Are you willing to share an unflatering story...
- Thread starter rgranger
- Start date
You know in the movies how the hero is thrown from a speeding boat and they grab a line as they go over and pull them selves hand over hand back onto the boat...... well that is total BS, can't be done and I have a story to prove this!
One fine summer afternoon back in 1984 dad and I are out on our 22' Viking flying wing on wing with a whisker pole and preventer set, singing along at 5+ k. The beer was cold but the day was a typical August afternoon so I decide I am going to go for a swim. I tie a loop at the end of about 50' of 3/8" line and jump off the boat, figuring all the while that the added drag from me being in the water would slow boat to a snails pace........ NOT, and the boat didn't seem to loose any Knots, (see what I did there). Well all is well I am hanging on to the loop, but it didn't take long the line was getting uncomfortable in my hand all due to the added drag from the trunks I was wearing, you know the kind, big baggy lots of room per se, which had slid off my waist and in order to save the truck I raised my feet to prevent them from losing them, Well that wasn't going to last the drag from my leg now and shorts was unbearable, so what did I do? reduce drag........... yes away went my trunks. But wait it gets better........
Given all the strain from the increase drag I couldn't move myself back toward the boat end of the line and to be truthful I was in excellent shape at the time, I don't think anyone could have climbed but up that line....... so what did I do then...... reduce the effort needed to stay with the boat...... I let go of the line.
So now I am in the middle of lake St Clair, the boat is sailing away with the whisker pole and preventer rigged and my dad who was hard of hearing relaxing with a cold beer and the stereo playing. So what did I do...... prayed, I prayed that my dad could get the boat turned around find me before someone else did. I wasn't too worried about being in the lake without a PFD, ok I was, but at the time I was more worried about being rescued butt naked with well you know water and manly hood.
As it turned out my father (who I miss dearly) a great guy who knew his way around a sailboat did get the boat turned around and found me within 20 minutes as I remember and saved my vanity, until he started to laugh all toll it was an experience to remember for a lifetime.
And no I don't have pictures, the camera wouldn't focus that small...........
One fine summer afternoon back in 1984 dad and I are out on our 22' Viking flying wing on wing with a whisker pole and preventer set, singing along at 5+ k. The beer was cold but the day was a typical August afternoon so I decide I am going to go for a swim. I tie a loop at the end of about 50' of 3/8" line and jump off the boat, figuring all the while that the added drag from me being in the water would slow boat to a snails pace........ NOT, and the boat didn't seem to loose any Knots, (see what I did there). Well all is well I am hanging on to the loop, but it didn't take long the line was getting uncomfortable in my hand all due to the added drag from the trunks I was wearing, you know the kind, big baggy lots of room per se, which had slid off my waist and in order to save the truck I raised my feet to prevent them from losing them, Well that wasn't going to last the drag from my leg now and shorts was unbearable, so what did I do? reduce drag........... yes away went my trunks. But wait it gets better........
Given all the strain from the increase drag I couldn't move myself back toward the boat end of the line and to be truthful I was in excellent shape at the time, I don't think anyone could have climbed but up that line....... so what did I do then...... reduce the effort needed to stay with the boat...... I let go of the line.
So now I am in the middle of lake St Clair, the boat is sailing away with the whisker pole and preventer rigged and my dad who was hard of hearing relaxing with a cold beer and the stereo playing. So what did I do...... prayed, I prayed that my dad could get the boat turned around find me before someone else did. I wasn't too worried about being in the lake without a PFD, ok I was, but at the time I was more worried about being rescued butt naked with well you know water and manly hood.
As it turned out my father (who I miss dearly) a great guy who knew his way around a sailboat did get the boat turned around and found me within 20 minutes as I remember and saved my vanity, until he started to laugh
all toll it was an experience to remember for a lifetime.And no I don't have pictures, the camera wouldn't focus that small...........
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Well, if they can do it in the movies, why can't it be done?
If a stunt man can do it, why not somebody else? I've done it easily enough on a sailboat. I don't mean to rain on a perfectly good story, but 'swimming' your way back toward the boat is not really difficult at all. Of course if you are wearing clothes and boots it's more difficult, and the last thing you would do is tie the rope around your waist. A pro tip: when swimming behind the boat, tie the drawstring on your swimming suit just reasonably tight!
You must be an Olympic swimmer to swim back to a boat doing 5 knots.........I don't mean to rain on a perfectly good story, but 'swimming' your way back toward the boat is not really difficult at all. A pro tip: when swimming behind the boat, tie the drawstring on your swimming suit just reasonably tight!
but I do like the Pro tip, but all my swimming these days is done behind a boat on the hook.
Like I said earlier I am one week away from my 1 year anniversary as a "sailor" but with a lot of other hobbies I have found in my life that individuals who are serious about something rarely do things that "never" work.
I sure have seen a lot of videos and read a bit about people dragging a line behind their boats incase someone fell off as a safety line for them.
I would imagine that if only Olympians could swim back this practice would not be in place.
Myself.... I have not tried it yet, maybe next time I have the wife on the boat with me.
Also maybe at a slow speed as well.
...my swim trucks don't have a tie on them though
I sure have seen a lot of videos and read a bit about people dragging a line behind their boats incase someone fell off as a safety line for them.
I would imagine that if only Olympians could swim back this practice would not be in place.
Myself.... I have not tried it yet, maybe next time I have the wife on the boat with me.
Also maybe at a slow speed as well.
...my swim trucks don't have a tie on them though
Well sure. Back then, 36 years ago, the retaliation was very sorely felt. Now, maybe not so much,I'm sure it hurt badly. Especially the repercussions.
Well, no …. but think about it. If an Olympic swimmer can swim at about 5 knots (that is about the fastest on record), the human body will easily slipstream thru the water with very little resistance. Anybody can do it by simply holding onto a rope attached to a moving boat and gliding thru the water like a swimmer. With little resistance, it is easy to imagine that one can simply pull themselves toward the boat in a swimmers motion. I've done it numerous times. It doesn't take extraordinary strength at all. Of course a lean body will slipstream through the water far more easily than a rotund body, but I'm talking about average people with average strength.
If you wear clothes and boots, that will catch water like a bucket, that would obviously make it difficult. If you attach a rope around your waist and get pulled through the water like a snagged fish, that also makes it even more difficult!
I think that pulling yourself with a rope using a swimmer's motion toward a boat moving at even 10 knots is not all that difficult. Of course you have to deal with breathing, but that is easy enough simply by turning your head like a swimmer (not by trying to lift your head out of the water). Of course at some point it is easier once your body gets up on plane. I used to drag behind the boat at 40 mph sitting on my bum (with a padded wet suit) with my feet crossed above the rope in front of me, before planting my bare feet and standing up. It's called barefootin'. It's feasible to pull yourself back toward the boat, although I've never done that and it isn't a typical maneuver.
Banana George was doing this into his 80's!I don't think it is a reliable way for self-rescue, though, but people have been modifying systems that would reel you in … all you have to do is hold on and get pulled back to the boat while dragging behind in a slipstream position. Looks more like an option for fun rather than reliable self-rescue, though.
I used to pull myself towards the boat with a ski rope bare footing and on a slalom ski at 32mph, sometimes all the way to the boat on the ski (barefoot is a lot of work already). But there is a lot less resistance with a ski or barefoot. We also used to drag behind the sailboat on a line and pull ourselves to the boat, but we never knew how fast the boat was going and I was much younger and in much better shape before I had a couple shoulder surgeries and accidentally got old.Well, no …. but think about it. If an Olympic swimmer can swim at about 5 knots (that is about the fastest on record), the human body will easily slipstream thru the water with very little resistance. Anybody can do it by simply holding onto a rope attached to a moving boat and gliding thru the water like a swimmer. With little resistance, it is easy to imagine that one can simply pull themselves toward the boat in a swimmers motion. I've done it numerous times. It doesn't take extraordinary strength at all. Of course a lean body will slipstream through the water far more easily than a rotund body, but I'm talking about average people with average strength.
If you wear clothes and boots, that will catch water like a bucket, that would obviously make it difficult. If you attach a rope around your waist and get pulled through the water like a snagged fish, that also makes it even more difficult!
I think that pulling yourself with a rope using a swimmer's motion toward a boat moving at even 10 knots is not all that difficult. Of course you have to deal with breathing, but that is easy enough simply by turning your head like a swimmer (not by trying to lift your head out of the water). Of course at some point it is easier once your body gets up on plane. I used to drag behind the boat at 40 mph sitting on my bum (with a padded wet suit) with my feet crossed above the rope in front of me, before planting my bare feet and standing up. It's called barefootin'. It's feasible to pull yourself back toward the boat, although I've never done that and it isn't a typical maneuver.
I don't think it is a reliable way for self-rescue, though, but people have been modifying systems that would reel you in … all you have to do is hold on and get pulled back to the boat while dragging behind in a slipstream position. Looks more like an option for fun rather than reliable self-rescue, though.
As a kid, we would drag a large bumper at the end of the rope and you could sit on it to get a rest before pulling yourself back to the boat. Even a larger sailboat with three masts would notice the drag a little, but we didn't set all sails when swimming like that. I just tried not to look like a large trolling lure in case a shark was near by. The Gulf was fine, but out in giant squid territory? Arrg, forget about it.
-Will (Dragonfly)
-Will (Dragonfly)
NotCook
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- Dec 29, 2008
- 805
1981, I was transferred temporarily from Indy to Detroit. I was commuting every week, and after 12 weeks in the Holiday Inn, I was over it! So, I bought a 41' ChrisCraft Connie and put it in Emerald City Marina, in St. Clair Shores, on Lake St. Clair. I would arrive on Mondays, and after work I would go to the boat, open things up, then go have dinner, at Lido's or maybe just fix something on the boat. On Friday mornings I would close things up before heading to work. I did this for 13 months before I was transferred to San Antonio, TX.
One evening after work, I invited one of my team members aboard for the evening. I was giving him his annual performance review (he was doing very well). We left the marina, and set out on the lake for a leisurely cruise and fired up the grill and had dinner. We had cruised south down toward the Detroit River and turned around, It was getting late, well after nightfall, and the wind and waves were picking up, on our beam as we headed back north. We were really rolling uncomfortably from side to side.
Out of the blue, both engines quit! So, now it's dark, waves and wind pushing us toward the shore, and I couldn't get the engines started again (twin Greymarine 283's). The gauges showed that I had probably 50% in the port tank, and maybe 10% in the starboard tank. I opened up the lazarette and climbed down in there with a flashlight, to see if I could figure out if we had a fuel problem. I had the fuel selectors all set to draw from both tanks and crossfed. Apparently, the stbd tank was sucking air due to the rolling, so the lines weren't sucking anything from the port tank, either. Both engines were trying to feed from both tanks, and just getting air from the stbd tank. When I finally figured out that was the problem, I closed the stbd tank valve, and started cranking an engine until it finally fired up! We were drifting perilously close to the shore, but were able to resolve the problem before it became a night time disaster. The rest of the return trip was uneventful, but I will never forget the lesson of not feeding from both tanks simultaneously, and feeling like a fool as a result.
One evening after work, I invited one of my team members aboard for the evening. I was giving him his annual performance review (he was doing very well). We left the marina, and set out on the lake for a leisurely cruise and fired up the grill and had dinner. We had cruised south down toward the Detroit River and turned around, It was getting late, well after nightfall, and the wind and waves were picking up, on our beam as we headed back north. We were really rolling uncomfortably from side to side.
Out of the blue, both engines quit! So, now it's dark, waves and wind pushing us toward the shore, and I couldn't get the engines started again (twin Greymarine 283's). The gauges showed that I had probably 50% in the port tank, and maybe 10% in the starboard tank. I opened up the lazarette and climbed down in there with a flashlight, to see if I could figure out if we had a fuel problem. I had the fuel selectors all set to draw from both tanks and crossfed. Apparently, the stbd tank was sucking air due to the rolling, so the lines weren't sucking anything from the port tank, either. Both engines were trying to feed from both tanks, and just getting air from the stbd tank. When I finally figured out that was the problem, I closed the stbd tank valve, and started cranking an engine until it finally fired up! We were drifting perilously close to the shore, but were able to resolve the problem before it became a night time disaster. The rest of the return trip was uneventful, but I will never forget the lesson of not feeding from both tanks simultaneously, and feeling like a fool as a result.
NotCook
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- Dec 29, 2008
- 805
I usually had to go closer to 40 to stay up! Id be afraid to pull along the rope for fear of getting tangled in the rope if I fell! The fasted I ever barefooted was 55, and at that speed my feet started to hurt, and I was afraid to fall. At that speed, the water feels like concrete!
My brother, a friend, and I spent a couple of days trying to barefoot ski back in high school. My brother's boat wasn't quite fast enough. I was the only one who could stay up for more than 30 seconds and I never got much higher than knee deep. We tried dropping our ski, deep water starts, the only thing that came close was sitting on a kneeboard feet out front. Even with a wetsuit on, all that last evening was like the biggest enema you'll ever have. We have up trying it after that.
-Will (Dragonfly)
-Will (Dragonfly)
I wasn't very clear-slalom was 32 (I was never good enough to consistently round the balls at 36) and barefoot was always 40, but I've seen barefoot done at 30 by small people with good technique (I'm neither). I think the fastest I ever barefooted was about 45-even that fast your feet hurt. And I never even thought about all that rope behind me if I fell until you brought it up!
NotCook
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- Dec 29, 2008
- 805
And amazingly, usually people who are paid to be there to help you dock - dockhands! Two things: 1) pulling the bow in so tight that you can't get close to the dock with the stern, and 2) when you say "Cleat it!", they reply "I got it.". "No you don't - CLEAT IT!!!" They think they are going to hold a 40 ton vessel - they will just end up in the water if they don't let go of the line before it pulls them off the dock. As you point out, it is much preferred to NOT have any "help".
I've been trying to think of unflattering stories since this was posted and I can think of two that involve docking.
1. One Memorial Day after a long day on the lake in pretty rough conditions I had developed some sea legs. Back in the slip and tied off, I stepped onto the finger pier and proceeded to walk a diagonal line right off the pier into the water of the slip next to me-which thankfully was empty. I was completely sober and felt like an idiot when half the boaters on the dock (most of whom were NOT sober) came to rescue me.
2. Coming into my slip after a great sail with a friend, his wife and her single coworker.
I was trying to impress the single lady (who had never sailed) with my seamanship and stellar docking abilities, so after I had the boat lined up I shifted into reverse to stop the boat perfectly centered in the slip. As I reversed the throttle the forward/neutral/reverse linkage failed and the little 9.9 displayed more instant power than I have seen before or since, which sent us hurtling toward the dock at warp speed. All I could do was shut the motor off as my friend on the bow turned and asked what the hell I was doing. Now we were coming in REALLY hot so I abandoned the tiller to run forward and grab a pylon on the starboard pier. At this exact moment we hit a different pylon on the dock in the center of the slip with the bow rail, this caused me to fly like superman chin-first into the cabin top. With a bloody chin, a hell of a headache and a seriously bruised ego I steadfastly refused to go to the emergency room to have my chin looked at. Needless to say the lady was not impressed with my docking skills or my hard head.
I should probably add that I my friend's wife and the lady I was trying to dazzle are both RNs. I spent the next few days with a massive headache and a leaky chin-probably should have listened to the ladies about going to the ER.....
1. One Memorial Day after a long day on the lake in pretty rough conditions I had developed some sea legs. Back in the slip and tied off, I stepped onto the finger pier and proceeded to walk a diagonal line right off the pier into the water of the slip next to me-which thankfully was empty. I was completely sober and felt like an idiot when half the boaters on the dock (most of whom were NOT sober) came to rescue me.
2. Coming into my slip after a great sail with a friend, his wife and her single coworker.
I was trying to impress the single lady (who had never sailed) with my seamanship and stellar docking abilities, so after I had the boat lined up I shifted into reverse to stop the boat perfectly centered in the slip. As I reversed the throttle the forward/neutral/reverse linkage failed and the little 9.9 displayed more instant power than I have seen before or since, which sent us hurtling toward the dock at warp speed. All I could do was shut the motor off as my friend on the bow turned and asked what the hell I was doing. Now we were coming in REALLY hot so I abandoned the tiller to run forward and grab a pylon on the starboard pier. At this exact moment we hit a different pylon on the dock in the center of the slip with the bow rail, this caused me to fly like superman chin-first into the cabin top. With a bloody chin, a hell of a headache and a seriously bruised ego I steadfastly refused to go to the emergency room to have my chin looked at. Needless to say the lady was not impressed with my docking skills or my hard head.
I should probably add that I my friend's wife and the lady I was trying to dazzle are both RNs
. I spent the next few days with a massive headache and a leaky chin-probably should have listened to the ladies about going to the ER.....
Mostly they do try to take care of us guys. It must seem like a waste of time to them at times.
Lol! My girlfriend and I have come to an understanding-when she says "you're being an idiot" I shut up and do what she says-To her credit she doesn't abuse it. Once it resulted in an emergency room visit that required stitches I said I didn't need....
Don't you have a great big drawer full of Steri-strips? Most of the stitches I've had, I felt like, would have healed better, less scaring, with a liberal application of steri-strips. Once I found out about those, I felt ripped-off by the ED's that stitched me up before that.
You should keep several boxes on hand. Those and Coban wraps. Multiple roles. We found the ones we bought for our horses were a lot cheaper.
-Will (Dragonfly)