What to do when a guest gets scared and wants off the boat?

[Cadence]

For what it is or isn't worth? I think the OP made the right decision. The safety of the boat and those aboard is far more important than people being unfordable.

[SeanPatrick]

Originally Posted by SV__Grace

There is usually a difference between the Idea of something and the Reality of something.

^This.


(NB the use of the word "something" and not only "sailing".)

[Yellowtulip]

Originally Posted by Cadence

For what it is or isn't worth? I think the OP made the right decision. The safety of the boat and those aboard is far more important than people being unfordable.

Which decision? The decision to take FOUR newbies out though he is not very experienced? Or the decision to sail into a wind-against-tide situation? Or the decision to sail over a shallow entrance at near low tide?
Certainly the decision to turn back was correct.

[Nicholson58]

We took Japanese business guests out years ago in Cleveland, Ohio. As soon as we passed the east light marking the end of the sea wall they all turned an amazing shade of green. The sea wall is seven miles of dandy cover at least 100 yards wide. We did an about face and treated our guest to seven mile beam reaches on totally flat water. They had a great time, color restored. It was great to have a fall back alternative. I am in the consensus, no sense in torturing your guests.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Yellowtulip

Which decision? The decision to take FOUR newbies out though he is not very experienced? Or the decision to sail into a wind-against-tide situation? Or the decision to sail over a shallow entrance at near low tide?
Certainly the decision to turn back was correct.

It sounded to me like he had crossed a bar on a falling tide and wanted to wait to come back across it. That sounded like the right decision, so the guests were uncomfortable. That is the way I took the question.
As to the planning prior to that?

[Yellowtulip]

Originally Posted by Cadence

It sounded to me like he had crossed a bar on a falling tide and wanted to wait to come back across it. That sounded like the right decision, so the guests were uncomfortable. That is the way I took the question.

As to the planning prior to that?

It seems worse than that to me. The guests were very uncomfortable before the boat left the inlet, as I read it. It was a poor decision to leave near low tide, in my opinion, and the decision to return was taken far too late.
By the way, OP please don't take my opinions to heart. I've done some very stupid things in my time. The trick is to learn from them.

[chovy]

Was I the only one who found this funny?

I can only imagine. Yeah probalby should have turned around. But if you're going to run aground just hang tough. Tell them newbies to shut up. jk

[Aquadome]

Originally Posted by travelnodes

Just got back from my worst day on the water so far. I'm a relatively new captain of a 35 monohull cruising sailboat. My parents asked if I would take them sailing with two of their friends and I said yes. All four of them are over 70 years old and don't have much experience sailing.

I just moved to a new town and this is to be my first time taking the sailboat offshore. The wind was blowing 10mph to 14mph and it was a beautiful day. The current was going out and the wind was blowing in from the east against the direction of the current.

So at the mouth of the inlet, we saw some waves and whitecaps forming...

I was watching my depth and it was okay but the waves were getting bigger and the boat was swinging from right to left as we motored out to sea at 5kts. The women began to express fear and suggest we turn back. I explain that we were almost out of the inlet and that in deeper water it would settle down.

One of the ladies began screaming every time a wave rocked the boat and the waves kept getting bigger as the depth was getting more shallow. At one point my depth meter was showing 3 feet and the tide was falling.

Eventually one of the ladies began throwing up and the other wanted me to call the Coast Guard. We were hardly half a mile from the marina we just left from. I didn't feel scared and yet I wanted to help my crew.

She seemed to be having a panic attack, trembling and yelling out with each wave. Then my mom started dry heaving down below. Then one of the men began to dry heave as well.

I considered turning around and going back in but we had just made it through the worst part of the inlet and the depth was finally starting to go back up. It was almost dead low tide I was concerned we may run aground on the way back in. If that happened we would be stuck in the washing machine of waves.

They were obviously scared, sick, and wanted off the boat immediately!
One said, "just pull close to the beach and I will swim in."

What would you do in this situation?

Is this really a question? Four vomiting passengers 70+ years old who know nothing about sailing under those conditions ... Captain Obvious says turn back

[molump]

For goodness sakes, take them back. In reference to your concerns about low tide and running aground I will only suggest that those concerns coupled with the captain’s limited “local knowledge” and the inexperience of the crew/passengers, are best addressed before one leaves the dock.

I’ve had “the pleasure” of passengers/crew puking and unhappy. Was glad to get them to safe harbor and ensure their trip home in the confines and comfort of an automobile.

The important thing is no one was hurt nor did you allow anyone to “jump ship” and swim for shore.

[Wolfy]

As a new skipper you need to learn the most important rule of......passengers/crew comfort and safety comes first....period.
Especially with having elderly passengers onboard...their strength and balance is not what it once was.
With your attitude the dock lines should have remained attached.

[Surrymark]

Welcome to being a skipper, Skipper.

[Tonali99]

Originally Posted by Wolfy

As a new skipper you need to learn the most important rule of......passengers/crew comfort and safety comes first....period.
Especially with having elderly passengers onboard...their strength and balance is not what it once was.
With your attitude the dock lines should have remained attached.

Had you even asked them how they felt about being on your boat?
Had they any experience at all? (boats, rollercoasters, etc.)?
I recall once a person was upset because her drink fell over. I told her, "Hey, hold on to it, waves will do that."
The rest of the sail was great.

[Sundowner Rose]

What would you do when a guest gets SCARED .....?
Your guests it seems, were you family aged 70 and others who had panic, heaving up, and were terrified. Its called RESPECT! Turn around and get them back to shore and humbly apologize. It was a bad call to clear the bar in the first place. I hope its a lesson well learnt. We all make mistakes. Happy sailing from here on.

[Amapola]

Turn back.

[Dave9111]

I have a 33 footer and a similar thing occurred to me. However I wasn't concerned about grounding due to shallow water. That should have been a non-issue. If you want to take risks, only do that with other people who understand the risks. What would have happened if your engine had died as you went across the bar? I've had engines die when entering ports... it happens. You need to think "what if" ! You should have never had 4 newbies in your boat in those conditions, period.


My story is that I was taking out 5 "guests", several which had sailed with me before and one that had done it years prior. We motored out of port in a light wind and 1-2 ft waves. It was a nice sunny day. The one guest who hadn't sailed for years started panicking a bit. The slight rocking of the boat was freaking her out. We all tried to reassure her as she was in the cockpit. But it only got worse. We were about 1.5 miles out of port and I said, if you want us to turn around we can, no problem. She said yes, lets go back. So I immediately turned around and the panic slowly subsided. We all joked about it and went and had a nice lunch. I haven't had 5 newbie guests on the boat since then. 2 newbies is manageable on a 33 footer in good conditions.

FYI - No one stays below as we are going into waves unless they are a proven sailor. Many people cannot handle being below in a sailboat in rougher conditions. Being hit with mist in the cockpit beats blowing chunks everytime. If people start feeling queasy, tell them to focus on the horizon. That often gets people out of trouble.