A Tale of Two "Captains"

[Rakuflames]

[QUOTE=Coops;948908]Just received a pm from ADD, he does not wish to be involved in this discussion as it may cast bad aspersions on people that you may know.

I must advise that it is a very bad move to take people out sailing with you whom you have never met. This was foisted on me by an EX friend who i thought was a good judge of character. He arranged for these three blokes to meet me at the dock so i went down to get the boat ready, as you do, and i find them all to be rudely there ahead of me, thus seeing my boat in it's worst state, no time to mop up the gasoline, tidy up the cabin, or anything.

Anyway, i give them a few simple instructions, let one guy take the tiller(who insisted that he knew how to steer a boat) and started the outboard in my usual way, i like to know that it can keep up the revs and not stall when i throw it into gear, and ordered the old bugger to hoist up the main. Well, he rolled his eyes and "suggested" that we leave it down until we got out there. At this point i thought, this is going to be good, apart from the obvious novice the others think that they know more than me. Well, i told him to hoist the damn thing up and hard, guess what? He made such a fool job of it he nearly tore the boat to pieces. He also nearly killed the novice by sending a missile at him at great speed fron his stupid overwinching..."

I have a hard and fast rule. I, and only I, take the boat out of the slip and return it. It's my boat, my insurance, and my headache if we hit another boat. The only help I accept is someone ready to push off a piling if it's windy, as even without sails up my boat is highly responsive to wind (I literallyl sailed into a slip once using only the boat as a sail). I have my lines set up so that once you have the boat up, clip on one carabiner and the boat is completely secure.

Once I've gotten to know people and judge their abilities, I'll let them dock, but I still take her out as that is trickier.. Once we're out of the marina I'm glad to share the sailing, including helmsman calling all the shots -- but not in the marina.

[sarafina]

I REALLY want to hear Greenhorns version... POOR slob...

After all HE was the "Guest" of the skipper....

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by sarafina

I REALLY want to hear Greenhorns version... POOR slob...

After all HE was the "Guest" of the skipper....

JUST REMEMBER YOU ASKED FOR IT SARA


Captain A-D-D invited me to go sailing with him one day after we both had toooo many rum and cokes at the bar. He impressed me with his stories of the sea. he came across as a captain who knew what he was doing My impression was that people would shutter under his bellowing voice. he seemed to have very keen eye sight as he was showing me a chart with the racing bouys on it pointing out rock ledges under the water and such. BOY was I impressed

Here I was with a very famous captain that had taken a liking to me. I was going to do anything I could to prove that I had what it takes to become a sailer like him.

I arrived a little early to the boat to make a good impression. I started looking around the deck trying to find were all these ropes go. Boy there were lots of them. I look up and see Captain ADD strolling down the ramp. Boy what a sight he was. In perfect sailing attire, hat, cloths fit him perfectly. All tailored made. Designer sailing glass made just for him. What I sight to see. I knew right then i would have to make a really good impression.

Once onboard he started the engine with one efficient pull. You should have heard that engine roar. I knew than the if the wind died down that engine could get us home.

Well,, me being new I thought that when the engine started it was some-kind of signal to put up the main sail. i yank the main up in only a few short pulls. Unfortunately in my excitement I must have had super human strength as I broke one of the blocks on the mast. that thing exploded all around me. Boy, did that get the captain mad. But being the understanding captain he is he just asked me to get him a beer. I felt lucky after all that damage I thought that he was going to keelhaul me. After getting him a beer he just winked at me. Most likely he had done something similar when he was just starting out. What a legend he is.

getting out of the dock was interesting. Captain ADD showed us all how to use the main sail and the engine at the same time. He made it look so easy. I knew I was going to learn lots on this sail. I chose the right captain or,,,,maybe he chose me.

Once on the lake Captain ADD explained to me he likes to give the other sailors a head start as he felt that with his sailing skills it was an unfair advantage so he liked to give them a little head start and catch up then pass them.

I hoped the other people on the boat were learning as much as I was. When going past the committee boat they even waved at Captain ADD. They must have lots of respect for him as they were all shouting and waving like they loved him. Even put up a couple of flags and such.

I do have to say that the inside of the boat needed a good cleaning but I guess that is the way sailors live. I was looking forward to this type of life. Beer cans all over the place, messy bed and such. My kind of lifestyle.

It seems that the other crew did not take kindly to the sailing abilities of Captain ADD as they always seem to be making mistakes and did not want to listen to him. What idiots I thought.

When I asked what would happen if the boat started to sink Captain ADD started telling about his skills in stopping the leak and sailing the boat home from the atlantic half filled with water listing 20 degrees to port.
It seemed a new crew member did not listen to him when he said hard to starboard and went to port instead causing lots of damage.

Toward the end of the day Captain ADD noticed that I was getting a little pale in the face and decided to call the race off on my behalf and head home at top speed. He made a beeline right to the dock. Just looking after his crew he said.

Too bad the other crew members did not listen to the captain, I think they were under the impression that they new more they Captain ADD but I do not think that is possible. He had been sailing all his life.

Captain ADD offered to buy beers and burgers for everyone but the other 2 ran off. I spent the evening at the bar listening to Captain ADD's stories and advice on how to get into sailing and what boat to buy. I felt lucky that I had run across him. If only the other crew member could have open there minds and not thought they new it all they could have learned lots from this old see dog.

Thanks Captain ADD, looking forward to sailing with you again. I will sail with you anywhere anytime.

GreenHorn

[David M]

It's amazing how some people become Captain Bligh when they get a little authority. My guess is that type of persona is what they think means to be a good leader.

[Target9000]

David,

I don't know that he was exactly a "Captain Bligh" type. He just seems like he is in his own world. He wasn't self righteous. It was as if whatever thought popped into his head was instantly right. No filter on his mouth. A thought came to him and popped out of his mouth no matter if it was right or wrong. Several times I suspect even he knew he had said the wrong thing but then his mind and mouth would just jump to the next thing. It was almost as if he had instantaneous ignorance of his mistakes.

It was almost admirable to see someone so care free. Just not in the context of skippering a race boat. I think his little fits where just part of him. They didn't seem particularly malicious. More like a child that spilled his own ice cream and had no one to blame.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by sarafina

I REALLY want to hear Greenhorns version... POOR slob...

After all HE was the "Guest" of the skipper....

"I had a really great day out - everything went smoothly and I learnt a lot, especially about docking and undocking - I had a touch of the green but even hardened sailors get that, I took it as me earning my stripes . I am now a Sailor.......have since bought a boat (E-bay for $200 ) and a peaked cap that says "Captain" - next week I am taking some Newbie sailors out to show them the ropes - Cape Horn or Bust ".

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

"I had a really great day out - everything went smoothly and I learnt a lot, especially about docking and undocking - I had a touch of the green but even hardened sailors get that, I took it as me earning my stripes . I am now a Sailor.......have since bought a boat (E-bay for $200 ) and a peaked cap that says "Captain" - next week I am taking some Newbie sailors out to show them the ropes - Cape Horn or Bust ".

DOJ you have a warped since of humor,,,,then again so do I,,loved the post

[VirtualVagabond]

There are some really talented, funny writers here.
Thanks guys

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by captainKJ

DOJ you have a warped since of humor,,,,then again so do I,,loved the post

If I had seen your post beforehand (I got distracted just after starting the post ) I would not have bothered with mine .

[Capt Phil]

I'm still loflmao... Capt Phil

[sarafina]

Just finished reading ALL the POVs to the crew here.. I think my daughter about wet herself laughing ; -)

You guys are BAD!!!

Love it!

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by sarafina

Just finished reading ALL the POVs to the crew here.. I think my daughter about wet herself laughing ; -)

You guys are BAD!!!

Love it!

Ask and you shall receive,,,,

[bobconnie]

This thread shows all the reasons I don't race LOL, it's JUST To much Fun for us old guys LOL! I think I will continue to have sundowners and just watch the Real sailors out there haveing SO MUCH FUN LOL !! Mostly I have sailed lug type sails and everybody knows that they are so slow so I could not race anyway !!! This was a funny thread !!!

[Ex-Calif]

Couple of weeks ago we headed out for the club can race. Conditions were good and we had spent a lot of time prepping the boat. The crew was keen and focused.

Prestart I saw CapnADD out. Looked like he had a new crew on board (dude can't seem to keep crew) and the decks were in disarray as usual. He never gets into the prestart flow and basically thinks prestart is just about making a lot of turns and shouting, "PORT or STARBOARD!" a lot. Has two clocks going with different times on them and the two tacticians and ADD are arguing about the countdown. Well of course the wanker stuffs up the start which usually means stuffing it up for everyone else. Barging in at the pin end with no rights, full speed and early.

I quietly warn my crew, we luff him up as he comes abeam and we force him over early. He shouts, "FOUL!" but of course never hoists the flag. This guy would get creamed in the protest hearing but it's usual for him to make noise and not back it up. Now, does he go back to restart? Of course not. He's never read the rules of racing. Does he know he's over? Sure. We can hear one of his crew talking to him about it.

So the numbnie decides to sail the course. Gets in everyone's way, especially mine as I headed out (on-time) and had to pass this idiot. As we go by on the beat ADD is well into his 5th beer. The good news is as usual he abandons the race half through and motors back to the marina, right down the middle of the race course, of course...

He did have one new guy that seemed to know what was going on. Tried to find him in the bar to see if he wanted to join a real race crew but he had already scampered off. Doubt he'll be back as CapnADD seems to have that effect on good prospects. ADD was there eating burgers with some dumb looking kid with stars in his eyes telling tales of how the course was tough today and that the two guys who scampered let him down. I wouldn't let that kid clean my bilges...

[captainKJ]

He did have one new guy that seemed to know what was going on. Tried to find him in the bar to see if he wanted to join a real race crew but he had already scampered off. Doubt he'll be back as CapnADD seems to have that effect on good prospects. ADD was there eating burgers with some dumb looking kid with stars in his eyes telling tales of how the course was tough today and that the two guys who scampered let him down. I wouldn't let that kid clean my bilges...

That was funny,,,got me good

greenhorn