Sailing Phrase's

C

Calif. Ted

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Jun 8, 2004
2,856
Catalina 320 Dana Point
I was showing a friend how to helm, he was all over the place, first dropping off more and more then after correction coming up until he luffed. I tried all the usual, steer small, hold your hands up and watch the boat steer itself straighter than you, watch the compass, pick a point or cloud on the horizon etc. In desperation I pointed to a red float on a crab pot about half a mile away and said "Steer towards that and let me know when we're close".
While I was fiddling with something I just had time to look up and see us hit that float square in the center when he shouted "WE'RE CLOSE !!!!!"
 
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WayneH

WayneH

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Jan 22, 2008
1,039
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
Calif. Ted said:
I was showing a friend how to helm, he was all over the place, first dropping off more and more then after correction coming up until he luffed. I tried all the usual, steer small, hold your hands up and watch the boat steer itself straighter than you, watch the compass, pick a point or cloud on the horizon etc. In desperation I pointed to a red float on a crab pot about half a mile away and said "Steer towards that and let me know when we're close".
While I was fiddling with something I just had time to look up and see us hit that float square in the center when he shouted "WE'RE CLOSE !!!!!"
Click to expand
You go sailing with MY BROTHER?!?!?!
 
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Don Guillette

Don Guillette

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May 17, 2004
2,099
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
While I was fiddling with something I just had time to look up and see us hit that float square in the center when he shouted "WE'RE CLOSE !!!!!"[/QUOTE]

Calif Ted: I don't know why your memo caused one of the many dumb ass (and dangerous) sailing things I've done to flash in my mind. I was motoring a C25 tiller steering out of the Long Beach Downtown Marina. The entrance has a breakwater so once you exit the harbor you either go left or right. Just about at the exit I heard this LOUD BANG in the cabin. I left the tiller to investigate. Fortunately, my wife was next to the tiller because when i stuck my head out of the cabin the boat was heading directly for the breakwater and she was steering us out of danger. My wife started out with "what the something are you doing. What possessed you to do that". After about 30 minutes and a few drinks she forgot about it. I didn't and never forgot the lesson.
Anyone have any stories like the above they'd like to share. I don't blame you if you don't want to share because some are more easier forgotten!!
 
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FDL S2

FDL S2

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Jun 29, 2014
470
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
Don Guillette said:
Anyone have any stories like the above they'd like to share. I don't blame you if you don't want to share because some are more easier forgotten!!
Click to expand
I'll bite.
I have two, one was my dumbass moment and another is a friend's.

I once grounded on a sandbar right in front of the house I grew up in, as a kid I swam out to this sandbar at least weekly in summer and I know exactly where it is from both shore and the lake. I was showing my girlfriend where I grew up and between being distracted by her in a bikini and trying to be a tour guide I forgot how to navigate.

Our harbor is on the south shore of Lake Winnebago which is about 20 miles north to south. Coming out of the harbor in a 22 footer with about a 15-20mph wind directly out of the north, lots of fetch so we had about 4' waves. I'm at the mast to raise the sails once we clear the bouys. My friend is at the tiller and right when I start raising the main his phone rings AND HE ANSWERED IT then proceeded to start varying his heading about 20 degrees in both directions. I had the main about half way up and suddenly I'm not only dealing with the bow raising and crashing, I'm also dealing with some lateral roll, a half raised main flapping back and forth in the breeze and a dumbsh!t at the tiller happily chatting on the phone not recognizing the peril he's putting me in. I was able to loudly encourage him to terminate his call immediately and get the boat back on course. After I got back to the cockpit had a little chat about the times 100% focus is required while sailing.
 
williamtl

williamtl

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Jun 1, 2015
217
Macgregor 26d Trailer Estates, Fl
Ok, first time ever heard and I’ll deny it if my partner asks ...

My first time out by myself on my boat I was trying to learn all I could about it. It had been recommended to see how it sails with each sail and then with them together.

I just had the 150 genny out in a good breeze. I was sailing past the marina and cutting it too close due to my inexperience. The genny was driving hard and I was moving along. This is on an inland lake that I have learned has many air eddies due to the crazy shoreline.

On that day I quickly learned a) that lee shore is closer than you think, b) once headed downwind under that good breeze,with only the genny, it really does not want to turn (probably more like a spinnaker at that point), c) the genny in a good breeze will over power the 9.9 in reverse even full out, d) that really is a concrete wall protecting the support posts of the marina restaurant.

Ended up furling the genny to be able to back out into the lake so I could dock and assess the damage. Most of which was to my ego. The boat is way tougher than I am.

I am still learning how to repair the bow so it looks good, but I’ve gotten really good at making sure it doesn’t leak.
 
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C

Calif. Ted

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Jun 8, 2004
2,856
Catalina 320 Dana Point
You fellas don't really expect me to believe I'm the only person ever pulled out from a dock with the shorepower connected do you ? I've heard rumors of people doing it more than once even !!!!
 
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justsomeguy

justsomeguy

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Feb 20, 2011
7,993
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Calif. Ted said:
You fellas don't really expect me to believe I'm the only person ever pulled out from a dock with the shorepower connected do you ? I've heard rumors of people doing it more than once even !!!!
Click to expand
Never more than once. I was able to disconnect and toss the hot plug onto the dock before it went taut.
Yow.
 
Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

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Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
While I don't have any good stories about my own dumb exploits to share. I do have a good sailor story about an old friend's dumb luck.
I grew up with a friend, Chuck. Chuck joined the Navy. Chuck's mother is good friends with my parents so I know her well too. While Chuck was in the navy, Dessert Storm was initiated. At the same time, Chuck meet a girl and got engaged. Chuck's fiancee got along well with Chuck's mother and while he was away for duty, they spent a lot of time together.
So it was when Chuck's ship got deployed for duty in the Middle East that Chuck's fiancee and his mother were sitting on the couch together watching a news article about local troops headed for Dessert Storm. A reporter was standing outside a local bar in Jacksonville near the Navy base interviewing some of the sailors coming out of the bar. While the reporter was talking to some swabby other, the two watching, spotted Chuck coming out of the bar behind the reporter and turn to head up the street. They would have been very excited to have spotted Chuck on TV except...
He had his arm around a girl that neither one of them knew.
:banghead:
Busted!

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
J

JimInPB

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Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
Favorite saying -

Green to green & red to red, all is well, go ahead.
When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream & shout.

I didn't say that it was a particularly useful saying. I just said that it was a favorite.:biggrin:

Another good one -
All marriages performed by the captain of this ship are good for the duration of the voyage only.
 
Don Guillette

Don Guillette

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May 17, 2004
2,099
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
Calif. Ted said:
You fellas don't really expect me to believe I'm the only person ever pulled out from a dock with the shorepower connected do you ? I've heard rumors of people doing it more than once even !!!!
Click to expand
Ted: Nope, I've done it also BUT just once, which was enough. Too much confusion just prior to cast off -- kids all over the place and I just didn't remember it UNTIl the boat stopped and then the power cord pulled out and the power on my side of the marina dock went out. I called the marina about the outage and they came out and fixed it. The employee said some one probably pulled away from the dock without disconnecting. I told him who would do a dumb thing like that!! He said 'lots of sailors".
 
C

Calif. Ted

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Jun 8, 2004
2,856
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Our dock electrical system was built in 1967and is much more "forgiving" the breakers are almost ornamental. I dropped a 110 volt buffer off the dock once and it kept running all the way to the bottom and back up.
 
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