Newbie here – I’m hoping that your experience can explain the events of a few days ago and at least offer up an explanation as to why this occurred. I cannot portray how this event scared me, but here's the story. I’m out in my Catalina 27 for the second time this Friday between Noank, CT and Fisher Island in Long Island Sound. It’s a beautiful day with winds 5-10kts, seas 1 foot, mid-80s under a partly cloudy sky. We’re sailing along on a starboard tack, maybe a little slow at 3-4knts, and decide to come-about. We execute the tack and as soon as we complete the tack, the boat starts to turn back to port. We spin 360 degrees and stop dead. I ask why she turned back to port and my friend replies that she didn’t turn the boat back. So there we sit in 40 feet of water, wind crossing our port side, boat positioned on a beam reach, mainsail full of wind, headsail tight with wind, and our knot meter reading zero. We were perfectly still and remained that way for 5 minutes as we tried to think our way through. There was nothing in sight to be caught on. We were in the proper position on our chart and confirmed with GPS. The boat was NOT rocking with the waves, which struck me as odd. I started the engine and attempted to motor ahead with little luck. Finally at full throttle (11hp inboard) we made it to 1kt. Desperate, I decided to turn the boat around and head back east for no specific reason except for that was the way home. As we started the turn the boat suddenly started to spin uncontrollably, we quickly spun three times in a perfect circle to the point where we were both thrown down into the cockpit. I counter steered against our direction and just as suddenly the boat stopped. We were facing east, I throttled the engine at full speed and we motored away. Afterwards there were no ill effects. The engine operated normally, the rudder/steerage was fine. My friend insisted we continue to sail and everything went fine. Thoughts? Please help me to understand what may have occurred because it truly scared me. Could I have been caught in a rip tide/under current that was perfectly balanced with the wind? Is there a novice error that I made? Thanks for your help.
Spinning in 40 feet of water and scared
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sounds like a snag
I'm not familiar with your waters and the situation with lobster pots, but it sounds like you snagged something of that sort. Around the Chesapeake its crab pots.
I'm not familiar with your waters and the situation with lobster pots, but it sounds like you snagged something of that sort. Around the Chesapeake its crab pots.
maybe a fishing net.
My guess, and it is at best that, is that you hung yourself on a fishing net. Might check your prop and shaft for any signs of line wrapping. ??????????????
My guess, and it is at best that, is that you hung yourself on a fishing net. Might check your prop and shaft for any signs of line wrapping. ??????????????
pots & current
I'm familiar with those waters, and there's plenty of lobster pots to get hung up on. Depending on the tide, there can also be lots of current swirling around. So much current that it might even pull the put marker bouys under the surface and just out of sight. There are also a lot of rocks and reefs, but I think you would have know if you hit one of those!
I'm familiar with those waters, and there's plenty of lobster pots to get hung up on. Depending on the tide, there can also be lots of current swirling around. So much current that it might even pull the put marker bouys under the surface and just out of sight. There are also a lot of rocks and reefs, but I think you would have know if you hit one of those!
Had a similar experience
with a crab pot down here on the Ches Bay. Maybe not your problem, but I was dead still, and more power I gave the o/b, it would try to circle in a 360 or go in erratic directions, none of them coordinated with the rudder it seemed. Scared me because I was in a very busy area of the bay with power and sail going by in every direction. I finally realized there was a pot caught on my swing keel. I dove it, got the pot up on deck and motored in. Later had to have the boat (22) lifted in a sling to ever get the darn thing loose.
with a crab pot down here on the Ches Bay. Maybe not your problem, but I was dead still, and more power I gave the o/b, it would try to circle in a 360 or go in erratic directions, none of them coordinated with the rudder it seemed. Scared me because I was in a very busy area of the bay with power and sail going by in every direction. I finally realized there was a pot caught on my swing keel. I dove it, got the pot up on deck and motored in. Later had to have the boat (22) lifted in a sling to ever get the darn thing loose.
almost the same situation
With my 32 ODay last summer,but after the circles the wind was pushing me into shore so I dropped anchor and dove over to find an old crab pot with no marker bouy caught on my shaft and prop.Im sure glad I didn't start the engine and that it was summer
With my 32 ODay last summer,but after the circles the wind was pushing me into shore so I dropped anchor and dove over to find an old crab pot with no marker bouy caught on my shaft and prop.Im sure glad I didn't start the engine and that it was summer
Something similar.........
happened to me about four years ago on the Patuxent River in Md. There is a marker right off Solomons Island that is 3 ft on one side and over 60 ft on thr other. Only yards apart. An underwater clif. It seems that occasionally when the Sun, moon, stars, the Earth and the Pax River and what all line up together a very strong tide comes up or down the river and brushes against the clif and makes whorlpools. I was in a small 19 foot Pearson alone and as I approached the marker it suddenly felt like Neptune himself had a hold of my keel and was shaking for all he was worth. The boat spun 90 degrees to starboard and I felt like I was being pushed out toward deeper water. I hung on for dear life! The tiller was jerked out of my hand. Scared the you know what out of me and when I returned to the dock one of the fellows told me about this phenomina. I haven't seen it since. David
happened to me about four years ago on the Patuxent River in Md. There is a marker right off Solomons Island that is 3 ft on one side and over 60 ft on thr other. Only yards apart. An underwater clif. It seems that occasionally when the Sun, moon, stars, the Earth and the Pax River and what all line up together a very strong tide comes up or down the river and brushes against the clif and makes whorlpools. I was in a small 19 foot Pearson alone and as I approached the marker it suddenly felt like Neptune himself had a hold of my keel and was shaking for all he was worth. The boat spun 90 degrees to starboard and I felt like I was being pushed out toward deeper water. I hung on for dear life! The tiller was jerked out of my hand. Scared the you know what out of me and when I returned to the dock one of the fellows told me about this phenomina. I haven't seen it since. David
A clear cut case of demon infestation
I've also seen this with crab pots in the Ches Bay. Headed downwind in 15 kts and going 0.1 kts. You could see the crab pot floats doing the ducks in a row routine until we came to a stop. I figure we where towing at least 5. I know the owner was looking for a while to find his pots after we got done towing them down the bay.
I've also seen this with crab pots in the Ches Bay. Headed downwind in 15 kts and going 0.1 kts. You could see the crab pot floats doing the ducks in a row routine until we came to a stop. I figure we where towing at least 5. I know the owner was looking for a while to find his pots after we got done towing them down the bay.
sounds like you were in the race.
you did'nt pinpoint exactly where you were. sounds as though you were in the area they refer to as the race, which is a very narrow, but also very deep, gap with very shallow water on both sides. if there's a lot of tide running in either direction in the sound this can be a very treacherous spot. I've actually seen what appears to water boiling in there. current speed can approach 6 knots. Que Pasa?
you did'nt pinpoint exactly where you were. sounds as though you were in the area they refer to as the race, which is a very narrow, but also very deep, gap with very shallow water on both sides. if there's a lot of tide running in either direction in the sound this can be a very treacherous spot. I've actually seen what appears to water boiling in there. current speed can approach 6 knots. Que Pasa?
NOT the RACE
Only because you would be shoing boat speed, but not much on GPS. I think the others nailed it, you must have hung up on a pot line. Do you have an outboard-hung rudder? My O28 brushes those lines aside like nobody's business, to the point where I've become somewhat cavalier about them, but I was SO careful with my O22, because although the shoal keel pushed them aside, the lines would pop up to get caught in the rudder. Another use for an extended boat hook. Bill Coxe (Still very avail O28)/O40, New London, CT
Only because you would be shoing boat speed, but not much on GPS. I think the others nailed it, you must have hung up on a pot line. Do you have an outboard-hung rudder? My O28 brushes those lines aside like nobody's business, to the point where I've become somewhat cavalier about them, but I was SO careful with my O22, because although the shoal keel pushed them aside, the lines would pop up to get caught in the rudder. Another use for an extended boat hook. Bill Coxe (Still very avail O28)/O40, New London, CT
ZONE
An apparent beautiful day for sailing Two people crusing along Not knowing that there destination that day Would be in "The Twilight Zone"
An apparent beautiful day for sailing Two people crusing along Not knowing that there destination that day Would be in "The Twilight Zone"
My location
Pulling up the tracker on the GPS, we were at: N 41 18.171, W 072 00.770. I don't have an outboard rudder. I would swear there wasn't a pot marker in site.
Pulling up the tracker on the GPS, we were at: N 41 18.171, W 072 00.770. I don't have an outboard rudder. I would swear there wasn't a pot marker in site.
Have had the same experience with ...
strong currents. Not until you overpower the current can you gain stereage The Long Island Sound has a strong tidal current.
strong currents. Not until you overpower the current can you gain stereage The Long Island Sound has a strong tidal current.
Same here, same area
last fall. Just east of Intrepid Rock. It turned out to be a submerged lobster buoy that was being sucked down by the current. There is a lot of lift in that area from bottom features and the current can really get going (as you probably already know).It was a little hairy for me as the conditions were rougher. The pot line finally let go and the buoy popped up next to my boat releasing us. See ya in the Sound!
last fall. Just east of Intrepid Rock. It turned out to be a submerged lobster buoy that was being sucked down by the current. There is a lot of lift in that area from bottom features and the current can really get going (as you probably already know).It was a little hairy for me as the conditions were rougher. The pot line finally let go and the buoy popped up next to my boat releasing us. See ya in the Sound!
I've been boating out of Duck Island
now its pilot point in Westbrook for some decades now and it sounds like were caught in the race. The water is fast and furious there. With little speed to make it through you got caught and spun around. Now you have been there and done it. It has always been clearly marked on my charts but that was quite some time ago "1965" to be exact. Fun huh? Sailing without a chart are you? Bad habit. Keep it up, Ctskip
now its pilot point in Westbrook for some decades now and it sounds like were caught in the race. The water is fast and furious there. With little speed to make it through you got caught and spun around. Now you have been there and done it. It has always been clearly marked on my charts but that was quite some time ago "1965" to be exact. Fun huh? Sailing without a chart are you? Bad habit. Keep it up, Ctskip
the only probable!!
i checked your coord. puts you between horsehoe and seaflower reefs in 30 feet of water. with no known obstructions in the area. must have been a submerged line that snagged your keel. you did'nt say that you wer'nt using a chart. if you don't you're asking for big trouble in that neighborhood. you run aground up there and you hit rocks, not like the chesie and you hit sand and mud. Que Pasa?
i checked your coord. puts you between horsehoe and seaflower reefs in 30 feet of water. with no known obstructions in the area. must have been a submerged line that snagged your keel. you did'nt say that you wer'nt using a chart. if you don't you're asking for big trouble in that neighborhood. you run aground up there and you hit rocks, not like the chesie and you hit sand and mud. Que Pasa?
"mini-race" effect in that location
Eric, I sail in that area all the time because my boat is at Pine Island Marina in Baker's Cove and I had an experience in '04 that indicated to me there is some kind of "race" effect with the current there, in a narrow zone running north-south across the western "mouth" of Fisher's Island Sound. We had had a week with hurricanes blowing up from the South out to sea and the tides and current were somewhat higher/stronger than usual that day; I was heading westward in the middle of the channel when I saw what I thought was a ferry wake coming at me. As I came into it it seemed much stronger than a ferry wake, with some white foam at the top, and I was actually moving toward it rather than it coming to me; When I went over it it was higher than typical ferry wakes and put me down pretty hard on the back side. With no ferry in sight I looked back at it I realized it must be the outgoing tidal waters moving faster than usual over a shallow bottom area. So while lobster pots are a possibility, it may also be that you found that little treacherous zone as the tide was changing and got turned around in an eddy (which is a known phenomenon that happens in the stronger current of The Race further south of the tip of Fisher's on the ocean side).
Eric, I sail in that area all the time because my boat is at Pine Island Marina in Baker's Cove and I had an experience in '04 that indicated to me there is some kind of "race" effect with the current there, in a narrow zone running north-south across the western "mouth" of Fisher's Island Sound. We had had a week with hurricanes blowing up from the South out to sea and the tides and current were somewhat higher/stronger than usual that day; I was heading westward in the middle of the channel when I saw what I thought was a ferry wake coming at me. As I came into it it seemed much stronger than a ferry wake, with some white foam at the top, and I was actually moving toward it rather than it coming to me; When I went over it it was higher than typical ferry wakes and put me down pretty hard on the back side. With no ferry in sight I looked back at it I realized it must be the outgoing tidal waters moving faster than usual over a shallow bottom area. So while lobster pots are a possibility, it may also be that you found that little treacherous zone as the tide was changing and got turned around in an eddy (which is a known phenomenon that happens in the stronger current of The Race further south of the tip of Fisher's on the ocean side).
Yes, I was using a chart......
.....and that was my one reassurance that I wasn't grounded. The chart is on the boat (and not at home with me) but I'm sure that The Race currents are not marked on it, either. With all this talk of pots and markers, what is a safe distance to give these rascals? Does the same hold true for nuns and cones?
.....and that was my one reassurance that I wasn't grounded. The chart is on the boat (and not at home with me) but I'm sure that The Race currents are not marked on it, either. With all this talk of pots and markers, what is a safe distance to give these rascals? Does the same hold true for nuns and cones?
No currents on charts
I don't believe you get directional current information on an "official" chart, just depth. For current you have to use the diagrams in the Eldredge almanac or buy one of the special booklets (which seem to be available everywhere in Newport but not in the West Marine or Boater's World stores along Long Island Sound). I consider the current charts pretty important--they explain a lot of things, such as why I was being "chased" by a buoy one afternoon in the vicinity of Seaflower reef; the tide in that area was outgoing and picking up speed and I was trying to sail against it in light wind...
I don't believe you get directional current information on an "official" chart, just depth. For current you have to use the diagrams in the Eldredge almanac or buy one of the special booklets (which seem to be available everywhere in Newport but not in the West Marine or Boater's World stores along Long Island Sound). I consider the current charts pretty important--they explain a lot of things, such as why I was being "chased" by a buoy one afternoon in the vicinity of Seaflower reef; the tide in that area was outgoing and picking up speed and I was trying to sail against it in light wind...
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