They did fine. Initially they cued off of mom but I convinced them it would be fine. Yeah holy crap, no more Genoa with the family aboard.
How much wind or sea state is too much?
- Thread starter spartacus99
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Happy Father's Day !
Great story. Give them time and hide the Genoa until then.
FWIW: It's interesting how people react to situations. It's definitely not gender related.
I've known more than a few men to wimp out, and women to become focused or even grin, when "things" happen.
Of course, over time knowledge tempers the reaction.
I love that you are out there doing it with the family. Ants or no ants.
Great story. Give them time and hide the Genoa until then.
FWIW: It's interesting how people react to situations. It's definitely not gender related.
I've known more than a few men to wimp out, and women to become focused or even grin, when "things" happen.
Of course, over time knowledge tempers the reaction.
I love that you are out there doing it with the family. Ants or no ants.
Loved this story! Reminds me of the first time my wife and our two daughters went sailing. We were doing the pre-sale "sea trial" test drive of a C-22 we were looking to buy - the four of us and the owner of our local Lake Pleasant Sailboat Shop. We knew nothing about sailing! Tom had the Genoa flying and a gust came up. We were knocked down, took water over the gunwale, rounded up, and had the opportunity to test the cockpit scuppers, as they drained about 8-inches of water from the cockpit.
We bought the boat, and My daughters were petrified of it for about six-months. But, we worked through it and today we all laugh about it. That said, my wife and daughters are quick to call me out if we begin healing more than about 10-degrees! And even now, 4-years later, I still get grief from them if I want to use the Genny instead of the jib!
You had quite an experience - it gets better with time.
We bought the boat, and My daughters were petrified of it for about six-months. But, we worked through it and today we all laugh about it. That said, my wife and daughters are quick to call me out if we begin healing more than about 10-degrees! And even now, 4-years later, I still get grief from them if I want to use the Genny instead of the jib!
You had quite an experience - it gets better with time.
Great sailing story! Sounds like everyone had a good learning day, to be followed by retelling of the story every calm day after. At least they learned what the boat could do and how safe they actually were. I suspect their confidence during calmer weather is pretty high now.
I put us on a small inland lake so the wife and kids would feel "safe", not telling them there can be a lot of wind out there too. However, they felt safer. The yo-yo sailing (15 min one direction, 15 back, repeat all afternoon) helped us learn the boat, which was good. They're ready for the break water area in Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. Besides, we actually have a destination now, heading to pick up grandpa who lives by the south marina. I find a destination keeps the interest higher when on the water.
Btw, we have lifelines, a stern pulpit (installed by the PO), and require life jackets (to build a habit for my then 5&7 yos). However, vigilance is more important than the deck hardware imo.
I put us on a small inland lake so the wife and kids would feel "safe", not telling them there can be a lot of wind out there too. However, they felt safer. The yo-yo sailing (15 min one direction, 15 back, repeat all afternoon) helped us learn the boat, which was good. They're ready for the break water area in Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. Besides, we actually have a destination now, heading to pick up grandpa who lives by the south marina. I find a destination keeps the interest higher when on the water.
Btw, we have lifelines, a stern pulpit (installed by the PO), and require life jackets (to build a habit for my then 5&7 yos). However, vigilance is more important than the deck hardware imo.
Yeah all kids, regardless of swimming ability wear life jackets the whole time. We got good ones and some colorful makers so the kids decorated their own. They like wearing them and think they are cool. No lifelines but this is also not my long time boat. Plus there's not a lot of top side room on a cat 22 and I'd rather not have them. For confidence building I run mob drills. Toss one of the older kids overboard, with life jacket of course, and come back around to pick them up. The whole family(older ones) can now perform a mob by themselves. Plus they all want to be thrown overboard. Comfort level is high. ..except when we are healed over 60 degrees! Ahhh learning.
Yesterday was my 15th anniversary and the wife actually asked to go sailing. Wind was light and the bay was very smooth,so I hesitating put up the genoa. Halfway through my wife says to me," I didn't even know it could be like this! " Now she is all in on this sailing thing! It was an absolutely glorious day. We were able to make 5 -6 knots easily without too much heel and just really enjoyed ourselves.
I did discover a Crack in the fg by the keel friction bolt that will require fixing which is a major downer but to my wife it just reinforced the need to get a bigger boat! Lol, overall a great day all!
I did discover a Crack in the fg by the keel friction bolt that will require fixing which is a major downer but to my wife it just reinforced the need to get a bigger boat! Lol, overall a great day all!
WOW! I am really impressed with some of the "ole salts" inputs.
I have sailed a Cat 22, a very nice weekend family boat, but not a "open ocean blue water" craft.
Keys to safe fun...
1) Weather forecast
2) the body of water that you sail and what happens to wave action in various wind ranges.
3) Last and most important can you eat a sandwich and drink a cold adult beverage in those seas.
Try reefing main and using foresail in easy seas. This is kinda like practicing a "fire drill". Seas and winds can come up quickly (weather forecast). So practice practice practice. Also one of the key safety moves for any sailor is "heave to" or braking your forward motion using wind and sails.
You heard many great tips, but general in some cases, "salty" in other ones.
For example:
I have in mast furling, roller furling foresail, B&R main rigging ( no backstay ) and inboard auxiliary engine power. In my boat, I do things that best maintain "way on" and roll with the seas a best possible, for MY BOAT. The worst storm for me and my boat was 50 knt winds and 8-9 foot seas and I "yeahawww'd" grinned and my boat "yawned and ho hum'd" (30 ft wave design). Why did I grin? I knew it was a 1 hour storm.
To your question... fun is less than 20 knt winds in you Cat.
Jim...
PS: I enjoyed my Cat 22 experiences which kept me enjoying the seas.
I have sailed a Cat 22, a very nice weekend family boat, but not a "open ocean blue water" craft.
Keys to safe fun...
1) Weather forecast
2) the body of water that you sail and what happens to wave action in various wind ranges.
3) Last and most important can you eat a sandwich and drink a cold adult beverage in those seas.
Try reefing main and using foresail in easy seas. This is kinda like practicing a "fire drill". Seas and winds can come up quickly (weather forecast). So practice practice practice. Also one of the key safety moves for any sailor is "heave to" or braking your forward motion using wind and sails.
You heard many great tips, but general in some cases, "salty" in other ones.
For example:
I have in mast furling, roller furling foresail, B&R main rigging ( no backstay ) and inboard auxiliary engine power. In my boat, I do things that best maintain "way on" and roll with the seas a best possible, for MY BOAT. The worst storm for me and my boat was 50 knt winds and 8-9 foot seas and I "yeahawww'd" grinned and my boat "yawned and ho hum'd" (30 ft wave design). Why did I grin? I knew it was a 1 hour storm.
To your question... fun is less than 20 knt winds in you Cat.
Jim...
PS: I enjoyed my Cat 22 experiences which kept me enjoying the seas.
spartacus99:
Awesome to hear about the anniversary sail. She asked you.... a VERY good sign you are doing a great job.
As for life jackets and MOB practice:
I always tell people... "You can't swim when unconscious".
Hit your head as you go over, and all the swimming skill won't save you. Fall overboard in anything more than slight winds and your chances are not great. People new to the game find it surprising how hard it is to even spot a MOB a short distance away, in the water with waves, never mind get them back on board.
I tell my wife we will won't do live MOB practice anymore, since the time she, as a beginner, almost ran over me practising MOB recovery with a 16ft dinghy 20 years ago. I had to put my hands up to push myself away. I jokingly tell people she had it in for me. LOL
(With regular practice, she can now pick up a mooring, or a person, with no drama, under sail)
Cheers,
Roy
PS: Truthfully I have a hard time fully relating to guys who's wives are scared of sailing.
My wife is the exact opposite. She's a bit of an adrenaline junky and more logic driven than emotional.
I've never been able to figure out why there are reportedly so many women who are scared of it.
There are more than a few incompetent "admiral" husbands who yell a lot, but that doesn't explain the rest of the wives/GFs reaction.
In perspective, it's all the more reason to be impressed with your ability to get your wife and kids "on board"
Awesome to hear about the anniversary sail. She asked you.... a VERY good sign you are doing a great job.
As for life jackets and MOB practice:
I always tell people... "You can't swim when unconscious".
Hit your head as you go over, and all the swimming skill won't save you. Fall overboard in anything more than slight winds and your chances are not great. People new to the game find it surprising how hard it is to even spot a MOB a short distance away, in the water with waves, never mind get them back on board.
I tell my wife we will won't do live MOB practice anymore, since the time she, as a beginner, almost ran over me practising MOB recovery with a 16ft dinghy 20 years ago. I had to put my hands up to push myself away. I jokingly tell people she had it in for me. LOL
(With regular practice, she can now pick up a mooring, or a person, with no drama, under sail)
Cheers,
Roy
PS: Truthfully I have a hard time fully relating to guys who's wives are scared of sailing.
My wife is the exact opposite. She's a bit of an adrenaline junky and more logic driven than emotional.
I've never been able to figure out why there are reportedly so many women who are scared of it.
There are more than a few incompetent "admiral" husbands who yell a lot, but that doesn't explain the rest of the wives/GFs reaction.
In perspective, it's all the more reason to be impressed with your ability to get your wife and kids "on board"
Colorful markers? Great idea! My kids will love the custom designs the can make. Plus, it'll keep them busy while we setup/close up the boat.
I also love your mob drills. My kids would be a little nervous (ages 6&8 currently) but a great idea for years to come. However, I might be willing to take the plunge on a hot day.
Ty for the ideas. Exactly why I visit this and other sailing forums.
I also love your mob drills. My kids would be a little nervous (ages 6&8 currently) but a great idea for years to come. However, I might be willing to take the plunge on a hot day.
Ty for the ideas. Exactly why I visit this and other sailing forums.
Oops. Just realized I missed the last few posts.
Happy Anniversary!
Will be sure to practice mob many times before putting myself in the drink. Also, will be sure wife is happy with me the entire week before a live mob drill. "Hands up" + no motor are also a good ideas.
Happy Anniversary!
Will be sure to practice mob many times before putting myself in the drink. Also, will be sure wife is happy with me the entire week before a live mob drill. "Hands up" + no motor are also a good ideas.
Oh, forgot to mention that I let my wife dock the boat. She did great as I only had to get her to go into reverse a couple of seconds before she thought she needed too.
Nice Photos !
Bare Poles.... I'm guessing a short squall.. hmm
Details man ! Details !!!??
Edit: It should be international law that all sailboats have "dash cams"
Yeah Don, those photos are epic bud. Definitely not small seas. Was the dominant period like 10 seconds or more?
My buddy and I we're sailing a couple years ago out of Mission Bay and heading south for a weekend in San Diego Bay. The wind was out of the south so we motored around Pt Loma to enter San Diego Bay. Nice gentle, but big swells, we would end up surfing a bit down the face of the swell. Little rough at times with the south flowing current against the wind.
Attached some photos from I believe another trip, or maybe the same day, can't remember. Actually zooming in with the camera really increases the perceived pucker-factor
By the way, my buddy is sailing his West-Wight Potter-19.
Don
Attached some photos from I believe another trip, or maybe the same day, can't remember. Actually zooming in with the camera really increases the perceived pucker-factor
By the way, my buddy is sailing his West-Wight Potter-19.
Don
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Sounds like a fun day.
The other photos looked like a more threatening sky, which would have been less fun.
PS. Everyone please stop posting photos of anything other than working on your boat. You are just making some of us jealous. :cussing:
EDIT: You know, you could almost convince people it's a bigger story with those photos. "After the storm, my buddy's potter sank. I was just able to get to him when the decks were completely awash. Here's a photo of his boat just before it sank. You can only see the mast still out of the water"
The other photos looked like a more threatening sky, which would have been less fun.
PS. Everyone please stop posting photos of anything other than working on your boat. You are just making some of us jealous. :cussing:
EDIT: You know, you could almost convince people it's a bigger story with those photos. "After the storm, my buddy's potter sank. I was just able to get to him when the decks were completely awash. Here's a photo of his boat just before it sank. You can only see the mast still out of the water"
Okay, if Don's gonna show off, so am I!
Double reef, storm jib, somewhere in the upper 20's mph. The Admiral was still all about it ... except when I heeled us over on purpose for the photo op. :naughty:
Double reef, storm jib, somewhere in the upper 20's mph. The Admiral was still all about it ... except when I heeled us over on purpose for the photo op. :naughty:
Gene, that's a GREAT shot, and look at that bottom! Fun way to clean the side of the hull :dance: So leads me to the question, which direction was the guy taking the photo headed? I know, I know, it's not efficient to sail that way, but DANG it's fun, and the cool-factor for those watching has got to be worth something?
Here is one my favorite "healing" photos....~125 and full main. What is nice is no rounding up with the Rudder-Craft rudder. This was taken at the last Havasu Pocket Cruiser Convention during one of the fun races.
What's funny, is many years ago when we first started sailing, my wife was yelling at me to dump the sail when we approached 10 degrees of healing. Can you see her in the photo on the low side looking out for other boats for me.
We've come a long way baby!
Don
Here is one my favorite "healing" photos....~125 and full main. What is nice is no rounding up with the Rudder-Craft rudder. This was taken at the last Havasu Pocket Cruiser Convention during one of the fun races.
What's funny, is many years ago when we first started sailing, my wife was yelling at me to dump the sail when we approached 10 degrees of healing. Can you see her in the photo on the low side looking out for other boats for me.
We've come a long way baby!
Don
Attachments
What did I tell you guys about posting sailing photos ?? :naughty:
As for people watching... One time I had a friend out on a windy, gusty day in our daysailer dinghy.
It was a small lake where you rarely see sailboats of any kind.
We were zooming around, both of us hiking out constantly, getting mashed by waves, water spraying everywhere. We had the boat surfing downwind, did some nice screaming reaches, , and also heeling the boat way more than is "recommended" Every once in a while we got nailed by a gust and a wave at the wrong time, and we'd dump the boat on it's side.
Getting her back upright, and climbing back aboard, was a workout in those conditions, but we were having a blast.
Twice, we had power boaters come over and ask if we were ok. I fully appreciated them coming over, but the look on their faces when we said "We're having fun... it's all ok... the boat won't sink anyhow" was priceless.
LOL I FULLY AGREE. Hence my user ID.
As for people watching... One time I had a friend out on a windy, gusty day in our daysailer dinghy.
It was a small lake where you rarely see sailboats of any kind.
We were zooming around, both of us hiking out constantly, getting mashed by waves, water spraying everywhere. We had the boat surfing downwind, did some nice screaming reaches, , and also heeling the boat way more than is "recommended" Every once in a while we got nailed by a gust and a wave at the wrong time, and we'd dump the boat on it's side.
Getting her back upright, and climbing back aboard, was a workout in those conditions, but we were having a blast.
Twice, we had power boaters come over and ask if we were ok. I fully appreciated them coming over, but the look on their faces when we said "We're having fun... it's all ok... the boat won't sink anyhow" was priceless.