Lessons we learn... or do we?

[LuzSD]

[FONT=&quot]On Monday afternoon we went down to our boat with hopes that most of the holiday crowd had already packed up and gone home and looked forward to missing the drama; it was not to be. Soon after arriving I noticed a sailboat at the mouth of our dock under tow, jib full and flapping. I'm guessing it was blowing about 15 knots and I later was told the engine would not start and while they were trying to furl the headsail in the wind, it got fouled.
The boat towing the sailboat was a little skiff and not doing a great job. The jib looked as if the sheets were out of the blocks, dangling off the bow, into the water and the furler looked like it was a mess. No matter, this boat was trying to come down the fairway with a large powerboat side tied and completely exposed to this scene. The skiff eventually got pinned between another skiff and the sailboat it was towing, all to the groan of the expanding crowd of onlookers. I yelled to the 3 teenage boys on the bow to get the jib tied down however they could but they were completely clueless and had no idea what I was referring to. Finally a gal understood what I was saying and using the jib sheets she wrapped it up at least partway and it helped. About this time the boat was getting closer to us and I was able to hand her a bungee cord to help with that. Somehow the original skiff left and was replaced by a dingy with two onboard but that was not going well either.. they were towing this boat with a rather short thick line and kept backing up, each time with the line in the water and getting dangerously close to the motor. All the while, the sailboat is heading one direction and then another....everyone trying to fend it off where they could reach. There were no dock lines or lines of any kind that the sailboat owner produced and we decided that if we go a few people on the side of the dock where their slip was, and got a line or two to them, we could help pull her in. I ran to the other dock and helped with that idea...... The bow slammed into our neighbors huge twin motors, all to a loud "oh no" from the crowd...... I watched as the teenagers were tossed around on the bow, bare feet hitting rails and stanchions... the owner got his had pinched pretty badly and he was bleeding. Finally we did manage to get a line to them and after two large men at the slip realized they alone could not manhandle the boat into the slip, we devised a way to connect the dock line they were holding to one already cleated at the bow end of the slip.........they then had some leverage to pull her in and we did, finally.

The skipper/owner (I assume), was shaken up, embarrassed, worried etc. and worked to get things back under his control. He was very thankful for all the help, the police and Harbor patrol eventually arrived to be sure everyone was ok and everyone went back to what they were doing. One of the kids seemed to be particularly upset and it was obvious that the adrenalin rush had almost left him in shock. Talking to the skipper, he said he'd run into trouble when furling and then found his engine not working. I left with some conversation about lessons we all learn from these situations.

And that is what I am left thinking about..... DO WE really use these situations to learn the lessons that we should have been much more prepared for when they do arise? It was painfully obvious that this crew: 2 grown men, 1 adult woman and 3 teenage boys seemed to have little idea about sailing, equipment and how it works and it was very obvious they had not discussed a strategy for getting back to their slip. It was basically, let’s make a run for it! My question to all who are interested in commenting: what ARE the lessons they should have learned from this event? Here are mine:[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]NEVER release one mode of power until the next one is ready to take over. They furled (or attempted to) their headsail before they tried to start their motor. The main was also down already so they had no steerage.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Once they realized they had a problem, they should have calmly discussed their strategy, out in an area that they could do so in relative calm. Putting the main back up, control the jib in some manner for starters. [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Trying to do anything with a full jib flying around is foolish. That should have been the skippers first concern before doing anything.
  [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Should they call Vessel Assist or try to fix the problems. [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Everyone should have known what their job would be.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Preparation with all extra dock lines, tow lines, extra sheets, everything to help them should have been up ready to grab and everyone thinking about how they could use them to control the situation where possible.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Minimize other boats from danger, don't just charge into a fairway with a wild boat in tow. [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Think through how a person holding a line on a boat with the other end being held by another person on a dock will not work!!!! the guy on the boat was being pulled off the boat and the two guys on the dock were losing their battle also!! it never occurred to either end to secure their ends to a cleat![/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]People sometimes do foolish things when they panic. The dingy that got involved, I suspect had been doing some (well maybe alot) drinking and that did not help. The skiff that started out towing this boat was obviously just someone who happened by the sailboat in trouble and tried to help. He should have helped them think things through first before just towing her into a confined area.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]When furling a headsail, especially with wind, it is so much easier and controlled with the wind on your beam. It is not easy furling when headed into the wind as it is when unfurling.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]This boat is a nice looking, seemingly well-equipped Hunter about 32-33 ft. I am guessing. I don't know anything about how long they have had it or their experience with sailing in general or this boat in particular. I did not see a discussion amongst the crew but maybe they got the heck out of there to go somewhere and talk it through. I have a sinking feeling that the lessons learned were not the same ones I listed here. What are your thoughts?[/FONT]

 

[31seahorse]

Hello Members,

I enjoyed reading the list of lessons to be learned, but I hesitate adding any more without the advantage of having been there that day. Hearing my list of the "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" actions might be annoying. "There but by the grace of God go I."

Phil

 

[LuzSD]

Intention is not shoulda coulda, it is more about thinking through something when peoples lives and property are at stake. We get so focused on the event that we forget to take a breath and this is a way to think it through now, before it happens to us. this did happen to us and we did think through our choices, had a plan and also a plan b. I did not see that in this case. I think we all know 'there by the grace... is always in our minds.

 

[amry69]

Thanks for posting. I'd rather learn this way than the hard way; though I have my share of that too. I don't think they're going to learn the same lessons you have posted here. It's easy to make bad decisions when in panic mode. Take a deep breath, heave to (especially if you jib is fouled), and think your options through. Being out of power in a marina is not a scenario that I find acceptable. The first thing I did when I got my boat is buy a $160 trolling motor on sale as an emergency backup. It has come in handy. Its not fast but it moves the boat and I have steerage. They'll probably sell the poor boat and get something easier to maneuver.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Great post.

[FONT=&quot]Think through how a person holding a line on a boat with the other end being held by another person on a dock will not work!!!! the guy on the boat was being pulled off the boat and the two guys on the dock were losing their battle also!! it never occurred to either end to secure their ends to a cleat!

That's why I ask people on the dock to NOT help me or us dock. Most of the time they make it harder.

Your list is a good one. No one knows how experienced or inexperienced they were. Experience & panic = inexperience.

Always have a fallback plan.

You're right, towing with those dinks into a crowded fairway made little sense. The "I have to get the boat back to my OWN slip" can be a very stupid move.
[/FONT]

 

[Indysailor]

A couple weeks ago, we let go of the mooring lines on our buoy and the motor stalled at about the same time the lines were drifting out of reach. My wife calmly pulled out the anchor, which had been laid in the locker on top of the coiled rode so that she could tie off the bitter end and drop the anchor in a pinch. We drifted about 5 meters, the anchor bit and there we sat until I could drain the carb and restart the motor. This was something we had prepared for and I was quite impressed with how well she handled the situation- no motor, no steerage, on our way towards another boat.

On our way to the courtesy dock, we discussed the options we had, one of which was to fire up the dinghy and just motor a line back to the buoy, but we both agreed this was the simplest and best first option. We debrief all of our mishaps, minor and major, which to us is the way to learn safe and responsible sailing (and guess where the idea to have a plan for a dead motor in the buoy field came from).

I'll add one thing to the list- Breathe. When people get nervous they stop breathing regularly, as anyone trying to make a three foot putt for a skin can attest. Breathe deeply and consciously and your mind clears to handle the pressure situation. This could have very well been an experienced sailor who got frazzled because the situation escalated quickly beyond his ability to think it through.

 

[Merlin Clark]

I'm with Indy. I like having an anchor ready and if things get a little bit sideways we drop it and get our stuff together.

 

[kloudie1]

Just because ya want to go in doesn't mean ya have to go in RIGHT NOW.. in other words why not turn around and sail under jib a bit to re-group and decide how best to handle. An anchor may have been called for at this time as well if the sail was not behaving.. then un jam and furl .. or start the engine.. Rig lines with ends on cleats and coils ready to throw, already passed under the lifelines/pulpits.. but placed so they do not get into the water..

 

[HukilauMike]

I was at the fuel dock a couple of weeks ago, a very rare event for me as I have an outboard engine with a three gallon tank. I almost always fill the tank from a tote; gas stations are much cheaper than fuel docks. Anyway, as my wife and I are leaving the fuel dock, my wife hauls in the bow line, and the attendant tosses the stern line to me. I am busy with the engine and the tiller, and I don't notice that the stern line misses the cockpit and falls into the water. Just as I throttle up, you guessed it, the stern line fouls the prop. I immediately tell my wife to toss the bow line back to the attendant. With only a minimum of fuss, she tosses the line to the attendant (who, while initially surprised, does grab hold and cleats off), while I wrap the jib sheet around a winch and jump to the dock to hold the stern to. Fortunately, its pretty easy to clear the prop on an outboard that is at a dock: just tilt her up out of the water, and lean over.

I was first just thankful that the prop hadn't been fouled in the fairway or somewhere even worse. Afterwards, I went over the events with my wife to do a "lessons learned". Very helpful for me.

 

[sailormanbigd]

some people somply don't know any better. They think or feal that turmoil is the norm. I once took a female friend and her girlfriend out on there 23foot hunter. She thanked me for the trip and said "how come you didn't yell the whole time?" Aparently her exhusband always yelled at her. I have seen many things over the years, slamming into the dock with family and young ones onboard as if it was a usual thing. I once towed a power boat-a big 25ft cabin cruiser about a mile to the public boat ramp. When he was on the dock he called someone and was prepareing to go out again. he told me his motor wouldn't start. So, maybe its the norm for them? Hard to believe, but possible.

 

[sinnettc]

Interesting, and unfortunately completely believable, story. I think it's inexperience, ignorance (no boating/sailing classes) and the fact that people seem to be starting in much larger boats than used to be the case. Though I grew up sailing on Dad's Bristol 24, my first sailboat 12 years ago was a laser, followed by a Capri 16.5, and now the Capri 22. Each one taught me lessons and provided a good stepping stone to the larger boat.

I've been overpowered at the dock with no motor running and it's not fun; Verboten has the scars to show for my poor judgement that day. I also leave my lines at the dock, so I'd have to dig one out to throw in a pinch. An anchor isn't an easy option as there's no locker on a Capri 22 so they're stowed below. That said, I'd try to sail in as close as possible, maybe into the slip if the wind is right, with the main or with the partially furled jib.

 

[LuzSD]

Just because ya want to go in doesn't mean ya have to go in RIGHT NOW.. in other words why not turn around and sail under jib a bit to re-group and decide how best to handle. An anchor may have been called for at this time as well if the sail was not behaving.. then un jam and furl .. or start the engine.. Rig lines with ends on cleats and coils ready to throw, already passed under the lifelines/pulpits.. but placed so they do not get into the water..

Amen Kloudie

 

[kenn]

Good thread - especially since it hasn't devolved into a 'what an idiot' yuk-fest. After 6 years of boat ownership, I'm still learning new stuff about our little boat, and about handling various situations in general. Seamanship is mostly about having that mental library of options and techniques - taught, read, or learned the hard way.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Just because ya want to go in doesn't mean ya have to go in RIGHT NOW.. in other words why not turn around and sail under jib a bit to re-group and decide how best to handle.

Some folks seem to think sailboats are motorboats with sails. Wrong...

 

[dziedzicmj]

Is it possible that with all the new equipment and gadgets that we have available (GPS, furling sails, easily starting motors, etc.) we forgot the basics? On top of that, money can buy you a bigger boat, but cannot buy experience or skills.
When coming back I always furl the jib first (changing the course, so as to be reaching - makes it so much easier), then start the motor, then drop the main (again changing course, this time heading to wind). If you follow such a procedure every time, you have substantially less chance of a problem.
As probably any one, I had my share of problems. E.g. my motor quit suddenly right in the mouth of the marina entrance. Instinctively, I doubled back, unfurled enough of the jib to have any propulsion and run away to the open water, where I could regroup and think about the remedy (it turned out that it was a clogged fuel filter; I have a spare on board since).
In general, we all should think about these "what if..." situations ahead of the time when they happen. Much less panic when they do.

 

[jrowan]

Re: Lessons we learn... or do we? Maybe, maybe not.

I have been sailing since I was a kid, so its been over 35 years now for me. I still learn something new everytime I sail, or remember something that I forgot about! It's easy to judge others in their moments of panic & think "what a fool." We all make mistakes, especially under duress. Although that's what seperates the real sailor from the "boat owner" that is: being calm, cool, collected & together. You have to keep your head & do what needs to be done. I always try to think of safety first, but some things like engines dying in the marina are inevitable. I agree that the Captain is always responsible for his passengers, & should have at least had spare dock lines & rode ready & secured to cleats. Honestly, I think some people just freak out in bad situations & their decision making ability stalls, until somebody comes along to "save them" from themselves. I like everyone else, have had engines die on me while going in & out of the marina, always at the most inconvenient times! As far as throwing & anchor in the marina fairway, that is only a momentary solution, because another boat could easily come & steam over your rode if your in the channel. If they were able they should have reversed course & regrouped with a plan. Although this is providing that there was wind available. I've had engines die on an almost windless afternoon. Drifting into the shallows is no fun. Small boats can be rowed, but the bigger the boat the the bigger the problem becomes when controlling that big bohemouth in a tight marina. Sometimes its better just to swallow your pride & call Tow Boat US. I've done it before, & having that insurance is almost insuring that you won't need it, God wiling. Not being prepared just invites disaster. The trolling motor idea is a possibility, provided you have enough battery juice to run it for as long as it takes to get U home. But there is no substitute for good judgement via experience. Also my number one rule is: no drunks on my boat. They are an accident waiting to happen.

 

[UPSGUY]

I pulled a Fred Flintstone a few weeks ago when my outboard quit. I was drifting towards the shiniest powerboat in the mooring field and losing all steerage. Tossing a anchor out of a stern locker is a quick handy option that buys a little time and let's you make a rational decision instead of reacting.

 

[anchorclanker]

If a boat has a motor, it should start and run and be well maintained. Neglecting them till they quit, and fixing them just enough to run, and then relying on it at the worst possible moment, is really asking for trouble.

 

[UPSGUY]

If a boat has a motor, it should start and run and be well maintained. Neglecting them till they quit, and fixing them just enough to run, and then relying on it at the worst possible moment, is really asking for trouble.

Agreed, for most of the season the outboard started every time with a single pull. The new tank of fuel seems to be the culprit.