Smart Thing Done While Doing Something Dumb...

[SabreKai]

Our club is set up to rent a crane for mast takedown. This morning it was blowing about 25-30 knots straight into my slip. The wind gradually built up til it was blowing 30-35, gusting to over 45. They continued the mast takedowns, and we were having a hell of a time getting boats out of their slips against that tailwind. Several of them that had to reverse out of their slips ended up getting caught by the wind, and bouncing off other boats. Some damage, thankfully no people hurt.

With a full keel and a wicked prop walk, I get no steering in reverse at the best of times, so I would have ended up with my stern swinging to port, caught by the wind, and crunching one plastic boat and a brand new shiney aluminum trawler. Espie is steel, weighs 15,500 lbs. It wouldna been pretty.

So, I had a chat with the club dingy driver who came by. He got the dink, came up, grabbed my stern line and acted as my rudder til we got about 100 feet to windward. Put her in neutral, took my line back aboard and off we went. Piece o cake.

Off to the crane, mast came out sweet as kiss my hand, and back to the slip we went. A straight down wind approach with 30-35 knot tailwind. Got a little over cautious and came to a dead stop with still 10 feet of slip left.

Aside from it being below freezing with the wind and rain, a pleasant little jaunt.

It is always wiser to admit your uncertainty and get help, than to remain silent and end up crunching someone elses pride n joy. Or maybe even hurting someone. I have to admit, I'd rate this mornings exercise as about a number 5 on the pucker scale. But I also have to perhaps admit perhaps I ain't as dumb as I thought.