Pop Quiz

[Roger Long]

It's fun when sailing presents you with a sudden problem that needs an immediate solution and you have to make up the answer.

I was beating up the Portland inner harbor this morning with the boat slightly overpowered, enjoying the singlehanded challenge, and cutting it pretty close on the tacks. There was a gust just as I was cranking in the jib and I was right up on the Centerboard Yacht Club mooring field so I didn't notice that I was cranking in an over wrap on the winch. I needed to immediately ease the sheet back off again but discovered that sucker was socked right in there. It was like pulling on a chain set in concrete.

I was slow from the tack and heeled rail down working hard to keep her from rounding up into the moored boats with a jib stuck fast and almost fully sheeted in. Not a lot of room to leeward to sort things out either.

Look at the clock, think exactly one minute, which is a bit more than I had, and post what to do next.

 

[Ross]

You didn't have room to wearship so I guess easing the main would let the bow fall off a bit.

 

[woodster]

It's fun when sailing presents you with a sudden problem that needs an immediate solution and you have to make up the answer.

I was beating up the Portland inner harbor this morning with the boat slightly overpowered, enjoying the singlehanded challenge, and cutting it pretty close on the tacks. There was a gust just as I was cranking in the jib and I was right up on the Centerboard Yacht Club mooring field so I didn't notice that I was cranking in an over wrap on the winch. I needed to immediately ease the sheet back off again but discovered that sucker was socked right in there. It was like pulling on a chain set in concrete.

I was slow from the tack and heeled rail down working hard to keep her from rounding up into the moored boats with a jib stuck fast and almost fully sheeted in. Not a lot of room to leeward to sort things out either.

Look at the clock, think exactly one minute, which is a bit more than I had, and post what to do next.

wake up the first mate and tell him about the ship wreck that is on the horizon......i dont have a clue but i just had to say that ....but i am watching to see what should be done ........

regards

woody

 

[Ted]

It sounds like time was of the essence in this situation. Without hesitation I would cut the loaded sheet as close as possible to the clew then tack away from the mooring field. I always keep a sharp knife handy. If you had a little extra time you could attach a short sheet to the clew, relieve the tension on the override and work it loose then tack away. Not as likely in an overpowered condition and single handed.

 

[Roger Long]

Without hesitation I would cut the loaded sheet...

Hint: I didn't visit any marine supply stores to buy rope today.

 

[Billbeard]

drip ---drip===drip That is the sound of drool running of my chin Did you cut the sheet O- sh__-t you said you did'nt buy rope got me

 

[Roger Long]

Did you cut the sheet?

No lines were harmed during the production of this post.

 

[Alan]

Tack the boat and heave to. Then use the other winch to pull out the override.

 

[Roger Long]

Tack the boat and heave to.

I would have hit someone doing that in this particular situation which is what makes it fun. Yeah, not showboating and tacking so close is another take home lesson. The wind was at an angle to the mooring field so the course of the new tack I was on ran right along the edge of the moored boats.

 

[Billbeard]

did ya start the engine and throw her in reverse drip drip

 

[Ted]

Pop Quiz second guess

You could have dropped the genoa halyard then tacked away and dealt with override later. No trip to the marine supply house either.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Turn the boat into the wind, cut on the engine, motor out of there, and when you are free from there free the sheet up.

 

[Lee Coller]

On my boat the first thing I'd do is release the main sail traveler.

 

[Roger Long]

did ya start the engine

No polar bear cubs were harmed during my extraction from this little jam.

I'm feeling better and better about how quickly and gracefully I handled this

 

[Lee Coller]

If you had room you could let it round up until the sheet could be freed, release the jib sheet, then fall back off the wind. I was guessing that you didn't have room for that, but given that you seem to indicated you didn't follow the other options you must have either done that or just hung on until the gust died.

 

[Billbeard]

Ok now smugness is very often in direct proportion to karma and you never know when it’ll get you again. And my wife is starting to look at me like I'm having an online affair. Would ya Spill! Already?

 

[Roger Long]

And my wife is starting to look at me like I'm having an online affair.

Can't have that. I'll be back on the next commercial break (It's "Burn Notice" marathon night.)

 

[Zaphro]

Crack a beer and review my insurance policy. What, me worry?

 

[Roger Long]

OK.

Let the main sheet run.
Crank the boat all the way off the wind until the jib collapses behind the main.
Give a quick hard yank to see if relieving the sheet pressure helps.
Nope, just as solid as if it was cleated.
Run the sheet to the other winch and crank HARD.
It came out slowly but barely. Any tension on the sheet and I probably wouldn't have gotten it.
Switch the winch handle and sheet home the jib.
Haul in the main.

 

[Tim R.]

Run out to my boat and move it away from over zealous channel tackers.

If I still had my boat of course.