Can I sail my X boat to Y?

[Don Guillette]

It's memorial day and I'm smoking a leg of lamb. It's perking along by itself so I decided to take a call from a sailor who asked me the above question. Here's my standard answer to that question -- if you have to ask me that question the answer is NO!! It's all about knowing "your limitations and that of your boat". If you don't completely KNOW your limitations and those of your boat, don't extend yourself and the folks on board.

 

[sd1953]

That is the most clear and succinct answer to that question. But...
Can you address sailboat deliveries? For instance, the recent case of the catamaran that had to be abandoned after mechanical breakdowns. The builder defended his product, blaming in effect, the crew. No delivery crew will really know the limitations of the specific vessel being delivered.
Can you address how we incrementally learn the limitations of our boat? Do we need to go out and chase storms? Longer passages in good weather will give only false security. At some point, we have to sail through the stuff we shouldn't to find the limits.
I don't mean this to sound impertinent, I am genuinely interested in building my knowledge. And doing it in a way that does not put me or my crew at undue risk.

 

[Benny17441]

Practice builds up confidence and knowledge. Yes, the way to do it is to chase storms, start out slow and gradually build up. We do it every year; going out a few times in stormy weather just to practice and hone our skills. Read up on foul weather tactics and then go out and practice while learning how your boat reacts to different conditions.

 

[Don Guillette]

Honestly, I don't dare answer this question because I wouldn't know where to start to answer in this short of space. A person could write a book on it and probably some have. Guys like RichH, Stu J, Scott T-bird, Jackdaw and some others are more qualified than I am and hopefully thye'll chime in.

Practice is important but more important is to know the correct procedure so you're not practicing bad habits that will get you in trouble.

Deliveries would be beyond my limitations -- you're on a strange boat that has unknown conditions. My thought would be that a mate would have to KNOW, not THINK, that he would classify himself as an EXPERT sailor and have many years at sea to back it up.

 

[Winkfish]

It's memorial day and I'm smoking a leg of lamb.

Gave up cigarettes, did ya? ;-)

 

[Sandy Stone]

One good way to build experience is to race on other people's boats. Racing will bring you out in conditions you would normally avoid, and if you crew on a boat with sailors more experienced than you are, you can learn a lot about how to handle bad weather without putting yourself or others at undue risk.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

One good way to build experience is to race on other people's boats. Racing will bring you out in conditions you would normally avoid, and if you crew on a boat with sailors more experienced than you are, you can learn a lot about how to handle bad weather without putting yourself or others at undue risk.

Yes, I can't think of a better way to get experience in conditions that challenge your own capability. This can even be done on your own boat if there happens to be an experienced skipper available and willing to participate, but the key is to choose your mates carefully!

 

[Jackdaw]

Don,

I saw your original post and didn't add anything because I think you nailed it. It is simply a question you cannot ask of others. When a person has the knowledge, experience and quiet confidence to know that they and their boat are ready, then they are as ready as they ever will be.

But most people forget the other element in the equation. Luck. Luck always factors. This trick is to minimize how much of it you might need.

A successful journey is part (Skill) (Boat + preparation) (Luck)

The more you have of the first two, the less you need of the last.

 

[Don Guillette]

My dad used to tell me "luck is the residue of knowing what your doing!!"

 

[shemandr]

Gave up cigarettes, did ya? ;-)

Well it cracked me up!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Yes, I can't think of a better way to get experience in conditions that challenge your own capability. This can even be done on your own boat if there happens to be an experienced skipper available and willing to participate, but the key is to choose your mates carefully!

Very good advice. Only thing to add would be to be VERY careful about who one "assigns" as "skipper." In many cases, the boat owner wants to be the skipper and is utilizing the experience of a crew member for his/her knowledge. Having two skippers is like too many chefs in the kitchen.

But it's very much like "How do I get a picture of my boat under sail?" You go out and sail a lot and get to know the skippers around you, and eventually you get those shots (unless you wanna do the drone photo thing...).

My experience indicates that the MORE sailing you do, the MORE chance you have to deal with heavier conditions. Learn to reef the main sail on the fly, learn about double line reefing instead of single line, learn to use the smaller jib instead of trying to "reef" that stupid 155%, and just get out there.

Recognize that most days will be either too little or too much wind, and consider that the 12-15 knot wind days are MAGICAL.

We sail, obviously, in an unusually higher wind area than most. When the wind calms down to 12 knots it's boring and considered flat. For many that would be HIGH wind alerts.

One other thought: I hear repeatedly about folks having to experience higher winds and "everything down below went all over the place." Skippers, that is just plain wrong. Everything down below should have a place and NEVER be in a position to fly around the cabin or even to make any noise while sailing or motoring. Find it, stow it, and enjoy the ride.

Sure, easier to say than do? Nah...just takes some time to do it right.

Good luck, and have fun, sailing in higher winds is exhilarating.

PS - learn to heave to on your boat, in low, mid and higher winds, it's different in each case. And if your bow falls off when trying to heave to, it's just another reason to get rid of that 155% and switch to a 110%.

*******************************************

A very illuminating and interesting discussion on co.com for those of you who might be in the market for a new jib.

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=155362

Please read all three pages. Enjoy.

 

[Winkfish]

Well it cracked me up!

Thanks!!

 

[Ward H]

Very good advice. Only thing to add would be to be VERY careful about who one "assigns" as "skipper." In many cases, the boat owner wants to be the skipper and is utilizing the experience of a crew member for his/her knowledge. Having two skippers is like too many chefs in the kitchen.

But it's very much like "How do I get a picture of my boat under sail?" You go out and sail a lot and get to know the skippers around you, and eventually you get those shots (unless you wanna do the drone photo thing...).

My experience indicates that the MORE sailing you do, the MORE chance you have to deal with heavier conditions. Learn to reef the main sail on the fly, learn about double line reefing instead of single line, learn to use the smaller jib instead of trying to "reef" that stupid 155%, and just get out there.

Recognize that most days will be either too little or too much wind, and consider that the 12-15 knot wind days are MAGICAL.

We sail, obviously, in an unusually higher wind area than most. When the wind calms down to 12 knots it's boring and considered flat. For many that would be HIGH wind alerts.

One other thought: I hear repeatedly about folks having to experience higher winds and "everything down below went all over the place." Skippers, that is just plain wrong. Everything down below should have a place and NEVER be in a position to fly around the cabin or even to make any noise while sailing or motoring. Find it, stow it, and enjoy the ride.

Sure, easier to say than do? Nah...just takes some time to do it right.

Good luck, and have fun, sailing in higher winds is exhilarating.

PS - learn to heave to on your boat, in low, mid and higher winds, it's different in each case. And if your bow falls off when trying to heave to, it's just another reason to get rid of that 155% and switch to a 110%.
QUOTE]

I learned more about my boat, sail trim and techniques this season on three day sails, being single handed, than I think I did all last season when I always had a crew on board.
By myself I could tinker with everything without being distracted or having to explain the what's and why's of what I was dong while I was learning myself. I could also push the boat harder than I ever would with the Admiral on board.
Learning to Heave To was probably the most valuable lesson learned.

 

[dparilla]

The unseen factor for deliveries is that you can refuse a delivery. Most go without a hitch, but you don't have to take everyone that comes across your desk. And, maybe that is where the highest experience plays in, the experience to say NO.

 

[Scotty C-M]

Sounds like good ideas that people have shared already.

Three things that you might also consider: Talk to someone (or many people) who has (have) made the trip you are considering. Consider buddy-boating. Always remember to check the weather - it makes a huge difference in any passage.

 

[FastOlson]

Sorry, couldn't resist.....

The unseen factor for deliveries is that you can refuse a delivery. Most go without a hitch, but you don't have to take everyone that comes across your desk. And, maybe that is where the highest experience plays in, the experience to say NO.

Like that old saying that "seamanship is learning to avoid situations that will require 'seamanship' to get you out of!"




Fair winds,
Loren

 

[Don Guillette]

Years ago, after completing sailing school I had to complete a check out sail. There were 3 instructors -- 2 would have passed me in a heartbeat. I picked the 3rd instructor, who was from Norway and a task master. The dock stuff went easy and then we left the dock. 15 minutes later we back at the dock -- he failed me. He said I was guessing at stuff, which I was. I then hired him privately to teach me how to sail and he first taught me WHAT I was adjusting with all the sail trim control -- that's why the first chapter of my book deals with that subject. After that, the rest came easy.

One important lesson he taught me was to be as prepared as I could possibly be and not leave anything to chance. As an explanation, his parting words after the last lesson were "hope is in one hand and crap is in the other. If you're not prepared see which one fills up first". I never forgot those words not only in my sailing life but in my business life as well.