Knot ready yet?!?

[JusDreaming]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

Hey Jusdreaming, I think I saw you on bohicket this summer, remember seeing a morgan outislander anchored north of the marina at the bend?

Probably did we are in the last dock last slip, so you had to pass us! You should've stopped by!!!

[forsailbyowner]

I think being out on the end we missed you. I did the sand and red canvas on Brads double ender and a dodger on a bruce roberts. Nice Marina, wasnt much for us on bikes except freshfields.

[JusDreaming]

now I remember you, Mike and Kim spoke of you, soon as you mentioned doing canvas work. I actually wanted to talke to you about some work on our boat

[mauldeeb]

Just wanted to post as Atraitees' wife and say I am still just as excited as the day we took possesion of Faith's Wind. You have to learn some how. I agree with whoever said on here that it was a good trip because everyone made it home safe! We will be moving aboard soon, any input would be very welcome.

Becky (reba3119@cox.net)

[JusDreaming]

Originally Posted by mauldeeb

Just wanted to post as Atraitees' wife and say I am still just as excited as the day we took possesion of Faith's Wind. You have to learn some how. I agree with whoever said on here that it was a good trip because everyone made it home safe! We will be moving aboard soon, any input would be very welcome.

Becky (reba3119@cox.net)

What a great attitude your captain is a lucky man!!!

[orion1]

What an adventure, what a great attitude too.

I just looked up Yankeetown, Fl. From what I read the waters around the bend are quite thin, and I beleive a Down East 38 is fairly deep 5 1/2 ' or so. The debth there may have contributed to your conditions. Surprized no grounding occured.

Have had our share of serious problems also but not so many at one time. Hang in, you already have proven yourself to have stay power.

[Starbuck]

Atraitees,

Welcome to the learning curve. There isn't a single one of us who has not gotten in a bit over his head, and hopefully, taken full advantage of the learning opportunities and become a bit "saltier" in the process.

You have a great attitude, and your enthusiasm comes across strongly. You're going to make a good sailor. As long as you're asking for constructive criticism, I can think of a couple of obvious lessons here, that you have likely already learned, but at the risk of being repetitive or pedantic…

1. Have plenty of fuel. Usually that involves topping off the tank frequently. You've heard the anti-algae growth comment, which is valid, and your own experience shows that it's easy to encounter wind/wave conditions which cause you to burn considerable fuel to gain modest progress over ground. Personally, I'd never feel secure going out with just 1/4 tank.
2. Keep your fuel system clean. Diesels are simple, hard-working beasts. Because they don't rely on an electrical system, most sudden "she just quit" scenarios are the result of fuel-starvation from a clog somewhere. As a new owner, you will need to check everything from the screen at the end of the pick-up tube in the bottom of the tank (that's what stalled my engine under similar circumstances) to the filters (primary and secondary). Inspect/clean the tank, tear that pick-up tube screen out, then be meticulous about filtering, from the deck fitting to the injector pump. Check your water trap frequently, change filters regularly, and always have spare/replacement parts onboard. Wouldn't it have been nice to have been able to get that engine started again?
3. Inspect all parts of your standing rigging, from stays, to fittings, to deck plates, to the bobstay, from the top of the mast to the waterline, regularly. Rust is a bad sign: cracks are a red alert. That goes for all essential equipment as well, bolted and bedded. Constantly test and inspect, so as not to be caught by surprise. You were almost dismasted, Man.
4. Play through scenarios in your mind, playing out options. "What would I do if…" is a great armchair exercise. Someone has suggested it might have been easier to run out your chain, tie a marker to it (a large fender), and part with it until you could come back to retrieve it. I've done that before. It's true that the last link of the rode should be attached to something to prevent it from completely paying out through the windlass, but people have different ideas about how to attach the last link. Find out if yours is free or not, and if it's attached, is it by something you can cut through quickly? If you know how much flotation it takes to leave your marker bobbing on the surface, and you know you can cut the rode loose, at least you have the option on the table. Of course, only you can make the call at the time.
5. The dinghy is always a problem. Carrying it on davits has its downside. Towing it has its downside. Carrying it on the foredeck has its downside. In agitated conditions, lashed to the foredeck is the most secure configuration, but you'd better act early if you're going to move it, and if it's hanging on davits, it's probably pretty big and heavy to begin with.
6. Be a pessimist, and always be preparing for worsening conditions. If the light breeze picks up a bit, extrapolate what will need to be true about securing the yacht and running configuration when (not if) the wind is twice as strong (that's four times the energy) 30 min. from now. How much sail area should be reduced now, what equipment should be brought in/secured fast now, what lines (anchor rodes, etc.) might need to be prepared to run now? I know guys who start their engines up & begin motorsailing when it gets gusty/choppy, just so they know they will have engine power if conditions deteriorate. I'm not quite in that club yet, but I understand the logic.
7. For daysailing, it's "into the weather on the way out, with the weather on the way home" (as far as is practical in your sailing grounds). If the weather gets snotty while you're out, it's a blessing to be able fall off to a run and have it all at your back, pushing you home: 10 kts of apparent wind on the quarter with some roll and yaw is a much better situation than 20 kts apparent on the nose, close-hauled, heeled over, bashing through swells wet, miserable, (and frightened). Same day, same conditions; different experience.
8. Always have a good, sturdy knife in your pocket/attached to your harness.
9. Harness!

Okay, I'm stopping here. You get the idea, and others may want to comment on things I've overlooked. Most of it is the Boy Scout's motto, "Be Prepared." It's just difficult to know what to be prepared for when you're a tyro. You have a thousand and one things to think now, but developing that habit of forethought is what makes a good sailor.

Fair Winds,
Jeff

P.S.— good precaution hooking up w/ Sea Tow before your first outing! Betting on things to go poorly is a winning strategy.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by CaptainJeff

Okay, I'm stopping here. You get the idea, and others may want to comment on things I've overlooked. Most of it is the Boy Scout's motto, "Be Prepared." It's just difficult to know what to be prepared for when you're a tyro. You have a thousand and one things to think now, but developing that habit of forethought is what makes a good sailor.

Great list. Part of it is getting to the point where you are comfortable 60+ percent of the time. Doing some longer trips with experienced sailors is a good option but hard to arrange. So you find conditions locally that challenge you until you've seen and overcome a fair bit.

Then you gotta go for real.

The experience bag is less than half full but the luck bag is brimming over. You swap luck for experience and soon you have a pretty full experience bag.

You can master the boat. You can't master the weather and the sea. So by being completely familiar with that which you control removes variables later when you are challenged by the environment.

[Amgine]

Reminds me of a boat launching where, trying to break the bottle, the new owner broke the boat, and the builder commented that it was his boat now - time to start fixing it.

You're launched on a sailing career of never-ending learning and getting yourself out of dangerous situations you're not entirely sure how you got into.

(For the record on daysailing, I prefer to head off with the wind abeam or slightly ahead of the beam, and come back the same way. I find it's easier to manage the return trip if I approach from slightly downwind.)

[atraitees]

WOW! You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the upbeat lessons and criticism. I think Cpt Jeff should write a book for newbies... lol Great feedback! I surely did not expect to get this much attention :-p. Surely the biggest thing I learned is that whether it is one minute or one week on the water, you have to plan for the worst. Rest assured that I will be posting my most positively, exellent, return to the open water. But, for now, I have a lot of work to do. lol

[JusDreaming]

definition of cruising: working on your boat in exotic places

[Stillraining]

Your both troopers and will make a fine pare of old salts sooner rather then later.

[atraitees]

Oh man! Seeing this post brings upon SO many memories! Well, to make a long story short, we still live aboard Faith’s Wind and are finally cruising again. We are currently in the Crystal River area and will be heading south in a week or so. If I was to list all of the things we have done to the vessel over the years we would truly have written a book, lol.
I gotta admit, being in this anchorage for the last few weeks got me down a bit but seeing all the amazing responses lifted me back up and now I can’t wait to head back out!
Thanks again for all the kind words here.