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Sharing a "D'oh!" moment

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/08/2009 : 13:22:09

Hi folks,

I thought I'd share a "blond" moment with you all. My Super Hot Girlfriend and I were out sailing Sunday in mostly light winds yesterday. We've been out probably half a dozen times so far this year, and since we haven't started racing yet, our sailing has been quite leisurely. This means I had yet to sail with the jib.

So yesterday with the lighter winds, we decided to raise the 130 jib and lean the boat over a little. Picture my confusion when I trim the jib sheets and they keep binding up on the winch drum. What the heck, I think. This has never happened before.

I change tack; and yep, same thing on the other tack. The jib sheet binds up as soon as I try to trim it.

Now picture the lightbulb that comes on over my head when, as I'm staring at the winch, with a bound-up jib sheet, and my gaze drifts up to the empty jib sheet car on the jib sheet track. Oh right, those aren't there just for looks.

Anyway, I had a little bit of a laugh at myself and thought I'd share. I'm glad that didn't happen on the race course.

Ben
Beneteau 361
Viking Kitty
Columbus, Ohio

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2009 : 13:43:20

A fair lead to the winch is critical for a winch to work, some people randomly choose genoa cars that stand at an incorrect height that will not lead fair and they have trouble with winch over rides from then on. On thing is for sure, sailing is a very humbling past time for all of us! I took my wife on her first Hobie sail last weekend and could not get one of my rudders to lock down on the way out of the cove, I had to turn around and spend 20 minutes fixing it with my wife wondering why we left the shore if the boat wasn't working, I did not have an answer for her.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2009 : 15:40:57

Well Frank, I think I can beat you in catamaran humility. I took my Venture cat out onto Black Lake in Western WA a number of years ago. I almost always sailed with my golden retriever and that day was no different. As we headed out across the lake it became increasingly more difficult to steer and I had no idea why. I thought I was dragging something, and as it turned out, I was, the slowing filling sponsons without their drain plugs in. I was slowly sinking. I got the boat turned around and headed towards the nearest beach without overhanging trees (few & far between). I laid down trying to insert the plugs into their screw holes (they were 3/8" bolts) without falling in or dropping the bolts. My weight and my retriever's weren't helping things since he was standing right by me "helping". Finally I decided that I had to get in the water to do this, I simply couldn't get them in from the deck. Bear in mind that I was still sailing towards that beach. I got in the water, hanging onto the tiller bar to steer, and with my dog barking his head off at me, I managed to get both bolts in. I stayed in the water and steered from behind to run up on the beach because when I started to climb on, the boat pretty much was under water. I pulled the boat up onto the beach as far as I could and pulled the plugs again. It took about an hour of draining, pulling it up the beach, draining, to get all the water out. That was a humbling experience, but I've never forgotten to put plugs in since then.

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Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2009 : 17:54:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">My Super Hot Girlfriend and I were out sailing <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Talk is cheap Ben - we want pictures!!!

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2009 : 18:09:19

Ben, sailing without the jib is no way to impress the SHGF!

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Rich G
Navigator

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226 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2009 : 20:19:57

Yup. First sail of the season I forgot to uncleat the furling line. Guess what? The jib wouldn't unfurl and I was dumbfounded.

D'Oh!

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2009 : 09:22:16

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Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2009 : 16:17:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ben

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Way to go Ben!!!

But too much you-Not enough her

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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.