Preparing to sail

[Warren Milberg]

I recently took a friend out on my boat and he (a powerboat owner) was astounded to see what I do to get ready to sail. He was referring to the +/- 20 minutes I spend looking things over before getting the engine started and heading out. He more or less treats his boat llike a car: get in turn on the engine and go. I typically take a quick look around the topsides and deck of my boat for anything amiss. Inside, I open the bilge and make sure it's dry. If not, why not? I then check my batteries with a DVOM. Moving aft, I open a panel over the engine and grab the ignition key kept on the water strainer to remind me to open the raw water intake seacock next to it. Then I pull the companionway steps to check the alternator and raw water pump belts and to make sure the visible water hoses/clamps are ok. Finally, I check the oil. At that point, I'm ready to start removing the wheel and mainsail covers prior to starting the engine and heading out. Over the years, the few minutes I've spent doing these things have paid me back with great dividends and have proven their worth.

What do you do prior to setting out for a sail?

 

[sailaway78]

Similar steps

I do a quick once over similar to what you do when boat has been sitting for more than a couple of days. When out and about, I don't do this every day. I do regularly do a once over even when out and about.

 

[Freedom77]

Re: Similar steps

AS with most things in life, preperation is about 90%. Losing a mast can ruin your day. Powerboating is like getting in your car and turning the key. Hope this guy vents his bilges before he turns the key. Fair Winds and Full Sails...

 

[Benny17441]

Check the oil and get the key. Turn on the battery switch and power up instruments. Shut off 120V breaker. Manually turn on bilge pump to expell any water. I don't close the through the hull valves so I'll start the engine. By the sound of the starter I can usually tell to a functional degree the state of charge of the batteries. While the engine is warming up I remove all the covers, get the cockpit cushions, pick up fenders, remove electrical cord and inspect the deck. One final glance to insure water is flowing out the exaust and I'm ready to go. Usually around 10 minutes at a leisurely pace. On the way back in, I usually cover sails, deploy fenders, put away cushions, power down instruments and so when I dock all that needs to be done is tie up the boat with stay behind dock lines, connect the power cord, turn off engine, put key away and power up the 120V. Lock the door. Usually under 5 minutes.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I do a quick once over similar to what you do when boat has been sitting for more than a couple of days. When out and about, I don't do this every day. I do regularly do a once over even when out and about.

+100

Good post, Warren.

I'd add: close all thou hulls all the time. What's your boat worth to you? A $1.83 hose clamp can sink your $50K boat. Crazy NOT to. And I don't care HOW inaccessible they may be. If they are, move 'em.

 

[Bob S]

I do pretty much the same but I don't always check the oil. Tell me if I'm wrong but I look over the engine when I retrieve the key which I also hang on the strainer. I usually open the strainer to see how much grass is in it and clean if necessary.

Is it common to burn oil? I have never found the oil to be low (yet). I figure if it is it would be caused by a leak and I look for signs of leaks as part of my ritual. Checking the oil on a C30 is easy, it's just behind an access door. Sometimes finding a rag can be tough.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Is it common to burn oil? I have never found the oil to be low (yet). I figure if it is it would be caused by a leak and I look for signs of leaks as part of my ritual. Checking the oil on a C30 is easy, it's just behind an access door. Sometimes finding a rag can be tough.

Bob, I check it daily. But NOT for level, since I've never had an issue. What I'm checking to see if there is anything other than black oil, like water which would make it milky. In that case I wouldn't ever start the engine!!!

You do NOT need a rag. On our M25 series engines, the dipstick has the rubber stopper at the end. Remove it enough to disengage the stopper in the dip stick tube and let it sit for a few seconds. Then push it back in all the way, and remove it enough to see the color of the oil, you do NOT have to even take it all the way out. I just use a flashlight to check the color (level's always been good but it will be easy to see), and I rarely even remove the stick from the tube. Simple.

 

[wetass]

AS with most things in life, preperation is about 90%. Losing a mast can ruin your day. Powerboating is like getting in your car and turning the key. Hope this guy vents his bilges before he turns the key. Fair Winds and Full Sails...

Just as with anything, I think it depends on the type of power-boater - Your engine is your sole source of power with a power boat - in most cases you have no backup unless you have twins. Most of the power-boaters I know who have been boating for more then a few years are religious about checking their engines over and keeping them very clean. I actually see more the opposite with sailboaters whose engines often look like a pile of rust - I'm sure members of this forum are the exception to that though -

As others have said - I always give a once over to the boat before leaving, checking turnbuckles, etc and a real thorough inspection of the engine - Engine oil, transmission oil, vdrive oil, coolent level, look for leaks, look for loose bolts, loose wires, hoses, strainer, etc. I can't imagine someone not doing this to their engine since it takes all of a couple minutes.

 

[LuzSD]

On the way back in, I usually cover sails, deploy fenders...


we were told a long time ago to never remove one form of power before replacing with another.....ie start motor before dropping main.... but part two of that is to never remove main halyard or put covers on before we're into slip......... in case there was a problem with the engine and we needed to sail our way of of a problem. Everyone we sail with has the same rule......

are we the oddballs?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Nope, you're just an oddball anyway!

I hear ya about the mainsail, and that's what I was taught.

However, for those of us with masthead rigged boats, AND roller furling, I suggest that your JIB is a much better "backup" than trying to raise a mainsail if the stuff hits the fan.

Here's an example: we were motoring (only - no sailing) to a local anchorage, when The Admiral noticed the engine temperature shooting way up. We immediately shut off the engine. We were in a narrow spot underneath the Oakland Bay Bridge. We immediately unfurled the jib and sailed into our anchorage, dropped the hook and found we'd lost all of our coolant.

Why? http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,3769.msg21253.html#msg21253

Since the boat has to be into the wind to raise the main, and in our case the mainsail was still covered, the jib seems to me to be a preferred alternate.

In addition, there was a beam wind and we were under the bridge, NO ROOM to turn to port to raise the main even if it was ready to go. The jib was just PERFECT for that situation.

Heck, even with a fractionally rigged sloop, the jib should see you out of harm's way faster than a mainsail.

Your boat, your choice.

 

[wetass]

On the way back in, I usually cover sails, deploy fenders...


we were told a long time ago to never remove one form of power before replacing with another.....ie start motor before dropping main.... but part two of that is to never remove main halyard or put covers on before we're into slip......... in case there was a problem with the engine and we needed to sail our way of of a problem. Everyone we sail with has the same rule......

are we the oddballs?

And your anchors always ready....

 

[LuzSD]

Stu, good good thought, of course the headsail would be the first easiest choice!! I am sure we'd do that if the situation came up, I just never thought about that. very good

the oddball

 

[seanshine]

I took a powerboat friend of mine for his first sail about 6 years ago. This year, we sailed to Hawaii and back from Seattle on his C&C 41. (7,000 miles) I have cost this young man a lot of money... heh heh

 

[Salty]

I usually leave all my sails ready to reset if the iron genny quits on my way in, but as Stu said, the head sail is the easiest raise in an emergency. My presail checklist is same as Warren’s without the alternator and belts (I check those occasionally).

 

[LuzSD]

I took a powerboat friend of mine for his first sail about 6 years ago. This year, we sailed to Hawaii and back from Seattle on his C&C 41. (7,000 miles) I have cost this young man a lot of money... heh heh

Well, looking at where you live, where you sailed, what you sailed on imagining all the preparation and sailing together you had to have done....
I think I want to BE you!

 

[sinnettc]

I have a racing foil & luff tape jibs, no roller furling unless I'm traveling and want storage in the v-berth. Raising/lowering the jib is nearly as troublesome as raising the main so my fallback, should the motor die on me, is to rock the boat. By rocking side-to-side i can drive the boat at about 1-1.5 knots.

That proved very useful last year when my wife pushed me off the launch ramp and the motor wouldn't start (@#$@ integral fuel tank sux). It was also dark, I'd managed to wrap the main halyard around the mast (which I couldn't' see because I didn't have a flashlight) and the anchor was in the truck. It was a mad dash to get the main, which would only go 1/2 way up the mast, down, and start rocking like crazy before I drifted into the weeds. By the time I got from the ramp to our slip my legs were tired!

I didn't run aground and I learned a couple of important lesson for this year - don't use the integral tank, use the 3 gal external that you KNOW will feed the engine. And more importantly, launch in the morning so you can see and there will be other people around if you get in trouble!

 

[OldCat]

Chris - rocking the boat is an interesting way to move it - but - boats our size are easily paddled in any conditions where rocking is likely to work. When my motor started idling rough due to bad fuel & probably a lack of Seafoam by the PO - and - oops - me for two weeks - I needed my paddles. I had to dig for them, but at least I had "lake room" & time to find them. The paddles are now in the cockpit locker & easy to reach.

I guess that your ramp lacks docks? We always warp the boat from trailer to dock with lines and double check stuff + get the motor running while tied up. Makes it easy if we ever had problems and needed to get back on the trailer.

OC

 

[OldCat]

However, for those of us with masthead rigged boats, AND roller furling, I suggest that your JIB is a much better "backup" than trying to raise a mainsail if the stuff hits the fan.

Even with hank on it is a good choice to go with the headsail. When I used hank on - I used to have it rigged and flaked out on deck - halyard attached and ready to go up NOW just in case.

That, plus a boat hook and fenders in case you do need to "fend off".

OC

 

[JustDucky]

Pre-Departure


o Check Weather and enter in log
o Store all gear brought aboard so that it will not slide around
o Check engine fluid levels (oil, water, transmission)
o Check for water or oil in bilge
o Open seacock for engine water and check strainer for debris
o Close seacock for sink and head
o Check V-belts for tension and cracking
o Switch off shore power on boat
o Switch off shore power at dock and disconnect shore power cord and store
o Make sure engine is in neutral and then start engine
o Watch stern for water from exhaust
o Switch on VHF, Instruments, Radar/Chart-plotter (wait for a fix)
o Remove dock lines and store
o Store fenders

 

[mark_swart]

I'm fortunate that I live close to my boat (for now), so I generally do the checking over stuff when I'm there to work on it by myself. On days that we are going out, I might have a peek at the bilge but other than that we just go.