Sailing Accident

[Don Guillette]

This is another part of the previous topic regarding the mainsail.We started a Saturday morning club 2 man race in Long Beach, Ca about 4 years ago. The wind was about 10 to 12 knots. We were 3rd off the line with the YC race boat behind us in 4th. Beating them off the line was the first win of the day. Unfortunately, it was also the last. Racing with middle to back of the pack racers as I do causes me to see the race as a series of events - start, 1st mark, 2nd mark etc. I evaluate how well we do in each event. That way I avoid having a totally bad day because we finished at the back of the pack.Anyway, we are about 1/2 way the first windward leg. The boat is a Newport30 (heavy clunky boat) with a 155. We are clipping along pretty good on port tack. Unfortunately, our view to starboard is obstructed by the deck sweeper 155. We both thought (big mistake) that no one was there. The next thing I see is the bow of the YC race coming across our bow. They are about 50' in front of us. We heard nothing as they approached but all hell was breaking out now. The Newport skipper was about 2 clicks behind me seeing the situation. After I get about 3 excited, unprintable words out of my mouth he catches up with the scene and throws the tiller over. All I was able to do was drop the traveler. I could not cut the jib sheet. We were trying to cut behind them but it was too late and we smash into the rear quarter of the YC club boat. What a mess as you could see right into the cabin.Obviously, the moral of this story is vigilence but another important lesson is the ability to stop or control a sailboat in the shortest distance possable. I almost think if I could have cut the jib sheet we might have made it. Maybe or maybe not.Another important point is marine insurance - the Newport skipper had none!! This is entireley stupid. We could have sunk the YC boat or injured their crew and us included. He worked it out with the YC but if it was an outsider he may not have been that lucky.

 

[Alan]

Partial responsibility

Yes, it was your responsibility to avoid the stbd tack boat, however, the other boat is also obligated to avoid collisions. When we are racing and on an intercept course with the port tacker we yell out "STARBOARD" as the two boats approach each other to make the other boat fully aware of the impending danger and to take appropriate action. If they fail to avoid us, it is our responsibility to take the needed actions to avoid the collision. Then you can protest the other boat but have avoided the alternative.

 

[Ross]

Was either boat aware of the other?

If yes. why wasn't a sound signal made? As I recall every boat must maintain a proper lookout. Was the race "that" important that a man would risk his boat for the advantage? Trailer truckers post signs that say "if you can't see my mirrors, then I can't see you". If he couldn't see anyone in your boat then it follows that no one in your boat could see him. Isn't this why we have a horn on board?

 

[caguy]

My two cents

I'm not sure in this case but would the aliteration Tiller Toward Trouble have helped? Still learning. This is a question not a judgement.

 

[Alan]

caguy

When trying to avoid a collision, it usually works best to steer to the transom of the other boat. Bearing away or tacking to sail on the same or close to the same heading as the other boat may not get you out of trouble. However, steering toward the stern of another vessel that is not taking any corrective action will serve to separate the two thereby avoiding a collision.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Big genoa, no visibility

Alan, bearing off with a large head sail is not always possible, as the further off you go the more the boat wants to head up to the wind.In the case described, especially with the distances, unless there was someone on his port hip, the most efficient way to dodge oncoming traffic, with the jib sheet "locked," would have been to head up, and tack away, even if it meant going into a heave to.We had a PS situation a few weeks ago where we were clearly in the lead while on port, and the other boat had NO CLUE we were there. An hour or so later, we were the S tack boat and the P tacker thought he could cheat us away -- in this case they saw us and continued to proceed until they hadda back off.Stuff happens, but not having a lookout is the craziest thing I've ever heard of, racing or not, 'specially with a deck sweeper. "Clipping along on port tack..." What were these people thinking?It has nothing to do with insurance, but everything to do with seamanship, or lack thereof.

 

[Clewless]

Clewless in San Francisco *o

Hey Stu, I resemble that last remark! On that last run in to the windward mark, I had sent the boys onto port tack with what I had thought was enough room for you to tack inside of us to fetch that mark. We figured you would have rather gone after the lead boat and left us alone. Best laid plans… BTW, after the race, did you see the “battle damage” on that boat? They sheared off all the bolts on the port side of their traveller beam. Amazing that they even continued to race, let alone how well they did. Those boys are going to be a handful in the future. As to your first remark, are you referring to us? As I recall, it was you who were barging the start line…

 

[Stu Jackson]

No, the first was the guys with

the busted traveler, earlier that go 'round.

 

[Alan]

Stu

Bearing off with a large headsail cleated will only serve to push the bow further off the wind not head up. It is the hard sheeted main that tries to force the head up. My point being that if you head for the stern of another boat while he is moving forward it will be impossible to hit him. Tacking in close quarters can still lead to an impact.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Alan, I understand conceptually, however

with a masthead rigged sloop, like the Newport, the major drive is in the jib. Our experience here on the Bay with heavy winds is that heading off will only serve to have the helm fight the helmsman and the boat will try to round up, which is exactly what one is trying to avoid. (Even with the main "dumped.")If the wind's light, bearing off WILL work and I agree with you. If it's honkin' at all, falling off may, repeat, may, not work.

 

[Clewless]

Quit Talking about me!

A couple of years ago, we went beam to wind with the sails trimmed close hauled (mainsheet jammed at a block while we were trying to duck someone). We overpowered amazingly fast and laid that Beneteau First 38 out on her side. Boat never even got a chance to round up. It took trimming in the jib to get the boat to round up in order to release the tension on mainsheet kink. Not a lot of fun being technically on port tack albeit on your side at a very busy windward mark. We were trying to round Blossom Rock with the winds blowing somewhere in the twenties at the time. *pop

 

[Don Guillette]

Accident Review

After the wreck, when we got both boats back to the dock, we all tried to figure out what went wrong. First of all there was a lot of sailing experience on both boats. Not that that means anything and sometimes I think that it is a hinderence as you tend to think your poop doesn't stink and you start to overlook things like paying attention as you think your experiece will save you. Lack of attention is what caused an easily avoidable mess.They were sailing with a deck sweeper also and concentrating on the boats in 1st and 2nd place. Unless one has been in one of these situations you can not believe how fast it happens - same as a car accident. There is no time to analyze the situation. You have to react. Heading up in these close quarters was never an option to me. Instead of hitting them around the bow area we would have got them around the mast area. By bearing off we almost (key word) avoided them. Had I been able to cut the jib I would have but actually it was helping us turn toward their stern.We all learned lessons that day and became more alert about what was around us,

 

[Ross]

Don , I think I know an answer to this

get a child about seven or eight and have him/her watch for boats that are catching up.

 

[Seattle Scott]

Don said a double handed race

is my understanding. So there was a driver and a trimmer and "I thought you were the look out"

 

[Don Guillette]

Look out

Scott: Yup, that is exactly what happened. The first thing the skipper asked me was why didn't I see them. My first question to him was why didn't you see them. You were back behind the jib that was blocking my vision. There was no answer from either of us. The other boat asked us the same thing and we responded the same way. They added they had the right of away, which they did, but the bottom line was no one saw the other.We did learn from the experience. I became much more aware of my surroundings and kept a mental picture of the location of other boats. I continued to do that even while cruising. No one was hurt and damaged boats can be repaired.I've seen some very close calls with cruisers. I think it is important to be extra vigilent while cruiser because a lot of the cruisers don't know the rules of the road - some racers don't either!! While cruising in congested areas a mate should know his boat very well so he can take very quick evasive action because with some sailors you have no idea which way they will turn.The worst I've seen was a sailor in Long Beach sailing through the harbor on auto pilot while he and his girlfriend were below - he told the harbor patrol they were having lunch but the boat was rocking all over the place and it was a calm day!!

 

[Ross]

Don I think that just the pressure of

competition was perhaps the greatest factor, with everyone certain thast someone else would be doing the looking. Nancy amd I don't race but we often see boats with deck sweeping jibs and determine to stay clear because they can't see us.

 

[Bob7291]

Confusion

When a boat is "balanced out" in sail trim, it should have light to moderate weather helm. If the main is sheeted a little more, then the helm pressure will increase and the helmsman will have to pull the tiller up a little to keep the boat straight. If the main is eased a little, helm pressure will decrease and the bow will want to come down a little. Unless the foresail is gigantic, its center of effort is still forward of the keel and counteracts the center of effort of the main. Why would easing the genoa sheet normally bring the bow down, the same as easing the mainsheet? That does not make sense to me. If it is so, then sheeting in the genoa should bring the bow up, and that does not happen on my boat (masthead). What gives?