Big Ship, Little Boat - Stupidity

[robw_fl]

Ahh yes....Starboard tack right of way? Not so much....

An example of the ol' rule known as "Right of Weight."

Good story. Close call. But nice save. I'm sure the pucker factor was high!

[cantxsailor]

Headed out the toward the mouth of the harbour (Victoria B.C.) with a newly built 36ft wood boat (17000lbs) with "used" egyptian cotton sails. We waited until the last second to tack to starboard, wanting to use as few tacks as possible, and as the boat came about the jib tore from top to bottom. We quickly got stuck in irons with very little way on.

I hit the start button for the trusty Volvo and heard the dreaded "ruhr", apparently the battery was dead(again).

Bill shoved the tiller hard over to hopefully swing us back to port while I dashed down and proceded to crack the engine by hand. It started right away as always.

We slowly started to turn. Slowly, VERY slowly. We had about 4 boat lengths to a large concrete locomotive turntable. She was beginning to power up with both the engine and main but was still not turning any where close to fast enough for my liking.

We finally started turning and missed the concrete monster by about 15ft off the bow sprit. We quickly adjorned back to the dock for at least 2 large whiskeys.

Lesson learned: Never buy "used" cotton sails even from a friend, and always be sure the damn battery is charged enough to start the motor.

Just thinking about that gives me shivers. It was the maiden voyage under sail and would have been a rather cruchy end to about 4yrs hard work for my friend. It was an 1890s design double ended gaff rigged sloop he had build from the dirt up by himself. "Winds of Change" was, I think, her name...............m