41 Posts

Response Posted - 08/14/2002 : 20:17:30

On my previous, we had a similar situation. Our outboard had the bad habit of breaking shear pins. The boat was a 23' Compac. Heavy as can be with a very short mast. We did what was sugguested above. Slacked all the sheets, moved everyone to one side, and made it the last 1/4 mile to slip in only a couple hours (wink)

By the way, this was inland lake, no current.

For the last 50 yards into the slip, I jumped overboard, with a line in my mouth and swam us in !!

There must be a better way.

Scott Webb
LeHannah, #3134

Edited by - on

jandrus
1st Mate

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USA
79 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2002 : 09:33:45

I have found that if I am patient getting the boat up to speed I can scull very effectively with the rudder. I've gotten the boat going almost two knot just sculling.

Better yet is an old dinghy racing trick that actually works. Back when I used to race 420's we'd sometime be becalmed during practices. We'd rock the boat back and forth and wash from the centerboard would drive the boat. On my fin keeled boat I find that if I stand forward of the mast and start rocking the boat, I can drive it at about two knots with the keel wash. It takes big rocking though and a couple of minutes to get the oscillations big enough to matter. You need to put the boat at least 15 degrees to each side. It can be done - just built the motion slowly.

Couple the rocking technique with sculling on the opposite side and you can really drive the boat. You might look silly but you'll get there.

c25 #1942 s/v tako kichi

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RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2002 : 15:57:04

Once my outboard stalled after backing out of my slip. I tried to use one of these to row back in.

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d600b3127cce9f9f6de61b040000001410" border=0>

No dice. There was just a tiny breeze -- I was amazed of the force of the boat through the water caused by such a barely noticable wind (and how futile my effort was). Luckily several helping hands on the dock helped guide the boat back into the slip so I could fix the fuel line problem.

Aside from that, through my Boat US insurance I have my $35 per year membership to Towboat which provides $350 towing. If a problem occured, I figure I could sail back to within the $350 "zone" -- although I really don't know where that is (might be smart to find out). So far, I've never used the service.

RichardG 81 C25 SR/FK "Sanity"

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John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2002 : 00:52:54

I had to pleasure of visiting the US Brig Niagra this past summer. She is the historical replica of the ship that Commodore Oliver Hazzard Perry won a decisive naval battle against the British Great lakes fleet during the war of 1812. she measures 123 ft od and has a displacement of 297 tons. I give you this data because I was asking a crew member about the small ports in between the gun ports and was told that they were for the sweeps. (oars) When there is no wind they can man the 20 ft sweeps and row. Can you imagine trying to row a 297 ton ship close enough to your enemy to fire a 12 pounder.
I made a long handled paddle out of a busted oar and use it on my C25. It takes a lot of strokes to get her moving but once going it doesn't take much to keep 3 tons of sailboat moving at a knot or so. I have never been in a situation where I have had to paddle (this summer) but I practiced just in case.

John V. Nin Bimash II
77 C25 sk/sr #153

Edited by - John V. on 08/24/2002 01:13:20

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IndyJim
Navigator

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USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2002 : 02:44:35

Phredde:

I know your pain. 3 weeks ago I was motoring into an inlet with two guests onboard. My '84 Evinrude 9.9 was putting along and almost instantly crapped out. Something blocked the intake and it basically cooked.

Before the season began,(my first season on a C-25)I was strolling through Wal-Mart and saw a plastic case of oars that consist of three peices each that all screw together. They were priced around $15 bucks or so and I thought "why not?". I threw them in my v birth storage and forgot about them.

So, when my motor went south on me, I broke out the oars, assembled them and we began to spank..er..uh... I mean paddle. They worked great for that type of situation. We weren't setting any speed records but they got us back out into the wind and we sailed back to the dock. They are now standard equipment that I hope I never have to use again.

The best part is... I got a new 4 stroke Yamaha out of this ordeal and my wife didn't bat an eye! I guess she likes this "sailing thing" more than she's letting on!

IndyJim
"Itza Dew Sea"
84 SK/TR #4525

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2002 : 02:05:26

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
My '84 Evinrude 9.9 was putting along and almost instantly crapped out. Something blocked the intake and it basically cooked.
The best part is... I got a new 4 stroke Yamaha out of this ordeal and my wife didn't bat an eye!
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

IndyJim,
So what exactly did you use to block the Evinrude intake <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> ?

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