prepping for the shakedown - sanity checks

[jwing]

I agree that you have too many procedures, but I also see several areas that you should think about:

Bring a tool kit, spare rope of different sizes, a knife that will cut the rope, and miscellaneous spare hardware.

A telephone may be more useful than handheld radios; on my lake radios are useless.

Bring a first aid kit.

Bring more water than you think you'll drink.

Put a good quality, hand-powered pump aboard.

Tie stopper knots in the bitter ends of your jib sheets.

Practice lowering the sails when you are out on the lake. When you find yourself in trouble, one of the best things you can do is lower your sails. Make sure you have that procedure down pat and make sure the sails will come down.

Do you have an anchor? That would be another go-to when things go to shiite.

Practice heave-to. The maneuver can be your first go-to when things start getting out of hand, or you just want to relax or get away from the tiller.


Finally, before your second or third sailing day, buy a new, expensive, USCG-Approved Flotation Cushion. Put it aboard and once you are out sailing, throw it overboard. Then retrieve it.

 

[tipsyravensailing]

I agree that you have too many procedures, but I also see several areas that you should think about:

Bring a tool kit, spare rope of different sizes, a knife that will cut the rope, and miscellaneous spare hardware.

A telephone may be more useful than handheld radios; on my lake radios are useless.

Bring a first aid kit.

Bring more water than you think you'll drink.

Put a good quality, hand-powered pump aboard.

Tie stopper knots in the bitter ends of your jib sheets.

Practice lowering the sails when you are out on the lake. When you find yourself in trouble, one of the best things you can do is lower your sails. Make sure you have that procedure down pat and make sure the sails will come down.

Do you have an anchor? That would be another go-to when things go to shiite.

Practice heave-to. The maneuver can be your first go-to when things start getting out of hand, or you just want to relax or get away from the tiller.


Finally, before your second or third sailing day, buy a new, expensive, USCG-Approved Flotation Cushion. Put it aboard and once you are out sailing, throw it overboard. Then retrieve it.

i had no clue about bananas. i am thoroughly amused

you're absolutely right - i forgot knife sin for a boyscout.

we did ditch and retrieves on the little boats as simulated mob - and you're absolutely right that'd be a fantastic way to get familiar with the boat. its absolutely on the list. i'll use the walmart cushions and not that rediculous 120 dollar ring i just bought though. haha

both of my phones (i'm an engineer and always on call) have a nice waterproof case already and a hook so i know i have them with me.

if i'm doing retrievals i better remember the boat hook. lol. i've not needed it and yup.

i have two of those little bilge pump dodads - previous owner left them in the sail locker for me.

13 lb danforth (edit, i thought 13... i'm seeing 16 for a boat this size. i'll double check that this weekend) and about 250 feet of heavy rode for it. already in the forward anchor locker. frustratingly there's no way to get the rope out except through the cabin... and after laying on the muck the gf would bitch gloriously if i got mud on her bed. lol.

 

[jwing]

If you don't trust your MOB skills enough to risk a $120 cushion, are you going to bring your GF sailing?

I surmise that you are not a mechanical engineer, based on: "i have two of those little bilge pump dodads."

 

[tipsyravensailing]

software! i did mechanical work for a while for chrysler via a engineering firm but thats only cause i'm confident with a milling machine and lathe from years of metal working as a hobbyist blacksmith.

i don't trust myself in the person yet. on one the the little lake cats i could spell her name on the water if she asked.

and she insists on being on the maiden voyage. she was a competition swimmer so i'm worried about her less than i am about making sure my mainsail doesn't sail away without me.

 

[Head Sail]

i know how to trim a sail. on a 16 foot lake boat that is as simple as you can get cause... boyscouts.

Never had to trim a headsail. never been on something big enough to have one.

If you sailed the 16 footer, you know how to sail. The bigger boats do the same thing just in slow motion. Go out in 10-15knt winds. Your mast won't hit the water like that 16ft can.