Outfitting a little bare boat

[Tally Ho]

Drag line saved me once. I couldn't pull myself up it but I held on until my inexperienced crew heard me yelling to free the mainsheet and the tiller tether. And I'm an old curmudgeon. Don't drink and hat the idea of AM, FM, tapes, CDs, discs, or live Mariachi bands while I'm sailing. All that racket blocks out nature's song. But your point about a tether is well taken.

Remind me not to go out with you

I could not pull myself up either (I was testing my idea…with my boys at the helm). I single-hand a lot and thought it was a good idea for self-rescue. Not so easy though.

I do like to turn the music off sometimes, but I like listening to some Jimmy Buffet on the water!

Have fun with her.


Greg

 

[dLj]

Remind me not to go out with you

I could not pull myself up either (I was testing my idea…with my boys at the helm). I single-hand a lot and thought it was a good idea for self-rescue. Not so easy though.

I do like to turn the music off sometimes, but I like listening to some Jimmy Buffet on the water!

Have fun with her.


Greg

I read somewhere about someone having looked at pulling yourself back on-board at various speeds. I don't recall now but it seems to me at about 4 knots, you aren't making it without help. But I don't recall exactly... It might have been 6 knots... I do know at 4 knots you are going to have a real hard time of it...

dj

 

[Urban Hermit]

I read somewhere about someone having looked at pulling yourself back on-board at various speeds. I don't recall now but it seems to me at about 4 knots, you aren't making it without help. But I don't recall exactly... It might have been 6 knots... I do know at 4 knots you are going to have a real hard time of it...

dj

At my age I'll do well to get to the line and hang on. But here's a thought: suppose the line was rigged so that it would release a cleated mainsheet and/or tethered tiller? Maybe if it were looped around the mainsheet between a lower block (couldn't be a fiddle) and a jam cleat, so that if the drag of an old fool got on to it, it would pull the sheet out of the cleat. Hmm. I don't suppose any mainsheets are rigged without a fiddle block, though.

 

[dLj]

At my age I'll do well to get to the line and hang on. But here's a thought: suppose the line was rigged so that it would release a cleated mainsheet and/or tethered tiller? Maybe if it were looped around the mainsheet between a lower block (couldn't be a fiddle) and a jam cleat, so that if the drag of an old fool got on to it, it would pull the sheet out of the cleat. Hmm. I don't suppose any mainsheets are rigged without a fiddle block, though.

There has recently been a long discussion on Cruisers and Sailors forum about single handing and getting back on board.

Essentially if you fall overboard while single handing, you aren't getting back on board without some serious good luck.

Far better to direct your preparation efforts to staying on board.

The five main tenants of preparing for off shore:

1) keep the water out
2) keep the people on
3) keep the mast up
4) keep the keel down
5) keep the rudder on

Once those five are well covered, the rest is gravy.

dj

 

[kappykaplan]

The five main tenants of preparing for off shore:

1) keep the water out
2) keep the people on
3) keep the mast up
4) keep the keel down
5) keep the rudder on

Once those five are well covered, the rest is gravy.

And don't forget about treating the deck edge as a 500' cliff - don't fall off!

 

[Tally Ho]

I read somewhere about someone having looked at pulling yourself back on-board at various speeds. I don't recall now but it seems to me at about 4 knots, you aren't making it without help. But I don't recall exactly... It might have been 6 knots... I do know at 4 knots you are going to have a real hard time of it...

dj

That sounds about right. I had to have my boys round up and slow the boat down from 5 knots so I could get to the boat.

Maybe Will’s “sled” thing would allow a person to sort of skim on top of the water a bit. But it isn’t easy.

I gave up dragging a line after I tested the theory.


Greg

 

[shemandr]

Does OP have dry storage for all this stuff?
Too much crap on a small boat makes getting at any particular item a PITA.
Move this to get at that. Or even difficulty in remembering where it is. After a while it's really annoying. I'd try to pare back some.
Like the rescue line: If you have a life jacket and can attach a water resistant VHF radio to it you can use DSC to alert nearby vessels. It even broadcasts your position. Much more likely to effect a rescue than that trailing line.
Or lights. I'm not sure but I don't think a 16' boat needs lights but if it does a portable version will be sufficient. Lose that battery!
150' of rode in Pensacola Bay? How deep is a typical anchorage? Seems like on those islands you would anchor close to shore in not much water.
I don't think you need complete bed cloths. A couple of light fiber filled (Not down) sleeping bags would suffice and can double as pillows.
Yes to a fan (In Florida). and yes to making sure the boat ventilates well while you are not aboard. Yes to a simple tool set with some cotter pins and clevis pins. A light assortment of bolts, nuts and washers in a cigar box with some silicate gel packets.
Yes to electronic beacon. Flares are moisture sensitive and you will possibly set your boat on fire with the slag adding to your problem of being lost to include being lost and on fire. I believe an orange flag meets the requirement for day signaling. No updates and can double as a cover for rain.
As for engine repairs, it is a sailboat. That's your ticket home. If confronted with severe T Storms, beach it and take shelter.
Small boats are different. But I don't think they need to be smaller versions of larger boats. They have capabilities that larger boats don't. Use them to adhere to the KISS rule.