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PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/19/2010 : 14:43:12

I thought it might be interesting to have a thread where we can post some of our more "hair raising" sailing experiences and what we did right and what we did wrong to handle them, kind of like what you see in SAIL Magazine. These tales can help us all learn from our mistakes.

Since I had a high pucker moment on Friday I'll start:

Friday night I decided to take my boat out single handed. A friend was out enjoying a night sail on his Beneteau 323 and wanted to sail along side and maybe raft up, so after the people I was planning to go sailing with flaked on me, I decided to single hand, as it was such a calm night. So I prep up the boat, start the outboard and back out of my slip. As soon as I was ready to go forward out of the fairway I put the engine in forward gear and it just seized. I try to restart several times, no dice. My boat is starting to drift towards the very big, very expensive sailboats on the other side of the fairway. I had to do something fast.

Luckily whatever wind there was from the south so I unrolled my head sail but there's really no wind as it's a very light night and my marina is very protected from the south. I'm not making headway. I run down below and get my West Marine boat hook paddle and was able to drift, paddle and sail out to where the wind was. Paddle three times on one side, then the other. She started moving! As soon as I got out of my protected fairway the head sail started filling so I raised the main sail and started out towards the breakwater.

I'm very relieved, I didn't hit any other boats and now I'm under way in a very light 4 to 6 knot breeze. I quickly devise a plan if the engine won't start to sail in to one of the empty outer slips of the marina, tie up with my transient lines and figure it out in the morning if my engine can not be fixed. At this point, I take a deep breath and relax a bit.

As soon as I was free of the confines of the marina and the breakwater I set about finding what the problem was. I raised my engine and discovered the problem. My engine got fouled by my aft stay adjustment line, which somehow had fallen astern. I use it to tie up my tiller, and I must have inadvertently thrown it over the transom in my hurry to get ready and meet my friends on the water. I had no idea it was long enough to get fouled on the long shaft Merc. This is good news, as it's something I can fix. So I came up with another plan. I would heave to and put on a life vest and tie myself to my boat. I would then carefully go down the swim ladder and unfoul it while hanging on there. The idea of getting in the water at night alone on my boat was a scary one, but with a ski vest on and a lifeline attached, I figured it was a doable. Or, failing that, I can still go to an empty slip that I could easily sail into.

As it was, I raised my friend with the Benteau on my VHF and was able to let him know what was going on and that I might need his assistance.

It took us a while, but we finally found each other. The ensuing flashlight signals were pretty funny as we tried to locate each other When we finally located each other we tied together, was able to reach over from his boat and get my prop un-fouled. Before I left I checked my engine and then I sailed back with no problems.


WHAT I DID RIGHT:
I didn't panic. The urge to panic was strong when the engine seized and I started drifting in the narrow fairway, but I methodically assessed and addressed the situation.

I had one of those WM paddle/boat hooks. If not for the ability to paddle in these idle conditions I probably would have ended up having to push off boats which is never ideal. I think everyone who owns a C-25 should think about getting one of these, they're like $15 or $20 bucks

I had an operational VHF radio with a friend monitoring a pre designated channel. I never go out without my hand held.

I am fairly experienced with sailing out and sailing in and practice it whenever I can, even if it's less convenient. I actually enjoy it. If this had happened before I started practicing, it would have been a lot worse.

My boat was ready to sail and completely rigged.

I had a contingency plan. Why not use an empty slip at any marina? You don't always have to get back to your slip every time. Sailing back to my slip is basically impossible when the wind is from the South but slips at the end of my dock are easy to get to.

WHAT I DID WRONG:
Sloppy boat set up, I should have done an idiot check before I cast off to make sure nothing was dragging in the water. I was in a hurry to meet my friends.

When single handing, your boat hook and paddle should be in the cockpit or somewhere within reach on deck, not down below in the cabin.

Despite being very familiar with our lake and doing tons of night sailing, this was my first single hand night sail. I probably could use some more experience single handing a keel boat before I do it at night.

Before I left the fairway I had the option to paddle into one of the empty slips at the end of my dock which would've been the safest thing to do, and then address my problem.

This is a pic of me as soon as I got away from all the danger, I was wiped out but happy I made it unscathed and was able to get a sail in. :)

Peter Powers
1979 TR/FK #1390
~Stephanos~
Bayview Marina,
Lake Ray Hubbard
Dallas, TX

Edited by - PCP777 on 10/19/2010 14:51:26

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2010 : 15:59:38

Peter, great story and me thinks we should create a separate space for stories like this on the forum!
Anyway, I have been in, as I am sure we all have, a situation where motor conked out. The time it happened to me I was also backing out of slip and put in forward gear when my boat drifted to a sea wall next to my slip. The admiral, hanging on to a handrail on the sea wall trying to protect the boat almost fell in the water as the boat drifted away. That's another story.
Anyway, good for you continuing on the sail. I might have bailed, especially since doing a nite sail. One thing I do when sailing solo is putting on my PDF and attaching jackline to the harness. My boat hook is near by but my paddle for the dinghy is stowed aft below. So that might be changing soon!
Thanks for a great story and sharing...
Steve A

Edited by - on

Voyager
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5377 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2010 : 20:15:49

I think several of us have had problems with the engine when we've needed it most. You were lucky - no current and only a little wind, that was favorable.

My scary story happened to me two years ago. I had recently gotten the boat into the marina, so it was early May and water temps were in the high 50s. I wanted to clean the gunk off the waterline, so I took a soft brush attached to a broom-handle, and cleaned the starboard side.

Once I was finished, I decided to turn the boat around to clean the port side. I was out on the Tee End of the dock so I reckoned I could secure several lines and let the current swing it around for me.

There was a little wind and a lot of current. So I connected several lines and the boat was about 1/2 way around it got stuck, and the bow line yanked me over to the side of the dock. Once I got past the point of no return, I realized I was going into the drink - fully clothed.

Since it was early in the season, nobody was around. I went down into the water, and held on to the line, but it was short so I couldn't get any leverage. I found myself in freezing cold water and being pulled by the current toward and under the boat! I was going down and under fast.

Since the dock height was approximately 18" above the water level, there was no way I could pull myself back up onto the dock.

I held on getting colder and colder, but then I noticed a dockmate walking by. She weighed all of 100 pounds soaking wet, so there would have been no way she could pull a 200#+ guy up out of the water. Luckily, there were a few spare lines up on the dock. I asked her to wrap a loop around the cleat and dangle it down in the water.

I finally got a foothold and was able to hoist myself up onto the dock. I realized there was just no way to get back up onto the dock without help. Glad she happened by at that time, as hypothermia was just starting to set in.

What I did right
I held on to the line, I avoided going under the boat, and I kept an eye out toward the dock for help. I also did not try to swim towards shore that was over 200 yards away.

What I did wrong
My stern ladder was tied in the upright position. I could not get it to go down. I was working on my boat on the dock without a lifejacket on. I tried to "do it myself" instead of asking for help before it was too late.

Edited by - Voyager on 10/19/2010 20:20:37

redeye
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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 05:01:05

Sounds like we need a ginsu knife on the end of a boathook..or a sword for clearing lines off the outboard

Edited by - on

Prospector
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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 06:19:26

OK, I'll add my dumb outboard moment. Not nearly as exciting as a wrapped prop, and the fix was, well, anticlimactic.

Headed out of the slip for a "beercan regatta" at the local club. Since we have a remote to the outboard, I started it the normal way -by disengage the gear shift on the remote, applied throttle, pulled the starter, and get the outboard warmed up for 5 minutes.

With the outboard running, I hanked on sails, removed springlines, brought up the boathook (always have one handy in the harbour) slid the boat back back in the slip, and climbed aboard as she moved back.

Plunk my butt down in the cockpit, grab the tiller and steer out of the slip, while applying throttle in reverse.

This particular day, as I applied throttle, the revs ran high, but the engine was dead. Cut throttle and look over the transom. No weeds, nothing fouling the prop, try the throttle again. Now we are in the fairway. still no drive, just high revs.

Wind catches the bow and swings the boat around in the fairway so we are facing down it, inches off the boat next to us. Send crew forward with the boathook to hold us off. Try to figure out why the engine isn't driving.

*** At this point I invite you to read back through the steps to get the boat going and spot what I missed. Its such a simple small thing that it hardly counts as a problem, but when you are sitting in the fairway with no drive, barely missing th eboats docked around you, and holding up a fleet of racers tring to make a GPS start, your mind doesn't always walk through everythign you missed. And the small things can quickly become big things when the excrement hits the fan.

I'll pop in later to see if you catch the problem. Truly an anticlimactic event once solved.

Edited by - on

BenD
1st Mate

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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 06:37:20

Yea...putting it in gear would have been a good idea! :-)

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 08:39:14

Yepper. I vote for out of gear also...

Edited by - on

PCP777
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1225 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 09:28:08

I would say out of gear but I am unfamiliar with a remote outboard.

Bruce I had a moment like that too, and you're right, not many of us can climb out of the water on the dock. Luckily my wife was able to let the swim ladder down. There's been discussion about how to secure the ladder where it can be let down from the water. Thank God someone found you!

Edited by - on

Prospector
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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 10:38:26

So yeah close enough...

Having the remote means you disengage the shift lever back at the OB to start, and once the engine has warmed up you can reattach the cable to the shift lever on the OB. Since all the shifting is done in the cockpit, you won't notice that you still have the cable detached... until you are drifting in the fairway and looking like an idjit. So that day I tried reverse, forward, neutral, anything to get outta there, but with the shift cable detached from the shift lever, no dice.

Then you slow down for a second and have the AHA! moment.

The fix is simple - Before walking the boat back down the dock to go out of the slip, run through the mental checklist... Safety gear all in place? Sails the right size? Mast gates on? Halyards clear? Outboard shifter engaged? Dock lines in their proper places? OK, lets go sailing...

Edited by - on

jerlim
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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 12:01:22

My story involves a simple swim that quickly became a MOB recovery.

I was out for an afternoon sail at the end of August w/ a long time friend and his wife. It was a very warm day, full sun and the water was warm after a long hot summer - the wind was maybe 8 knots.

We were in the middle of the bay, no traffic anywhere and my friend asked to take a swim. So we hove-to and he changed into his trunks. As he was preparing to jump in, he asked which side - windward or leeward. I responded that we were moving sideways (slowly I thought...) so he should jump to windward. I have a fender attached to a 75' ski tow line; it's bright pink and floats well. I fetched the float and line and prepared to toss it in, as my friend jumped in. But he didn't jump in close to the boat - he did a full Olympic style dive (I was impressed he had such style!). However, he broke surface about 20 - 25 feet away from the boat, as we were moving away at about 1 knot. When I tossed him the float and line (into the wind), I didn't get close...and we continued to move away as he treaded water...we all realized he wouldn't be able to swim back to the boat and I wasn't going to get him the line...so now it's a MOB recovery. Fortunately he was not injured and conditions were not severe.

I instructed his wife to keep both her eyes on him, and NEVER turn away, but just keep him in her sight at all times. I loosed the sheets, started the outboard (thank God this isn't also an O/B story...) and started heading upwind. When we got close, I killed the O/B , he grabbed the line and I reeved him in. He rested for awhile on the ladder bottom rung, then climbed aboard and we all relaxed.

What I did wrong:

I should have deployed the float and line prior to his getting in to the water. I’ve only had my kids and their friends swim off the boat in dead calm days, no current and no wind. I didn’t appreciate how quickly 1 knot of drift is. (BTW – when the kids go in, they have on some type of PFD. They enjoy putting the vests on ‘upside down’, and sitting in them.)

I didn’t discuss his plans and didn’t instruct my friend to simply jump into the water, rather than dive away from the boat.

Even though he claimed to be a strong swimmer, I should have insisted he wear some type of flotation device.

What I did right:

I’ve practiced MOB recovery (several times a season, usually w/ a small cushion) and immediately knew what to do.

Edited by - on

PCP777
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USA
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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 12:17:03

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jerlim
 My story involves a simple swim that quickly became a MOB recovery.

I was out for an afternoon sail at the end of August w/ a long time friend and his wife. It was a very warm day, full sun and the water was warm after a long hot summer - the wind was maybe 8 knots.

We were in the middle of the bay, no traffic anywhere and my friend asked to take a swim. So we hove-to and he changed into his trunks. As he was preparing to jump in, he asked which side - windward or leeward. I responded that we were moving sideways (slowly I thought...) so he should jump to windward. I have a fender attached to a 75' ski tow line; it's bright pink and floats well. I fetched the float and line and prepared to toss it in, as my friend jumped in. But he didn't jump in close to the boat - he did a full Olympic style dive (I was impressed he had such style!). However, he broke surface about 20 - 25 feet away from the boat, as we were moving away at about 1 knot. When I tossed him the float and line (into the wind), I didn't get close...and we continued to move away as he treaded water...we all realized he wouldn't be able to swim back to the boat and I wasn't going to get him the line...so now it's a MOB recovery. Fortunately he was not injured and conditions were not severe.

I instructed his wife to keep both her eyes on him, and NEVER turn away, but just keep him in her sight at all times. I loosed the sheets, started the outboard (thank God this isn't also an O/B story...) and started heading upwind. When we got close, I killed the O/B , he grabbed the line and I reeved him in. He rested for awhile on the ladder bottom rung, then climbed aboard and we all relaxed.

What I did wrong:

I should have deployed the float and line prior to his getting in to the water. I’ve only had my kids and their friends swim off the boat in dead calm days, no current and no wind. I didn’t appreciate how quickly 1 knot of drift is. (BTW – when the kids go in, they have on some type of PFD. They enjoy putting the vests on ‘upside down’, and sitting in them.)

I didn’t discuss his plans and didn’t instruct my friend to simply jump into the water, rather than dive away from the boat.

Even though he claimed to be a strong swimmer, I should have insisted he wear some type of flotation device.

What I did right:

I’ve practiced MOB recovery (several times a season, usually w/ a small cushion) and immediately knew what to do.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good story. It's amazing how fast a situation can be created. I actually insist on everyone who goes over the side to use some kind of PFD (I prefer the upside down vests as well.) If we're anchored that can be a noodle or whatever. I also always throw out a cushion on a long line but I like your bright bumper idea even better.

Recently I had two girls that jumped over the side on a dead calm day without permission. I threw the line with the cushion and then threw them both vests. Time to modify the pre- cruise talk.

BEFORE (This is the unauthorized jumper, picture from her accomplice's FB)

AFTER

Edited by - PCP777 on 10/20/2010 14:49:02

jerlim
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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 14:12:40

How we've used the set-up in calmer moments...

Edited by - on

JohnP
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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 14:26:00

A few years back, I drove up to my friend's marina for a 3-day sailing trip on the Narragansett Bay from East Greenwich to Newport, stopping at Dutch Harbor half-way south down the Bay. It was a hot summer day, and skipper and 2 crew members were looking forward to getting going as soon as possible.

The sun was shining as we loaded the supplies and headed out of Norton's. On the western horizon some dark clouds were blowing in, but they seemed 100 miles away.

After an hour or so the clouds turned black on the western horizon, but we were well along towards our overnight harbor. Then we noticed a few bolts of lightning, and the clouds had advanced close to the shore we had left. With about 5 miles to go, the thunderstorm had moved over the Bay and was chasing us from the northwest. Lightning was striking the water behind us, but we could see the marina ahead in the evening light. Then as we approached the old Jamestown Bridge, the lightning was striking to the left of us and to the right of us. Then the sky turned black over us and the lightning bolts were striking ahead of us, too!

We dropped sail, put on the sail cover, dropped the bimini, stowed all the loose gear, started the outboard, and picked up a mooring in Dutch Harbor just as a downpour began. We had outrun a thunderstorm on the Narragansett Bay and lived to tell about it.

What we did wrong: 
When you're sitting in a boat that is the tallest metal object within a mile with lightning striking all around you, you feel like you may have planned poorly! We should have left 3 hours sooner, if possible. Two of us had traveled over 100 miles to get there, however, and leaving earlier was not an option.

What we did right: 
Nothing in particular!

...Oh, we had a lot of fun in Newport the next 2 days!

Edited by - on

PCP777
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USA
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Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 14:55:35

Wow John that sounded scary.

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
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844 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2010 : 15:07:30

Lotta engine related stories. We wrapped a plastic bag around our prop. Couldn't get to it from the cockpit even with a boathook, sailed into an empty slip, and removed it. Another time, another big black plastic bag, used the paddle 'cuz no wind. Took half an hour with all sorts of boats going by before one brighter-than-the-other-skippers came by and asked if we needed a hand! Dragged us down to our fairway and we used the rudder sweep technique to get us into our slip. Many other times we've helped other boats when they were stranded. Amazing how it all comes around.

Edited by - on

DaveR
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2015 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2010 : 07:55:40

One of the first times I went out Ponce Inlet (3rd worst inlet on the east coast of FL I'm told) my brother and I were about half way out the 1/4 mile jetty and my engine died. Had the jib up so was able to come about and sail right back in. Many a unpowered boat has drifted into the jetty and broke up.

what I did wrong: ......... nothing

what I did right: ......... nothing

But I did accidentally have a sail up and that saved the day. Prior to that I would have told you I didn't want a sail up going out the jetty because of fluctuating winds and waves, now I won't go out without one up!

PS. This is also where I learned that it's good to actuate the kill switch on the motor every now and then. I guess you can get some sort of build-up that negates electrical flow.

Edited by - DaveR on 10/21/2010 08:09:33

piseas
Former Treasurer

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Response Posted - 10/21/2010 : 09:29:18

Dave, I have similar in Newport Beach but with 2 jetties on either side of me as I sail out of the harbor. I generally motor out with the main just to save time as our harbor is busy with lots of either lidos and kayaks or paddle boarders etc. But the thought has crossed my mine, "What if engine dies?" I can sail by unfurling the jib or even drop the hook quickly if this occurs.
Fortunately, there have not been too many accidents in my harbor in this regard.
More of a concern are the power boaters going from the 5mile per hour rule to full throttle just before the entrance into the harbor and out to the ocean and creating a huge wake. One time I had my dog on the bow with my 2 kids(who were sitting down) and the wake made my dog fall overboard. Even though I found out Buddy was a good swimmer, he had on a PFD and all turned out OK. As you can see in the pic below, Budddy still likes to come aboard.

What I did wrong I should not have had anyone on the bow as I was preparing to exit the harbor. Everyone now sits in the cockpit. Also I watch boats who are exiting and I never, ever exit with large fast power boats.

What I did right I had a PFD for my dog Buddy.
Steve A

Edited by - on

DaveR
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Response Posted - 10/21/2010 : 13:37:27

Yep, pretty similar Steve. Same huge wake scenario here, and then mix in 4 knot currents at peak tidal movement. We also have an opposing jetty but you run aground way before you hit that :^) Must've been pretty scary when the dog went overboard!

Edited by - DaveR on 10/21/2010 13:38:15

zeil
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Canada
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Response Posted - 10/21/2010 : 13:44:17

Disabled...!! Just past Sparrow Lake, part of the nearly 400 km (260 miles) Trent Severn waterway system in Ontario, while being overtaken by a fast moving large yacht creating huge wash our homemade 5ft long wood rudder sheared off just below the bottom pintle. The splintered part of the rudder hit the propeller and stopped the outboard dead.

Without rudder or power the boat rounded up in the channel, narrowly missing a nearby rock awash. In a blur we surveyed the propeller for damage, grabbed the broken rudder parts, untied the rudder's pull-up line, depressed the rudder spring-loaded pintle stop and removed the rudder's aluminum top-part in a hurry.

All the while, pushed by wind and current, the boat drifted closer and closer to a nearby barely submerged rock formation. At first pull the motor responded and throwing it in reverse, Johanna kept the boat clear of the rocks... Fortunately the prop's shear-pin was still intact in spite of the mishap...

Dis-assembling, removing and diving below to replace broken rudder with a spare blade which was stored in the aft area now became a race... The assembled rudder was quickly attached to the gudgeons, the rudder's break away pin replaced, and tiller attached to be ready for service. The new, home made, beach type, tapered, full length, seasoned oak rudder made our C250 respond straightaway... Believe me... did it ever feel good to have the boat in control again...!!

What we did wrong:
1) Relying on a homemade soft wood (knot-less seasoned pine) rudder blade which after a couple of weeks being submerged became waterlogged in spite of many layers of varnish.
2) Should straightaway have used the much stronger 5 ft long homemade seasoned oak blade...

What we did right:
0) No panic
1) Safety of the vessel and try to get some control... priority #1 check engine, start and in reverse, against wind and current, keep the boat of the rocks while while avoiding other traffic.
2) Just in case grabbed the long wood paddle as well as the boat hook.
3) Felt good to have a spare rudder blade on board. The 5 ft blade made to negotiate the max draft of the lock's thresh-holds
3) Not panicking

Edited by - on

Prospector
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Response Posted - 10/21/2010 : 19:42:12

WOW!! Someone sharing a story about waters we have passed through! Zeil, you shoulda stopped in while you were on Lake Simcoe!

We had a similar experience on the inside channel on Georgian Bay hitting a rock adn losing both the engine and rudder while being driven towards something scary. In our case we got th eOB running enough to pull the boat off the rocks, then dropped the anchor just outside the channel in a spot where we were pretty sure we had enough swing to stay clear of traffic. Did our repairs then felt our way carefully back into the channel, diving the hull and fully auditing our damages at the nearest dock (Sans Souci - Henry's) That story could be a whole 'nother scenario, but I've shared it here before.

Edited by - on

zeil
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Response Posted - 10/21/2010 : 20:59:06

Had we known we would have gladly taken shelter with you... we'd love to do the Trent Severn Waterway system canal system again sometime. It's, in our opinion, the best kept secret on this continent!!

Here are some excerpts from our Living on board full time and going south, Oct '06 to Oct 07 around the continent road and float trip

Due to high winds we decide to stay in the basin behind the breakwaters of theTrent Canal where it meets Lake Simcoe. We arrived this morning, June 21st, '07 at about 10.00 am after motoring from lock 40 no more than 3#8260;4 hour from here. We'll continue the 18 mile Lake Simcoe crossing when the winds die down. Later the same day we are joined by a 42 ft motor yacht, “Odyssee”, who also chooses to wait for calmer weather.

The short term forecast talks about thunder storms and continuing high winds. That evening we decide to hunker down for the night and look for an opening tomorrow including alternate plan to head for Lagoon City, about 5 miles North East of here, if the weather gets worse on the way to Orillia. So far we've been motoring through sheltered waters where winds or high waves were no problem.

But... something else rather unpleasant held us up... Weeds growing in some places thick as soup are choking the shallow lakes and canals of the Trent Severn waterway. Catching long strings by the bundle on the keel, rudder and winding around the propeller is no fun especially combined with strong head winds which greatly reduces progress and threatens to drift us off course... Our 8 hp outboard labors and steering is almost impossible. When reversing the wind gets a hold of the boat and blows us dangerously close to the rocks or shallows. Getting rid of the weeds is a full time job. While Johanna tries to keep us on track I'm kept busy poking weeds off the rudder. Progress is slowed to crawling... and we still have a long way to go...

The next morning when we wake up the winds have let up, the VHF weather forecast mentioned small craft warning for later in the day. We decide to go... NOW...!! without morning routine or even breakfast. To make sure, we walk over and advise the 42 foot yacht behind us of our plan and ask to keep an eye open for us... As we set out we monitor channel 16.

Only a 1/2 mile out of harbor we run into trouble with a loose and banging boom suspended below the mast. Its swinging knocks out our center mast support. The stern mast tie down lines develop slack and make the mast sway from port to starboard. Heading into the waves reduces motion somewhat to allow lowering the boom and securely tie it to the deck. Lines are quickly retied and secured. We're anxious that our home made short wooden rudder may not be strong enough to withstand the force of wind and waves. Once past Torah Island the motion increases as the boat takes the full force of the wind on this shallow lake 30 km (19 mile) long and 24 km (16 miles) wide lake creating steep waves. The otherwise stabilizing force of the boat's mast, now supported horizontally 3ft above deck adds to the motion.

Below everything not secured is thrown about. The boat rolls, heaves and pitches. We take water and spray until we alter course. The boat is able to take it and we head for Orillia, our final destination. On the way we meet 2 other large yachts going in the opposite direction. One alters course to take a look at us and continues on... As we come closer to the north end of the lake the waves diminish. Far off a yacht quickly is overhauling us. As it gets closer we talk via the VHF with the 42ft Yacht called “Odyssee”. Later that day, after having safely docked and replenished our fuel, we clock wind gusts of up to 115 km per hour.

Mast supported horizontally about 50 c/m above the pulpit with a specially made SS cradle allowing the pop-top to be used and providing extra head room in the cockpit during the 5 week trip

Waitng it out... high winds with steep waves on Lake Simcoe, Ontario

One of the 40 locks in the Trent Severn 380 km long scenic waterway

Edited by - on

Prospector
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3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2010 : 22:00:14

Sounds like Lake Simcoe, sudden storms with high winds and steep chop, disappearing as quick as it arrives. How long was your passage from Trenton to Simcoe? I have heard to budget anything from 4 days to a week for it. Also, if you had weed trouble, it must have been around August when you came through. Am I right?

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
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Response Posted - 10/22/2010 : 08:59:21

Chris - I have a remote start Nissan O/B and don't have to disconnect
anything to start it - insert key, pump fuel bulb, turn key and go.

Edited by - on

Prospector
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Response Posted - 10/22/2010 : 12:28:07

Yeah - we have a pushbutton start, but I prefer to use the pull start - never been able to get the push button right.

If you pull the start cord with teh engine in gear, it damn near takes your fingers off.

If you start without the throttle at wide open, the engine sputters for just long enough for you to reach for the either the choke or the throttle before dying. The throttle cable and the shift cable share the same lever in our setup, so in order to throttle up while in neutral, there is a quick release on the shift cable back at teh outboard.Its a litle clumsy, but it works fine once you know the routine.

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PCP777
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Response Posted - 10/22/2010 : 13:25:03

Well, I was going to go sailing after work, but it's 19 knots and gusty with a 30% chance of storms. Guess I'll go home instead. Maybe it will lighten up and we can go out tonight. Better safe than sorry.

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zeil
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Canada
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Response Posted - 10/22/2010 : 15:17:03

Chris... it took us a little more than 5 weeks to leisurely work our way through the nearly 400 km (280 miles) of canals, rivers, locks, lakes and estuaries, from Trenton to Port Severn with umpteen towns & villages along the waterway. Depending on the location we moored for several or more days to explore local touristy things, restaurants, provision, libraries and seek out the locals.

Yes... we met people who shuttled through the system in less than a week. We entered the system from Lake Ontario, past Presqu'ile point through an 11 km long canal into the Bay of Quinte and on to Trenton at around May 24th, the day or just after waterway opened. We, however, reached Port Severn 5 weeks later on August 1st which seemed at the time and still does that we should've taken more time.

People along the way told us that we hit the worst time for weeds. Especially Rice Lake was bad as well as some smaller lakes and canals further up the route. In one location the weeds were so thick that it collected a meter or more thick in front of one of the locks. Fortunately several large yachts ahead of us attacked full throttle with gallons of fuel, chopped through it and carved a nice passage for us.

By the way, I've never seen so many carps, enormous in size, active, chasing each other and plashing about, sounding just like somebody or something big fell into the water, leaving no doubt that there will be a next generation of carps in Rice Lake...

What we did wrong

a) In spite of taking our time and enjoying the trip we had deadlines to meet limiting our flexibility...

What we did right

a) Going out of our comfort zone and spent on entire year using our boat as road and float home... we look back with great fondness and hope to do something similar again
b) enjoyed every day of our trip

Wish list to do and do again:

1) More time on Lake Ontario, Georgian Bay, Little Current area on Manitoulin Island and North Channel similar to our BC West Coast but having fresh water...
2) Visit scenic Port Hope and Cobourg
3) Explore the Thousand Islands region
4) Peterborough
5) More time to sail en-route
6) Just en-route lazy around and re-visit some awesome locations

Here are a few highlights of the trip

Stern arrangements & storage

Someday Lady & Someday Baby on the system

Canada's shield country

Lift lock port side ready to enter and lifted water and all...

Giant rail riding dock as part of the system

Waiting to enter the giant riding lock

On board... Someday Baby seems lost in this contraption...

Reached Port Severn 5 weeks later... time to air things and pack-up

Edited by - zeil on 10/22/2010 15:20:52

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