Oh, sorry guys. I have friends down at Smith Mountain Lake and was addressing this to @Crazy Dave Condon. I have to edit that post.
First time out in 10+
- Thread starter GGordonWoody
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Thanks Jon, I've read so much sailing theory that it is now only a blur. But somehow, the idea of a knot in the sheets echoed in my head as wrong. That being said, this boat won't be seeing any swell or threatening sea state, or 30kt wind, so the bigger risk is entanglement and foolish mishandling. I've had a checklist at every stage up to this point, and that's what I'm trying to compile now. Thanks man.
This is a serious man in an H235. How I could follow "knot"? I am also vowing to do what @Kermit say, wind them around the wenches - and never let them go!
Well heck. If perfection were important I'd never go out. I took everything waaaay too seriously at first. Then another club member (coincidentally an H235 owner) reminded me I needed to relax and enjoy sailing. Although safety is my first priority, I do my best not to sweat the small stuff now. Perfection to me is seeing my wife smiling.
Awwww, Kermiehas a soft side. Cindy said that one line might have saved you from having your skinny frog legs ties in a stopper knot.
I agree with the Frog. Its easy to over complicate sailing. Yes there is a right way to do everything and each type of knot has its time and place but at the end of the day I thonk most of us sail for enjoyment. I am still amazed that something so relaxing as sailing can also be so darn stressful at times.
Your just starting out so your going to have several more exciting moments before you settle into your groove. Wait till you round up for the first time. That will get your blood flowing.
Again I can't stress how lucky you are that your wife is on board with you and appears to be willing to learn with you. Enjoy the journey together because when it all works right it really is a beautiful thing!
Sam
"Sailing for Dummies" good, "Sailing by Dummies" bad. Thanks, I have watched that video a few times before and completely forgot about gybing to heave to. It wouldn't have changed my dilemma without a jib, but a good review. Turning the boat sharply across the wind seemed like it would just put her on a different point of sail, so I elected to put in her irons. That was working, it was just taking forever. Unable to recall the figure-8 method, and bolstered the realization that we couldn't "flip over and die", I got a bit cocky... Plus, God was sailing out there just ahead of us (but I think he flicked my ring off the rail just so we wouldn't figure out how to catch him-lol).
Great site, thanks man.
Try saying this a few times fast...lol.
"Better to know a knot and not need it, than need a knot and not know it."
Thanks man! I believe there is a natural law of human nature that says, "time to test the mettle, bring it up a notch." Mind you, we had worked through and corrected a host of lesser evils just to get to this point, so we knew there would be some challenges lurking. There was! I always wondered why anyone would ever need gloves just to hold these fat lines while winding them around a winch. And what's all this fuss about a winch handle? Ridiculous. Maybe you just use it when you're tired. I never knew how much force could appear on those sheets. I sorta thought knotting the ends was wrong, but for all the wrong reasons. Now I'm thinking that might be the way to go, at least until I get my chops down.
I've been to SML with Crazy Dave and rgranger. We didn't have time for bars, though.
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I remember when there was no lake and then a lake and later on as a sailboat dealer. That day with Rgranger and the green frog was a serious long working day lifting boats and taking centerboards off to replace lines.
@GGordonWoody What do you need to know about Smith Mt. Lake. Use to make my own home made peach brandy in the woods for personal consumption.
@GGordonWoody What do you need to know about Smith Mt. Lake. Use to make my own home made peach brandy in the woods for personal consumption.
Funny thing, never got sick for ten years. Then to the ER when a mast collapsed with me up in a boson's chair. The owner of the mast forgot to tell me he had drilled a lot of holes in the mast weakening it. Anyway, they were writing up a lot of prescriptions for pain. I said Home Made Peach Brandy and Mydol will suffice folks. Never heard more laughter in the ER but yep it works. Now for the jokes.
Hey Alan, thank you so much for that description. Pinching! When we stalled the boat, she stood up a bit and was sliding back slowly, and as I recall, the main wasn't luffing. I mean, it felt balanced, but none of this fit my idea of heaving to, so I never asked for the helm to lee. But idk, maybe were doing it? We were definitely pinching, we were trying to get up wind to avoid tacking for a while, and our speed was awful. We have to try that again...with a camera! Well, everything except the screw ups.
French Polynesia??? Man, that is running down the dream! Thanks.
