Wisdom of the Seas

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Mary Flower

Oh, my! Did we ever have a lot of fun learning new things. The very next day we decided that we needed to practice docking maneuvers. There was a breeze blowing off the dock as I made the approach so I was extra careful. I managed to lay the boat precisely alongside in exactly the spot I was aiming for and my wife, who was very new to the whole sailing and boating thing, stepped smartly off the boat with a dock line in her hand.

Just then, a gust started to blow the boat away from the dock but rather than snub the line on the dock, she chose to reach out and grab the toe rail.

I'm not exactly sure of the mathematics involved but, suffice to say, the odds of a 100 pound woman being able to overpower a 10,000 pound boat are probably quite slim. As I watched in horror, the boat inexorably moved away from the dock while my wife was pulled into a quite graceful pose very similar to a bridge. She screamed, "I'm going in!"

Well, turned out she was correct about that. As I scrambled to throw another line to a guy on the dock, two other men who were there reached down, grabbed her by the back of her jacket and unceremoniously hauled her out of the water.

I have to give her credit, though. Without a word, she hopped back on the boat, disappeared below, and in no time at all reappeared in dry clothes and said, "Alright, let's try that again!"

Yes. The "human bridge" can sense that point where personal mass and gravity are in perfect alignment.

Wonder how I know that ...

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Mary Flower

I have to give her credit, though. Without a word, she hopped back on the boat, disappeared below, and in no time at all reappeared in dry clothes and said, "Alright, let's try that again!"

The guys on the dock did the right thing by fishing her out - clearly a keeper .

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Mary Flower

Oh, my! Did we ever have a lot of fun learning new things. The very next day we decided that we needed to practice docking maneuvers. There was a breeze blowing off the dock as I made the approach so I was extra careful. I managed to lay the boat precisely alongside in exactly the spot I was aiming for and my wife, who was very new to the whole sailing and boating thing, stepped smartly off the boat with a dock line in her hand.

Just then, a gust started to blow the boat away from the dock but rather than snub the line on the dock, she chose to reach out and grab the toe rail.

I'm not exactly sure of the mathematics involved but, suffice to say, the odds of a 100 pound woman being able to overpower a 10,000 pound boat are probably quite slim. As I watched in horror, the boat inexorably moved away from the dock while my wife was pulled into a quite graceful pose very similar to a bridge. She screamed, "I'm going in!"

Well, turned out she was correct about that. As I scrambled to throw another line to a guy on the dock, two other men who were there reached down, grabbed her by the back of her jacket and unceremoniously hauled her out of the water.

I have to give her credit, though. Without a word, she hopped back on the boat, disappeared below, and in no time at all reappeared in dry clothes and said, "Alright, let's try that again!"

Hello, Jim,

http://www.cruisersforum.com/images/...umb.gif:thumb:

Lovely story, well told!

And there is a moral to it: the more experienced person really needs to talk to and bring along the less experienced one, or the skipper tell the crew what to do. Crew sometimes resent this (I already know that, duh!), but as it is the skipper who's responsible, he/she has to be the bad guy and make sure the crew knows what to do. It's often hard between husband and wife, because she's wanting to be an equal partner and not subservient. But no matter whether male or female is skipper, they have the responsibility and the blame, not the crew.

Ann

[Mary Flower]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I know someone who was a good, experienced sailor. His fiancee' was fairly new to it, but he thought he could turn the helm over to her, but she thought it was on autopilot.

They were under motor power in the Dismal Swamp Canal. The boat was most assuredly not under autopilot.

They went right through the wooden Dismal Swamp Canal -- and into the Dismal Swamp itself.

To their credit, they still got married.

Mercifully, that is one mistake we didn't make. Probably only because we never went to Dismal Swamp.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Mary Flower

Mercifully, that is one mistake we didn't make. Probably only because we never went to Dismal Swamp.

Personally I find it stupendously unique. There's much more to the story but the bottom line is that they managed to get back out and on their way. With help, of course.

[Teknav]

AAA boat towing service?

Mauritz
Going to behave now!

[Mary Flower]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Hello, Jim,

http://www.cruisersforum.com/images/...umb.gif:thumb:

Lovely story, well told!

And there is a moral to it: the more experienced person really needs to talk to and bring along the less experienced one, or the skipper tell the crew what to do. Crew sometimes resent this (I already know that, duh!), but as it is the skipper who's responsible, he/she has to be the bad guy and make sure the crew knows what to do. It's often hard between husband and wife, because she's wanting to be an equal partner and not subservient. But no matter whether male or female is skipper, they have the responsibility and the blame, not the crew.

Ann

That night, our second living aboard our new boat, we were having a cup of coffee in our warm cabin. Mary Fran looked at me and said, “I know I’m new to all this and I’m not expected to know a lot but I’ll tell you one thing. I never want to feel that helpless again. I want to learn everything there is to know about sailing. And you’re going to start teaching me tomorrow!”

After three years of living aboard and traveling for eight months of the year on our boat, Mary Fran had become the envy of almost every married couple we met. Watching her handle herself and the boat was impressive. Watching her work the foredeck in heavy weather was absolutely awe inspiring. Having been quite the athlete in her youth, she took to moving about a boat like a natural. I would only have to show her how to do something one time and she had it down pat. She could do anything I could do. Sometimes better.

As David said, “Clearly a keeper.”

[captain58sailin]

When my Wife and I were first circling around each other deciding if we liked each other, I took her on a skiff ride across the bay, on her birthday, riding along in a pretty good following sea and I nosed the boat into the back of a wave and the inertia flipped her out of the bottom of the skiff over the side and into the water, well I had go back and fish her out. It took her 25 years to get around to marrying me after that.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Mary Flower

That night, our second living aboard our new boat, we were having a cup of coffee in our warm cabin. Mary Fran looked at me and said, “I know I’m new to all this and I’m not expected to know a lot but I’ll tell you one thing. I never want to feel that helpless again. I want to learn everything there is to know about sailing. And you’re going to start teaching me tomorrow!”

After three years of living aboard and traveling for eight months of the year on our boat, Mary Fran had become the envy of almost every married couple we met. Watching her handle herself and the boat was impressive. Watching her work the foredeck in heavy weather was absolutely awe inspiring. Having been quite the athlete in her youth, she took to moving about a boat like a natural. I would only have to show her how to do something one time and she had it down pat. She could do anything I could do. Sometimes better.

As David said, “Clearly a keeper.”

+A1...

[mrohr]

Originally Posted by Mary Flower

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly
"For me, sailing Lake Superior, it's the sea state that is the real challenge."

Before I began sailing in earnest, I was of the impression that waves on the ocean and waves on the Great Lakes had pretty much the same characteristics. But because fresh water is less dense than salt water, fresh water waves are much shorter and steeper; a lesson that was rammed home to me on a stormy late September night on Lake Huron the first year we had our boat.

A ten foot ocean wave tends to be longer with more of a rolling motion. A tencold front with its northwest wind flow has a fetch of almost 300 miles to work with and can, and often does, produce 20 foot waves toward the eastern end of the lake. Those were the conditions on the night the Edmund Fitzgerald was lost.

When we sold our boat in 1995, the new owner took it to Lake Superior. I'll admit that I offered a little prayer for his well-being.

Warning thread drift ahead!
This business re the salinity of water as a factor in wave shape needs to be challenged by someone with more credentials than me. I have no doubt as to the notorious wind and sea conditions that can arise on the Great Lakes but seriously doubt that salinity is a significant factor in any case. As stated , fetch ,and water depth( among others) are in fact the major players in sea state.

Fresh or Salt,It no makka difference.



Still learning.....Mike

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by tamicatana

surprised at myself for not saying this earlier:

"Never approach a dock at a speed greater than you're willing to hit it."

My mantra....

As we know, wind/current dictates some... But make it a habit of ghosting in, and you will become a better sailor...

Like losing your engine in big winds in a rough entrance... and putting her to bed under bare poles... All the while your astonished guests think you have lost your mind...

[boatman61]

Don't post on CF after 75cl of Brandy...

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

In analysis of recent disasters at sea it was made very clear to me that our reliance on modern technology and machinery can teach us falsehoods about the sea. One made very clear to me, at the cost of a broken body, was the need for a preventer on the main when downwind (never discussed in any of my advanced ASA courses BTW) This has lead me to the conclusion that the most dangerous sailor is one that doesn't know how little he knows.
So I humbly ask for your help. What has the sea taught you that others failed to mention?

It's best to sail without a schedule.
Don't be afraid to change destinations when conditions change.
Have backups for electronics, destinations, cooking when you can.
Trust the GPS but, verify with a chart and/or your own eyes.
Trust the forecasts but, check the nearby weather buoys on line if you can.
Thunderstorms and squalls don't read or follow the forecasts.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

The old fisherman that taught me to sail, told me to always make the boat sail comfortable for me! as the boat was way tougher then me! This has always been a good rule for me! as I reef before I need to, and always shorten sail at sunset no matter how steady the wind has been! Connie and I have had enough thrills to last us 2 or 3 lifetimes, and sure don't need anymore in our old age LOL So we don't ever worry about how long it takes to get where we are going! And have been known to go other places when the wind was not allowing us to get where we were going ! The trip is what counts, not the destination !

best post so far of the thread !

,after nearly 3 times around the world i have stopped worrying about stuff that might happen,rather listen to the boat and deal with the stuff that does happen

[atoll]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Don't post on CF after 75cl of Brandy...

2nd best post of the thread