Visit our Popular Forums

BigBoater917 · 18-09-2013, 07:59

There are a lot of different styles of boaters on here and a lot of varying levels of experience. Sometime we end up in a situation where, in retrospect, we could haven should have or actually did suffer a major catastrophe.

So what's your story, how did you almost end up between a tug and tow or hard aground on a reef? What did you learn from the event that everybody should know? I find some lessons are learned the hard way but sometimes it's easier/cheaper to learn from others.

rebel heart · 18-09-2013, 08:05

Almost killed my wife with an accidental gybe. Mainsail sheet grabbed her by the neck and flung her across the cockpit in a gale. That was four years ago and we've never had an accidental gybe since, nor will we, ever.

Neo · 18-09-2013, 08:07

Check out the Sailors Confessional on this forum. It's my favorite sub-forum. Lots of good stories.
Link below.

The Sailor's Confessional - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

**David M** · 18-09-2013, 08:17

We can make this the "I almost died" thread. I will go ahead and change the threads title.

Cheechako · 18-09-2013, 08:20

Many years ago, when I had my first boat, In rough weather, I was docking and the water was very choppy. My girlfriend tried to jump to the dock and missed... she ended up caught between the boat and the dock .....and the boat was banging the dock every 5-10 seconds. Fortunately she swam out of there and the timing was just right or it could have been very bad. Since that time I always tell visitors on the boat: "if you cannot simply step to the dock, DO NOT try.... I will go around and dock again.."

rebel heart · 18-09-2013, 08:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Many years ago, when I had my first boat, In rough weather, I was docking and the water was very choppy. My girlfriend tried to jump to the dock and missed... she ended up caught between the boat and the dock .....and the boat was banging the dock every 5-10 seconds. Fortunately she swam out of there and the timing was just right or it could have been very bad. Since that time I always tell visitors on the boat: "if you cannot simply step to the dock, DO NOT try.... I will go around and dock again.."

A friend of mine skippers a Transpac boat and in the race two years ago they won best in class. Totally experienced guy, long time mariner, jumped from the boat and broke his foot when he landed on the dock in Hawaii. Boat spent two weeks there partying, and hobbled around with a broken foot.

We know a family that has permanently disabled child who got her head crushed between a boat and a dock.

Cheechako · 18-09-2013, 08:58

Yeah, one of my first lessons in "being in charge". I'm a pretty laid back guy.... so I have to come out of my shell and remember to be the "skipper" sometimes. Never assume anyone on your boat has the common sense you do.... think ahead, put your self in the newbies shoes and try to predict problems ahead of time! Explain the basic stuff to those on your boat.

zeehag · 18-09-2013, 09:16

before i went below off watch in gom with a friend sailing opb, i had a thought about placing a preventer on main boom---was flogging so hard i had difficulty sleeping--when my watch time came--i readied and went into cockpit--as i exited house to cockpit, the block for main boom, with its traveller at the companionway , broke loose and was flying around at head height--i almost died but instead i grabbed that flying block and secured it to a cleat nearby. now i ALWAYS use a preventer of some kind of line to maintain boats integrity in any situation.

rebel heart · 18-09-2013, 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Yeah, one of my first lessons in "being in charge". I'm a pretty laid back guy.... so I have to come out of my shell and remember to be the "skipper" sometimes. Never assume anyone on your boat has the common sense you do.... think ahead, put your self in the newbies shoes and try to predict problems ahead of time! Explain the basic stuff to those on your boat.

One of the things I've enjoyed about single handing is that you have a lot of time to sit there and plan things out. How you're going to anchor, what things you need to bring with you on deck to do something, etc.

It sounds cheesy to say "Safety first!" but just like in mountaineering if you sprain your ankle you really can die out there just from a simple injury. Gotta be safe.

I've met two guys missing fingers from winches and running rigging. Definitely makes you think.

Rakuflames · 18-09-2013, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Many years ago, when I had my first boat, In rough weather, I was docking and the water was very choppy. My girlfriend tried to jump to the dock and missed... she ended up caught between the boat and the dock .....and the boat was banging the dock every 5-10 seconds. Fortunately she swam out of there and the timing was just right or it could have been very bad. Since that time I always tell visitors on the boat: "if you cannot simply step to the dock, DO NOT try.... I will go around and dock again.."

I competely agree with you. I DO NOT allow people to jump off the boat. Within a day or two I will have a photograph of my "one latch" system for securing the boat.

IF someone is very familiar with my boat, I will let them grab the latch and attach it, but I can also do it on my own.

And honestly, the people newest to sailing are the worst. They think they "need" to jump but wouldn't have any idea what to do once they had.

I just don't allow it.

Celestialsailor · 18-09-2013, 09:58

I was motorsailing from Santa Cruz to Halfmoon Bay in January. It was freezing cold. I left in the dark at 0600 and drinking hot coffee the way up. Needless to say after a few hours, I had to pee. I was adjacent Ano Nuevo...Great White capital of the west coast. I had the main up to steady the rocking of the boat, making 5 knots with the engine and autopilot steering. Realizing I needed to strip off some of the gear, I unhooked my harness and began to peel off a few layers to do the deed at hand, you might say. I moved to the side deck and was going to clip back in and realized I had a few more layers to route through. Before I was able to clip in, the main back-winded, jibed and the end of the boom grazed my neck. If I had been 2"s more forward, it would have knocked me over. There was enough fuel onboard to motor 700 miles. I probably would be bleeding watching my boat sail away from me. It gave me a few things to think about the rest of the trip.

rebel heart · 18-09-2013, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I was motorsailing from Santa Cruz to Halfmoon Bay in January. It was freezing cold. I left in the dark at 0600 and drinking hot coffee the way up. Needless to say after a few hours, I had to pee. I was adjacent Ano Nuevo...Great White capital of the west coast. I had the main up to steady the rocking of the boat, making 5 knots with the engine and autopilot steering. Realizing I needed to strip off some of the gear, I unhooked my harness and began to peel off a few layers to do the deed at hand, you might say. I moved to the side deck and was going to clip back in and realized I had a few more layers to route through. Before I was able to clip in, the main back-winded, jibed and the end of the boom grazed my neck. If I had been 2"s more forward, it would have knocked me over. There was enough fuel onboard to motor 700 miles. I probably would be bleeding watching my boat sail away from me. It gave me a few things to think about the rest of the trip.

Singlehanding when doing risky stuff (pretty much whenever you leave the cockpit and you can't shave in the water's reflection) I'll say to myself "this is the part where you die."

I know singlehanders get lumped into being "less safe", but I think singlehanding teaches you a layer of responsibility and closeness to death that you can't get on a crewed boat.

That being said, I'd rather have people with me 99/100.

Celestialsailor · 18-09-2013, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Singlehanding when doing risky stuff (pretty much whenever you leave the cockpit and you can't shave in the water's reflection) I'll say to myself "this is the part where you die."

I know singlehanders get lumped into being "less safe", but I think singlehanding teaches you a layer of responsibility and closeness to death that you can't get on a crewed boat.

That being said, I'd rather have people with me 99/100.

One thing is for sure...single-handing keeps you in the present moment.

tamicatana · 18-09-2013, 10:38

Workboat tried to kill us, was being steered from aft, nobody in wheelhouse fwd. We were lucky that the workboat had a small escort who saw us, warning workboat to swing off at last second. Would have cut our Wharram in half, and spun so close he flung spray at us.

Shrimpers have a nasty habit of sleeping or picking shrimp (aft) with autopilots driving, frequently scary