ENGINE Run diesel 85% capacity to clear mixing elbow. Push the kill choke back down, to restart later. Check the oil level every month while cold. Use a white stick to read transmission level. Under 40, use hairdryer to warm up via air horn. Don’t put gasoline into the diesel tank. Think. Don’t overfill fuel tank, an environmental mess. Make sure fuel sending unit is attached, could leak. CLEANING Amonia in Windex crazes smoked plastic windows. Discourage guests w/ black soles from moving around. HEAD Use a gallon jug to flush with fresh water. Seawater cooks in the lines.) ELECTRICAL Running water heater & A/C together fries 110 line. Open electrical panel to see corrosion that fries wires. Recharge only overnight in case of lightning. COMFORT Ask guests if they want ginger or wrist bands. Use camping mattresses, better on your back. DOCKING Deploy guests to gunwales to fend off from piers. Learn to back into a slip, in case of anemergency. SAFETY Don’t let the crew lean against the lifelines. Teach Collision Course to avoid side-slipping into buoys. Practice MOB drill by tossing can & heaving to. Cut excess length of lines to reduce danger of tripping. When practical, pass port-to-port and hold your course. Raise tugboats on Channel 13 to give your heading. SAIL PLAN Reef early. If it’s already windy, reef at the dock. Use the spinnaker sheets as a poor man’s whisker pole.
Lessons Learned (add your own)
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Good ideas
Thanks... How about, when not having gib-furling: At the dock, tie the sretched-out gib to the life-line with easy-to-break-string to keep it under control until you haul-up...then the string breaks away and... Roger
Thanks... How about, when not having gib-furling: At the dock, tie the sretched-out gib to the life-line with easy-to-break-string to keep it under control until you haul-up...then the string breaks away and... Roger
Keep your bottom clean ...
Yesterday I was astonished at the results, even though I have heard it numerous times in this forum. This summer I had not kept up on cleaning the bottom until just yesterday. There was a pretty slimy layer of algae accumulating on the bottom, keel and rudder which came on pretty suddenly due to the warm weather we have been having. I scrubbed the bottom down with a heavy duty scrub brush and knocked all the algae off (it took me over half an hour and I swallowed a lot of water). On Friday night we motored out to anchor for dinner on the boat and I noticed much slower speed and significant black soot from the exhaust when cruising at 2600 rpm which normally gets me to hull speed without black exhaust. Saturday, I was disappointed with our speed under sail, and yesterday we motored out again but didn't sail for lack of any decent wind. I cleaned the bottom instead and was simply amazed at the transformation. We motored out at barely over 5 knots, with stinky black exhaust. We motored in at hull speed (about 6.3 knots) and the exhaust was clear. For me, I can read something over and over, but it doesn't really sink in until I learn it first hand! *o
Yesterday I was astonished at the results, even though I have heard it numerous times in this forum. This summer I had not kept up on cleaning the bottom until just yesterday. There was a pretty slimy layer of algae accumulating on the bottom, keel and rudder which came on pretty suddenly due to the warm weather we have been having. I scrubbed the bottom down with a heavy duty scrub brush and knocked all the algae off (it took me over half an hour and I swallowed a lot of water). On Friday night we motored out to anchor for dinner on the boat and I noticed much slower speed and significant black soot from the exhaust when cruising at 2600 rpm which normally gets me to hull speed without black exhaust. Saturday, I was disappointed with our speed under sail, and yesterday we motored out again but didn't sail for lack of any decent wind. I cleaned the bottom instead and was simply amazed at the transformation. We motored out at barely over 5 knots, with stinky black exhaust. We motored in at hull speed (about 6.3 knots) and the exhaust was clear. For me, I can read something over and over, but it doesn't really sink in until I learn it first hand! *o
How?
How do you use a sheet as a Whisker Pole? I haven't yet to invested in a whisker pole, would like a little more downwind performance. Would you please describe what you do?
How do you use a sheet as a Whisker Pole? I haven't yet to invested in a whisker pole, would like a little more downwind performance. Would you please describe what you do?
In place of a whisker pole
I will grab my jib sheet from IN FRONT of the fairlead, leads it back outside the lifelines and around the stanchion at the beamiest point of the boat, then inboard, around a winch, and to a cleat. That gets me leading to the most outboard point on the boat, I've even thought about, instead of a whisker pole, making some sort of extension with a block on the end of it, a sort of "outboard" sheet lead that attaches to my stanchion base - no need to go forward to set up the pole.
I will grab my jib sheet from IN FRONT of the fairlead, leads it back outside the lifelines and around the stanchion at the beamiest point of the boat, then inboard, around a winch, and to a cleat. That gets me leading to the most outboard point on the boat, I've even thought about, instead of a whisker pole, making some sort of extension with a block on the end of it, a sort of "outboard" sheet lead that attaches to my stanchion base - no need to go forward to set up the pole.
Spin sheet as whisker pole
You'll recall that when sailing on a broad reach, the jib or genoa tends to flop around inefficiently as you ease it out to catch the wind. By attaching a spinnaker sheet and taking the line to the back of the boat, you gain terrific control as if it's spin. (Actually, you can do this with the jib/genoa line as well although you may need it at the forward winch for other controling.) I'm a big spin guy but I've found in heavier air that this trick works well. Here's more... Here’s an easy-to-make bowsprit, seats in the anchor locker. This will throw the spin ahead of the main, less blanketing. Tack line and 2 sheets permanently deployed for quick setup. (Note that the link here has 2 pages of pix and directions.) Typo correction: Eyelet should be 3/8 inch.
You'll recall that when sailing on a broad reach, the jib or genoa tends to flop around inefficiently as you ease it out to catch the wind. By attaching a spinnaker sheet and taking the line to the back of the boat, you gain terrific control as if it's spin. (Actually, you can do this with the jib/genoa line as well although you may need it at the forward winch for other controling.) I'm a big spin guy but I've found in heavier air that this trick works well. Here's more... Here’s an easy-to-make bowsprit, seats in the anchor locker. This will throw the spin ahead of the main, less blanketing. Tack line and 2 sheets permanently deployed for quick setup. (Note that the link here has 2 pages of pix and directions.) Typo correction: Eyelet should be 3/8 inch.
Lessons
Docking - learn to use a spring line, never let a crew member jump off a moving boat. Safety - always wear a PFD, do not drink and drive a car or boat, test the batteries on hand-held communications gear, carry spare parts for all rigging. Comfort - have plenty of water on board. Head - clean your bottom.
Docking - learn to use a spring line, never let a crew member jump off a moving boat. Safety - always wear a PFD, do not drink and drive a car or boat, test the batteries on hand-held communications gear, carry spare parts for all rigging. Comfort - have plenty of water on board. Head - clean your bottom.
Docks...
Never walk backwards on the dock with a hose in your hand. And if you do, don't have your cellphone on your hip. And if you do, check now for what kind of cell phone you want in the event you lose yours that is on your hip as you are walking backward on the docks with a hose in your hand. By the way, the hose will not stop you from hitting the water.
Never walk backwards on the dock with a hose in your hand. And if you do, don't have your cellphone on your hip. And if you do, check now for what kind of cell phone you want in the event you lose yours that is on your hip as you are walking backward on the docks with a hose in your hand. By the way, the hose will not stop you from hitting the water.
Expanding on Warrens sage advice,
"expulsion of ALL bodily fluids is to be to leeward by order of the Captain" How many times have you had to tell people "if you are going to be sick, do so over THAT side of the boat, and you clean up anything that hits the boat".
"expulsion of ALL bodily fluids is to be to leeward by order of the Captain" How many times have you had to tell people "if you are going to be sick, do so over THAT side of the boat, and you clean up anything that hits the boat".
Yes, it does...
"THAT" side of the boat is the leeward side Leeward: downwind Downwind: the opposite side of the boat from which the wind is coming...the low side when heeled.
"THAT" side of the boat is the leeward side Leeward: downwind Downwind: the opposite side of the boat from which the wind is coming...the low side when heeled.
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