New Scary Experience In the Marina

[texasprinter]

Sacarey Incidents

I had a similar but different problem with my prop. I just bought an Oday 28 and it had a feathering prop. I had it surveyed when I bought it so I felt confident things were working correctly. We motored out of the Kemah Boardwalk Marina into the main channel into the bay. It was a beautiful day and a lot of boat traffic. I made the turn into the channel and my boat started shaking violently so I backed off the throttle. Every time I speed it up it would shake. This was my first experience with a feathering prop. Any way I shut the engine down and put out some jib sail to have steering and sailed back into the marina. Very nerve racking when are near other boats.

 

[Unwinder]

I had a similar experience with wrapping a line around the prop, but it was in my 37.5' Hunter coming in on a cold windy night in December after being in the Christmas boat parade. My entranceway only has slips on one side, so I usually turn left (north) in front of my slip to back in. My slip faces north. Well, the north wind would not let my boat come around to align to back in, but in turn left me broadside with no momentum or steerage. I blew real close to other boats bows with the stern near one of my bow pilings, where that dockline had fallen into the water. It wrapped around the prop and was enough to stop my 36 hp engine. I found my self with everyone holding us off other pilings and boats. A couple of folks on the docks came out on the neighboring boats to lend a hand and throw a line to pull us around. The dockline around the prop kept me tight to that one piling we pivoted on. Luckily, I put the transmission in neutral and was able to slowly pull the line out of the prop, no damage done.
Moral of the story, don't leave docklines dangling in the water, and don't underestimate the power of the north wind, even in Mobile, AL.

 

[stevewitt1]

Re: Words to live by

I'm sort of a slow learner. Twice my painter ended up tightly secured to my prop (don't ask) finally, this year, I broke down and bought a nice Polypropylene line for my painter and sure enough, it floats!

Steve
C34 "Forget-Me-Knot"

visit us at: www.ocontoyachtclub.com and www.warbirsix.com

 

[Db421]

You're in a sailboat. JSTF!
Just sail the f**ker

Besr regards
Capt. Hazelwood

People who think it's cool to sail into or out of the slip drive me nuts. Tacking back and forth in a tight channel is selfish. when I'm trying to get back to the slip I don't want to have to avoid someone who is just showing off. Just motor the f**r back home and let us get on with it.

 

[CharlzO]

People who think it's cool to sail into or out of the slip drive me nuts. Tacking back and forth in a tight channel is selfish. when I'm trying to get back to the slip I don't want to have to avoid someone who is just showing off. Just motor the f**r back home and let us get on with it.

I find that it can definitely be artful to watch an experienced sailor sail in and out. However, that goes out the window if they are being disruptive to the flow of general traffic, regardless of right-of-ways and whatnot. I watched a small twin mast come in under canvas alone a few weeks back, and they did so nice and smoothly, and completely in control without having to miss a beat. Was nice to watch. But if you're in a narrow channel to move and you are going to be back and forth a lot...it can get more aggravating to everyone around, more than it becomes a show. When they were coming in, the wind was coming in a perfect direction, they weren't really going all over, which helped the spectacle.

 

[Ward H]

Sounds like a good save! I'm kind of lucky that half the slips around me are vacant and the ones filled are GOBs like mine.

 

[Akapeterc]

Still getting over my moment

My scariest moment happened 2 weeks ago when casting off. I had by son aboard and every thing untied, as I grabbed the last line and stepped onto a plastic step that I keep on the marina, to hop up onto the yacht the step broke and I went into the water fully clothed in joggers and jumper, hitting my head on the marina on the way to the bottom. The water was very cold so that's probably what woke me up. I don't actually remember falling just waking in this dark space and saying to my self "I've got to get out of here" and swam to the surface. I think I had so much adrenaline in my system that once I found I couldn't get up onto the marina I swam around to the back of the yacht and with the help of my son put the ladder down and flew up into the yacht reversed out then turned around and reversed back into the berth, and tied up perfectly. That's when I discovered the lump on the back of my head, the bloody shin, and several sore limbs. Still getting over the cracked bone in my shoulder. I look back and feel I was very lucky. I now have a new stronger step on the marina and a very sober reminder of just to take a little bit more care when getting on my yacht.

 

[justsomeguy]

Yow!

 

[Stu Jackson]

My scariest moment happened 2 weeks ago when casting off. I had by son aboard and every thing untied, as I grabbed the last line and stepped onto a plastic step that I keep on the marina, to hop up onto the yacht the step broke and I went into the water fully clothed in joggers and jumper, hitting my head on the marina on the way to the bottom. The water was very cold so that's probably what woke me up. I don't actually remember falling just waking in this dark space and saying to my self "I've got to get out of here" and swam to the surface. I think I had so much adrenaline in my system that once I found I couldn't get up onto the marina I swam around to the back of the yacht and with the help of my son put the ladder down and flew up into the yacht reversed out then turned around and reversed back into the berth, and tied up perfectly. That's when I discovered the lump on the back of my head, the bloody shin, and several sore limbs. Still getting over the cracked bone in my shoulder. I look back and feel I was very lucky. I now have a new stronger step on the marina and a very sober reminder of just to take a little bit more care when getting on my yacht.

Glad you made it back. WADR, you really shouldn't be doing that, even with the new step. I recommend that you get ON the boat and THEN untie the lines, which is why many of us recommend that skippers leave their docklines at their slip. Just take 'em off the boat and throw 'em on the dock, then back out. No hopping required. Try it sometime, you might be pleasantly surprised at how much safer it is. Same thing when coming back in, no reason to ever hop off a moving boat.

Good luck, safe boating.

 

[Kestle]

In San Pedro, Ca, where I pick up fuel, the guy that runs the fuel dock loves to tell a story.

Seems a dad and his young son came in, the dad grabs a line and hops off the boat while it is still moving (and sailing). Well, the line wasn't cleated, and the boat sailed away with the young kid on it by himself.

Thankfully, a cool head called the CG, which berths nearby, and they caught up with the boat. The story tellers happy ending was getting to listen to the cutter's captain tear the guy a new one.

It wasn't me, but I learned this lesson too. I was ok, the dock box wasn't.

Jeff

 

[Doc_holiday]

What fun would it be if it was always easy?


My scariest moment was when I was sailing solo for the first time when I should t have been, and for many reasons. December on the Potomac and after getting the sails up on my clipper marine 26, I turned to raise the motor only to find loud bang and the boat rounding up and laying over. The main sail ripped in half and the majority of the sail went hard around. I had room so I had to go forward to drop the canvas in 15-20 knots and choppy water.

The other time was when we were noting down the Potomac in heavy winds and 1x4 chop, and had to add fuel from a can to the main tank. Lost my prime and the bulb got a tear. Couldn't get the motor restarted and we were blowing fast toward a rock jetty. While I started to work on the fuel line my buddy said to heck with that, get the jib up so we don't end up on the rocks. Did it and missed the rocks and now had time to fix the fuel line.

 

[Nelsonhow]

Years ago I was motoring my h27 in mid November from my harbor to the next one over in early November on Lonf Island . The jib sheet dropped off the deck just as we were crossing near a sand bar. Of course the line wrapped around the prop and the motor stalled. Just as we got firmly stuck on the bar. Tide was going out. There were no other boats around!
I striped down to my underwear. My pop thought I was crazed. And I jumped in the water up to my armpits. Lucky I was able to unwrap the line from the prop in about 2 minutes.
I spun the boat around while my pop restarted the motor and gunned the engine. With a little shove the boat was off the ba and started forward. Lucky the ladder was down. I grabbed on and had a sleigh ride for a few seconds while I yelled ALL STOP and a few other choice words. I climbed into the cockpit and ran I to the cabin to dry off and our on my dry clothes.

Never has so much been accomplished so quickly without planning
And with so much dumb luck.

You can get I always check the jib sheets now!

 

[Stu Jackson]

A simple question:

I often read about folks having their jib sheets wrap around a prop.

I have had three boats in the past 30+ years.

NONE of them had jib sheets that long.

Is it that folks have jib sheets with too long tails, or does everyone run around with 155% jibs that "maybe" could do that?

I don't get it. On NONE of my boats were the jib sheets long enough to get in that position.

Could anybody help me understand?

Thanks.

 

[justsomeguy]

A simple question:

I often read about folks having their jib sheets wrap around a prop.

I have had three boats in the past 30+ years.

NONE of them had jib sheets that long.

Is it that folks have jib sheets with too long tails, or does everyone run around with 155% jibs that "maybe" could do that?

I don't get it. On NONE of my boats were the jib sheets long enough to get in that position.

Could anybody help me understand?

Thanks.

Sure. They're not you, nor is it your boat.

jib sheets Hmm, no hyperlink.

 

[John Howitt]

The jib sheets on my 29.5 would not even come close to the prop.
My main sheet however could wrap around the prop on someone else's boat.
Guess I will finally rectify that.
Thanks guys

 

[Doc_holiday]

Some of the smaller boats may have a block that is mid cockpit for a genoa and that block allows the line to go forward to the winch on the cabin roof.

My guess is, he said he was motoring so the jib was on the deck on one side and given the amount of line one would need for the application above on a tack, there would be enough rope.

 

[jsd6410]

Nothing to offer, just "been there". Assuring to see how this happens in all sailing environments and worst possible moments, not just us. We keep the line hook pole close by. This happens to us in a reservoir situation, usually on return to slip due to high sudden gusts and blow ups from the prairie. We have an older engine and next year we are treating our fellow slip mates to a new one, the first mate is getting too old for this drama. Glad you got in ok. We have coasted in on final turn with gusts, miraculously threading the shared slip (I hope you're not reading this J and V) . "Given luck or skill, I'll take luck anyday" or something like that.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

A simple question:

I often read about folks having their jib sheets wrap around a prop.

I have had three boats in the past 30+ years.

NONE of them had jib sheets that long.

Is it that folks have jib sheets with too long tails, or does everyone run around with 155% jibs that "maybe" could do that?

I don't get it. On NONE of my boats were the jib sheets long enough to get in that position.

Could anybody help me understand?

Thanks.

I can't think of a boat I sail on that doesn't have jibsheets long enough to reach the transom.

on the mac, I have 2 sheets attached to the clew, so the lazy one is long enough to make a wrap or 2 and still have a tail. winch is maybe 10' from back of boat. if the lazy sheet falls into water on leeward side, it would reach back of boat.

bene 39, same deal, but winches are closer to wheel. spin sheets are even longer

dufor 35, same deal, also setup for short handing, winch is reachable from helm.


420, That is a no. sheets are short and I tie them together for a loop. (small jib)

No for the Oday '14 -cam cleats are before the centerboard. small jib


-after thinking about it the small jib boats sheets can't make it to the transom.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Bill, I do understand the idea about lazy sheets. Where I was coming from is that the jib is either furled or dropped or ready to do so before the engine is turned on, maybe I'm wrong. And all my lazy sheets are always on a winch and ready to use if a tack is necessary, and the extra line coiled in the cockpit. I just don't see how this could happen so often, as as much as I've heard/read about it. I rarely these days see folks trailing jib sheets overboard, but there are some and I try to get their attention and point it out, since if I'm close enough to see that I'm close enough to let them know.

 

[topcat0399]

Are we the only ones that tie the bitter ends of our long jib sheets to something on the gunnl of the boat?