Let there be fright

Phil Herring

Alien
Mar 25, 1997
4,918
- - Bainbridge Island
Some people are afraid of water, some afraid of boats. But plenty of people are freaked out by heeling sailboats.

Have you dealt with skittish guests and crew? How did you talk them down to a calm state again?

Share your therapeutic tips here.

heeling.jpg
 

DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
If I have guests aboard who are unaccustomed to sailing, the very first thing I tell them is that a sailboat is designed to heel, and that it will not capsize. I also tell them that they can help control the amount of heel by staying on the high side. I want my guests to enjoy the ride, not scare the beejeebies out if them. That might mean a less than desirable state of sail trim or dropping the traveller sooner.

If the company understands what the boat is going to do, they are more relaxed. As captain, I do not do any hard sailing with them aboard either.
 
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Jim26m

.
Apr 3, 2019
579
Macgregor 26M Mobile AL
Complex issue in my experience as different crew seems to require different approaches. The Admiral gets uncomfortable over 15 deg and starts leaving teethmarks in the stanchions at 20 deg. She's new to sailing, so heeling is not second nature. Letting her take the helm is marginally effective, as it lets her have some control of the situation. But, as @kappykaplan indicates not heeling beyond her comfort zone is the safest solution. Works ok for me since my boat doesn't really go faster on her side.

The neighbor, a long time friend, was concerned that the boat was going over (as is the Admiral). Also, new to sailing, this guy is no couch pansy. Motorcyclist, mountain biker, could do a standing back flip when we first met (30+yrs ago). I talked him through ballast, self-righting, etc. and then told him that the boat would round up before it went over. Even though he understood the theory, it still took a gradual approach to get him comfortable near 15 deg.

His wife was another story. Absolutely no apparent concern for heeling. She was at the helm, while pointing (as much as my boat will point), and she made an adjustment in the heading that turned into more of a reach. Of course the sheets were cleated and the adjustment resulted in a cabin rearrangement. I looked at her, and she was still grinning. My neighbor asked her why she wasn't more concerned. She said, "it's Jim's boat; and he's not concerned, so I figure we're ok".

My cautious daughter was a little concerned at first, but her first trip was 20+knots, gusting well over that, and a small craft advisory. We were heavily reefed, but still heeled over 20 on many occasions. She had to learn and help, and I told her that I needed her help (which was somewhat truthful). She handled it well. I think that knowing she had to rise to the occasion helped her push her fear back. She has been out on better days since, and seems to be comfortable. Maybe a trial by fire can cure the apprehension, although it may be a less than humane approach.

The other daughters don't seem to have a problem with heeling, short of being dumped off the boat...

In summary;
Let them take the helm, or control the sheets. Show them how adjustments effect heel.
Per @kappykaplan, don't dip the rail.
Project calmness. Don't yell, or get excited-even if they dip the rail and re-arrange the cabin. This should be fun for all.
Keep them thinking about something; course, speed, trim, making lunch, etc. so they are less focused on heel.
Gradually ease them into increasing heel angles.
 
Feb 14, 2014
7,400
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Safety tips are done before we start and promise to bring them back alive.

The heel is the worrisome thing. They are always surprised at that.
I normally demo that it is not a big thing, by easing into to it.

But the big relaxation and smiles comes from this demo...

Release the Helm on a heel.

The boat turns into the wind and heel stops quickly.

A big gust always bring some squeals.;)
Jim...
 

PJL

.
Apr 22, 2014
47
Hunter 42 Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Then there is the other side of it all. Even after explaining ahead of time about the boat healing there can be the "Oh my, we are tipping!! Are we going to tip over? I'm scared." Then I get the boat level... and the next thing heard is "Can we do that again???".
 
Sep 25, 2018
258
Catalina Capri 22 Capri EXPO 14.2 1282 Stony Point
When taking my grand kids out for the first time, just puttered around with only the genoa out. They loved this gentle sailing but not as much as my son who is scared to death of sailboats. Something about getting knocked out by a boom many years ago. The kids just used the boat like a jungle gym climbing all over and hanging off the side using the main winch as a handle. Next time we will bring out the main and see how they like heeling. Probably think I'm doing it to allow their feet easier access to the water. Need to add hand grips to the winches.
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Reef super early and keep describing the 5k pound lead keel. Keep your movements smooth and slow. And quick movements mixed with starting to heal winds them up.
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
I Taught my wife to reef the sails. This gives her a sense of control. On the other hand, I also bought her a trimaran. Its max heel is about 5 degrees. However, in 15 to 20 knots, it is fast and loud, so she wants to reef.
 

Jim26m

.
Apr 3, 2019
579
Macgregor 26M Mobile AL
Jim26m
Reef super early and keep describing the 5k pound lead keel. Keep your movements smooth and slow. And quick movements mixed with starting to heal winds them up.
I wish it was as easy as explaining a 5k lb lead keel. I have to start with, "no, letting all of that water into the boat is not going to sink us - it's ballast." No, the keel is not weighted, you can pull it up with one hand. The discussion sort of goes downhill from there.
 
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Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Jim26m


I wish it was as easy as explaining a 5k lb lead keel. I have to start with, "no, letting all of that water into the boat is not going to sink us - it's ballast." No, the keel is not weighted, you can pull it up with one hand. The discussion sort of goes downhill from there.
Oh, I retract my post.
 
Oct 29, 2005
2,355
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
I had taken some dinghy sailors and an instructor for a long passage race. We saw the approaching storm but I was taking my time to prep the boat and we were hit by a gust that heel my boat so much that some sea water wash into the cockpit. I laugh it off as it was no biggy to me, boat is not going to capsize by the gust...but not so for the dinghy sailors and the instructor. She was pretty concern & serious about the episode. I told her this is a keelboat, not a dinghy. Its not going to capsize and in any case you can't use the way/style to sail a dinghy on a keelboat. She won't have any of it. Needless to say, that's the last time she & her sailors sailed with me. No love lost for me :)

Ken Y
 

FDL S2

.
Jun 29, 2014
469
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
The best answer is to be a relaxed, confident and competent skipper.
Yes! They take cues from you. I was on a boat where the owner was freaking out about the weather, his mother in law was aboard and she said she knew we were ok because she kept looking at me and I was smiling the whole time (really I was laughing at the owner because he was making an ass of himself with his overreacting).

When I have new to sailing guests aboard they look to me for cues when we heel when they see me with a huge grin they usually realize it's safe.
I also do a presail brief that includes life jacket location, what to do in a MOB and that we will be heeled over, but I will not put us in danger! I also tailor my sail trim to the perceived level of skittishness of the guests.
 
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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Jim26m


I wish it was as easy as explaining a 5k lb lead keel. I have to start with, "no, letting all of that water into the boat is not going to sink us - it's ballast." No, the keel is not weighted, you can pull it up with one hand. The discussion sort of goes downhill from there.
That is exactly why my wife would not let me consider a water ballast boat. She said there is no way it can be a good idea to let all that water into the boat.