The dumbest thing I've done

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Who here has made a mistake of thinking that sending a line off the transom with a loop in the end of it, that you hold on to and then jump in the water, while the boat is sailing downwind with the jib on a whisker pole the a preventer on the main was a good idea.
Thinking that the boat would slow down, you would cool off and then you could just hand over hand up the line back to the boat.
Well I can tell you first hand the boat doesn't slow down your swim trunks will come off and eventually you will have to let go of the line as you just can't hold on any longer.
While waving at your boat goodbye, swimming in your birthday suit and yelling at the top of your lungs to your almost deaf father to take note that you are no longer the catch of the day, you start to look at the expanse of water around you, middle of Lake St. Clair and ask, do I really want to be rescued or which way do I need to start swimming.
It did take some time but dad finally got the boat turned around and then found me, then he couldn't stop laughing, not sure if it was at my current situation or the extreme shrinkage...... will never know, he has passed on to calmer waters now.
That's my contribution to this thread from some 35 years ago while sailing our 22' Viking.
This tale should be a cautionary warning to those who think they can survive going overboard and haul themselves back to the boat on a trailing line or harness and up a stern ladder or rope. It is shear fantasy. Forget all the fancy ideas for getting back aboard, and concentrate all your energy on not going overboard, or on your long distance swimming stamina.
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Very first time I anchored it was 10 PM and had just finished raining. went forwared and told the first mate to tell me when we got to 10 feet of depth. Threw the anchor overboard while coasting at about 4 knots! a couple of things when rapidly through my mind; you are standing in a popeye loop dummy step away NOW, if I grab that rode paying out I probably will get a really great rope burn stopping the 10000 lb of boat, is the end of the anchor rode actually attached to the boat or just free? The anchor set very well as it came to the end of the rode and the eye bolt it was attached to brought the boat to a rapid stop.
The good Lord looking out for yet another dummy.
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Towing the dingy I saw that it was filling up with water. The dagger board sump was pumping water with every wave because the chief maintenance officer had failed to install the dagger board sump plug. Well we are making great time on a broad reach and don't want to spoil everybody's time so I decide to just real in the painter and get in the dingy while under way (5-6 knots). Leaning on the dingy bow I get tangled in the painter and have to lean heavily on the dingy bow causing it to list massively to port and allowing me to fall into the water. The first mate had the presence of mind to insist that I put on a PFD before all this started (I protested but put it on). It is AMAZING how small a boat gets in short order at 5-6 knots. The first mate executed a perfect turn to windward, return to MOB maneuver. it is AMAZING how big a boat gets when it bears down on you at 5-6 knots. As she passed by going dead down wind I tried to grab the stern sugar scoop seam. Not joy, hey here comes the dingy! got a hold of the gunnel and moved to the stern where I managed to pull myself aboard. first mate gets back on course (still at 5-6 knots!) and throws me the bailer.
 
May 1, 2011
4,189
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
Towing the dingy I saw that it was filling up with water. The dagger board sump was pumping water with every wave because the chief maintenance officer had failed to install the dagger board sump plug. Well we are making great time on a broad reach and don't want to spoil everybody's time so I decide to just real in the painter and get in the dingy while under way (5-6 knots). Leaning on the dingy bow I get tangled in the painter and have to lean heavily on the dingy bow causing it to list massively to port and allowing me to fall into the water. The first mate had the presence of mind to insist that I put on a PFD before all this started (I protested but put it on). It is AMAZING how small a boat gets in short order at 5-6 knots. The first mate executed a perfect turn to windward, return to MOB maneuver. it is AMAZING how big a boat gets when it bears down on you at 5-6 knots. As she passed by going dead down wind I tried to grab the stern sugar scoop seam. Not joy, hey here comes the dingy! got a hold of the gunnel and moved to the stern where I managed to pull myself aboard. first mate gets back on course (still at 5-6 knots!) and throws me the bailer.
ROTFLMAO!!!
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
This tale should be a cautionary warning to those who think they can survive going overboard and haul themselves back to the boat on a trailing line or harness and up a stern ladder or rope. It is shear fantasy. Forget all the fancy ideas for getting back aboard, and concentrate all your energy on not going overboard, or on your long distance swimming stamina.
We're not sure of Daydreamer41's physical abilities.
Some of us are superhuman...:hook2:
 
  • Like
Likes: Kermit
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
So now we have a picture. Nothing is as good as a picture of the “THING” done. :laugh:

D754437C-DE4A-4F6B-9F55-317E0636BD73.jpeg

A perfect hole brings on the tears.
 
  • Like
Likes: Ken Cross
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
So now we have a picture. Nothing is as good as a picture of the “THING” done. :laugh:

View attachment 147034
A perfect hole brings on the tears.
As holes go, that is a very nice hole. Mostly round with nicely seared edges so the fabric doesn't fray. It might be a good place to glue in a PVC pole to mount the running lights or perhaps for a pylon for the wake boards. Or maybe mount an access port so that the inside of the tube can be inspected.

Other suggestions?
 

WayneH

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Jan 22, 2008
1,039
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
The flippant answer about my ex-wife was because I can't decide what was the DUMBEST thing I've done on a boat. Could have been leaving the drain plug out of the daysailer, or maybe taking the daysailer offshore in dying winds, or was it trying to rescue my favorite hat by jumping overboard or running over the anchored boat in front of all my friends or motoring down the bay in "bow to stern" visibility or forgetting to let the transmission shift into gear before revving up the diesel and running up on the dock. And I forgot to open the fuel tank after changing filters one time.

You know, maybe I should get my wife to double up on my life insurance? :stupid:
 
  • Like
Likes: Will Gilmore
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Why can we only like a post once instead of thousands of time? Why?

Sam
Consider yourself lucky. In the old format, if you liked a certain person's posts too much, you were restricted from liking even a completely different post of said person's issue.

e.g.- "You've given this person too many likes already".
 

vetch

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Dec 3, 2011
111
Prout Manta 38 St. Augustine
Before I made a proper Gin pole to raise the mast on a trailer sailer I was having trouble disconnecting the forestay. I figured "I'll just drift it out with a screwdriver and a wrench as a pounder then catch the forestay."

Well good news the mast wasn't damaged and I got to add to my fiberglass repair skill set!
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
well, I own this for one thing...
What is that? It's not a mariner, but it looks a lot like one. I'd be interested in that bow roller and stantions. Maybe the pulpits too.
Definitely not interested in the mast but everything else looks great. Well, the trailor needs attention and the spreaders are shot. As the C W McCall song goes, "outside of that, she's cherry.":rolleyes:
You are going to fix her up and sail her, not sell her, right?

- Will (Dragonfly)