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What I learned about sailing...

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Mike Vaccaro
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/31/2002 : 15:41:02

Guess this is a bit of mea culpa, but I've always known that it's been easier to learn from the mistakes of others...unfortunately, these couple of lessons are the type that I learned the old fashioned way--by making my own mistakes. Thought it might be beneficial to post some lessons learned to help others avoid the same pitfalls.

Lesson 1: New toys have a tendency to channelize attention at inopportune moments. We just completed installation of a combination chartplotter/GPS. It's a wonderful little gadget, although extreme over-kill for our navigational needs--but the price was too good to pass up. Turn's out that it's extremely accurate as well. My nephew (who was helming) and I (who was staring at the 4 x 5" display of total situational awareness) were marveling at the plotted depth contours on the C-MAP chart of our local bay. The one that had our attention was the 2' submerged shelf. Well, the GPS is definitely accurate to within 15' (the distance from the bow, now grounded on the sandy shoal, to the antenna). Fortunately, we were able to crank up the keel and extract ourselves with a minimum of fuss. Unfortunately, three boats witnesses our bafoonery. I should also point out that we had the depth alarm on the recently installed depth sounder smartly secured in the OFF position. Fact is, we sailed the boat in local waters for over a year with only a compass, watch and paper chart and had never suffered the ingominity of running aground.

Lesson 2: Don't be tempted to check out significant changes to your rig with 20 knots of wind blowing and the family on board. This is probably the most embarassing thing that has happend during my time afloat. I'm posting it as the topic of rasing the boom to accomodate a bimini has been discussed on several occasions on this board. We have a tall rig boat, so to accomodate a bimini, we decided to raise the boom a nominal 20" (this puts the floating gooseneck above the kerf slot if you shorten the luff and leech a proportionate amount). To minimize the loss of sail area, the headboard was lowered and the leach rounded along the top portion to accomodate. The overall loss of sail area was less than 3 square feet, although the aspect ratio was reduced slightly. Additionally, the roach now extends a bit beyond the topping lift and back stay. Racing the boat with the sail in the normal (i.e., low position) and a bit of halyard exposed aloft, we noted little loss of efficiency--so far, so good. The eventual goal is to have a racing (full-size) main and a cruising (shortened) main for use with the bimini (Florida summers are awful warm). The next test was to raise the boom to check everything out prior to installing the bimini (I prefer to make only one modification at a time to avoid the cumulative affect of any error--relatively sound in principle, but not fool-proof by a long shot). To make a long story even longer, we set out with just the main flying to ops check the new, higher boom position. It should be noted that I did not shorten the boom--there was still adequate (6"+) clearance in the raised position. Although if the boom were to rise during a gybe (do to insufficient mainsheet and vang tension) it could contact the stay, I figured that this could be delt with with some deft sheeting. Well, a long time ago I made a poor decision to attach the topping lift with a small caribiner (a spring steel clip). Turns out that if the boom rises a sufficient amount and the caribiner hits the stay from the starboard side, it's possible to lock the boom to the backstay. Less than desirable with a puff on, three small children aboard and a wife that is less than thrilled with your existence at that point. Fortunately, I had sufficient steerage to complete a 270 degree turn and put the boat in irons while quickly starting the motor. This allowed a quick douse of the main although it wasn't possible to unfoul the rig until returning to the dock. The lesson learned is that sufficient clearance should always exist between the boom and the stay to avoid contact under any conditions (i.e., this may necessitate shortening the raised boom a bit) and under no circumstances should any type of "snap" fitting be installed in a critical area that could possibly catch at an inopportune moment. Also note the domino effect of shortening the boom...number one, the bimini will have to be mounted even farther forward (less than desirable as it is already relatively far forward due to the aft mounted main sheet, leaving the rear portion of the cockpit exposed to sun); number two, the mainsheet will have even more "angle" relative to the boom, decreasing vertical purchase a bit. When we complete the installaton of the bimini during the coming weeks, we'll post any additional lessons learned.

Cheers,

Mike Vaccaro on the "Swoose"
84 TR/SK #4707

Edited by - on

Mark Maxwell
Captain

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USA
329 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2002 : 03:08:09

Mike,
Well put. Though I've not yet attempted the bimini challenge, I have dealt smartly with other modifications in the same....
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>"make only one modification at a time to avoid the cumulative affect of any error"<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote> way.
I call it CSW planning. Because after completion I always find ways that I Could of, Should of Would of done a better job.

I also had a similar experience with a clipped boom. Just as I was about to clear the last set of docks (key words just about to clear) in the marina, I decided to kill the motor and hoist the main. It filled almost instantly and snapped into position. As the puff built in power, the boat began to heel....a lot! So much so that my wife was warmingly informing me that "that's far enough....hun". In my haste I had forgotten to release the boom from the pigtail attached to the stay, which does a fine job in negating any control from the mainsheet. While I quickly pointed high to stop the heel, the momentum carried me into making the best tack ever. Problem now (once again the domino effect) is I am heading directly into the dock under a fully loaded main and heeled now, to where my wife is <BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>less than thrilled with your (my) existence<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote> I haven't the room to tack again, because of an approaching boat, so I am forced to jibe. Again the boat spins and I head off in my ever-narrowing channel between two docks. I now have attracted the attention of many onlookers, I guess to admire my skillful boat handing in such tight quarters while I dance with the tiller. Now with that last tack change I am next to the motor (thank God for electric starters) I sharply point into the wind, stand and release the boom, wave and bow to my many (cheering) fans.

Mark-
<img src="http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/l/c/lchaplin/unkarock/usflagwav.gif" border=0>
'Impulse'
C25 #533 DINN/FIN

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2002 : 13:10:04

Mike,

I think you have an excellent opening chapter for a book...funny as hell...especially since my experience doing the same was but in mid bay...but exasperating none the less...but in a mooring...OUCH.
Chapter TWO... The Admiral Said?????????
Title for the book ??????

Reminds me of the time the bluefish bit me.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT...but I bought the bottom paint.

Val Bisagni

Edited by - on

acierno
1st Mate

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USA
62 Posts

Response Posted - 04/03/2002 : 13:12:59

mike, your advice re the clip lock is seconded by me. in my attempt to make using a whisker pole a bit easier on my 135% genoa i snapped one of those suckers on my forsail and fogot about it. next time out it was blowing at about 20knots. as i tacked the darn thing flapped against the soon to be windward lifeline and snapped on. the sail backed hard, balanced by the main and heeled the boat way over. i thought i had a jamned line on the winch. i replaced ti with a screw shut ring.

ron

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