Our Dinghy "Flo" Saved the Mothership Today!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The first thing my wife asked, " is Flo OK? Was SHE damaged?"

Ha, ha!! Guess you were glad she has her priorities straight!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Good to hear no significant damage. As for lessons learned, am I the only one here who doesn't think it is a good idea to put your body between an 85ft power boat and a 53ft sailboat?

What would you have done differently, just sit back, do nothing and watch the trainwreck unfold? Then deal with the damage later.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

What would you have done differently, just sit back, do nothing and watch the trainwreck unfold? Then deal with the damage later.

In any urgent or emergency situation around boats it is far more important to avoid human injuries than save property. Property can be replaced. Property can be insured. Broken and dead bodies can't be replaced. Putting your body between an uncontrolled 85 ft powerboat and a 53ft sailboat is a stupid thing to do. I could care less what you actually do in a situation. I just don't like to see it paraded here on CF as a successful story for others to emulate.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Paul L

In any urgent or emergency situation around boats it is far more important to avoid human injuries than save property. Property can be replaced. Property can be insured. Broken and dead bodies can't be replaced. Putting your body between an uncontrolled 85 ft powerboat and a 53ft sailboat is a stupid thing to do. I could care less what you actually do in a situation. I just don't like to see it paraded here on CF as a successful story for others to emulate.

So you'd do absolutely nothing.... awesome.

I hate to rain on your parade, but I'm not dead yet.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdf5EXo6I68

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

So you'd do absolutely nothing.... awesome.

I hate to rain on your parade, but I'm not dead yet.

How in the world did you come up with I'd do absolutely nothing? Do you think you are the only one who acts in an emergency. I would try not to do anything stupid, like risking body parts to save property.
Since you have the facts and have described your heroic deeds only, it's hard to layout a knowledgeable plan. One approach might be to dump the anchor chain and back your vessel off. If you had time buoy it or dive for for chain later. That would disentangle you from their anchor as well as stop any further damage to your vessel, your dinghy and yourself without putting bodies at risk.

[Pelagic]

And now!.......
Back to our regular programing......

https://youtu.be/90SIuISIVB8

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Paul L

How in the world did you come up with I'd do absolutely nothing? Do you think you are the only one who acts in an emergency. I would try not to do anything stupid, like risking body parts to save property.
Since you have the facts and have described your heroic deeds only, it's hard to layout a knowledgeable plan. One approach might be to dump the anchor chain and back your vessel off. If you had time buoy it or dive for for chain later. That would disentangle you from their anchor as well as stop any further damage to your vessel, your dinghy and yourself without putting bodies at risk.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda.... yadda, yadda, yadda.

People seem to be wired two different ways, some more timid like you, and others who seem to be less risk adverse. I prefer the way I'wired.

There's no right way, I just thought some might enjoy the story rather than pick it apart at their computer.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

And now!.......
Back to our regular programing......

https://youtu.be/90SIuISIVB8

Enjoyed!

[svHyLyte]

In the mid-1970's we had a similar experience in Ayala Cove at Angel Island on a Thanksgiving Weekend when a northeasterly suddenly sprang up in the early evening. A nearby powerboat came adrift with only the owner's wife aboard while we were attempting to make our way back to our boat from an, until then, leisurely sail around the Island in another small sailboat. In our event, the woman on the powerboat went forward and attempted to fend off by grabbing our bow pulpit. In the scend cause by the surge into the cove, the rail on her boat impacted the bow pulpit, destroying the pulpit and, unfortunately, her fingers. Somehow she managed to get back into her main cabin and call for help on the VHF which, fortunately, was tuned to #16 (as it turned out, she didn't know how to operate the radio other than the PTT.) We saw the lights of the crash boat from Tiburon that came into the Cove, evacuated her (after collecting her husband and child from the beach) and separated and secured the boats while we were attempting to get back. We finally arrived back at the boat to find the wreckage and only learned of these events after the fact. It was a horrible event. The Coast Guard conducted an investigation later and determined the cause of the accident to have been a single bow line had been passed through the ring on a mooring buoy at the boats bow and back to a cleat. The surge that set up in the Cove by the wind caused that line to chafe through and allowed the boat to swing down and around, hanging off its stern mooring line. The boat had been newly purchased by the first-time boat owner and the Ayala Cove expedition was their first (and last) use of the boat.

You are lucky to have survived without injury or worse. Humans don't make good fenders....

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

You are lucky to have survived without injury or worse. Humans don't make good fenders....

Flo did a great job acting as a fender, not me. I never once tried to force the boats apart using my hands and arms. I think it's important to have a dinghy which has enough horsepower and brawn to act as a tugboat in a situation such as this, and be able to tow the mothership into port should she break down.

[Jeanneau 45.2]

Not sure what I would have done in the described situation at that actual moment. But as they say in general aviation "there are many old pilots, many bold pilots but few old bold pilots". In retrospect I vote for relying on the other guy's insurance or deep pockets ... a bottle of wine for such damage to your boat is an insult IMHO. Alan

[Hoodsail]

Ken;
Quite the story, good that no one was injured. That is a big, bloody power boat! I'm looking at my 3.6hp outboard wondering if I would have had enof HP to just get out of the way! Love your wife's perspective... its spot on..
thnks
dave

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I still have to tell my wife the story. Being between the two boats was very.... uncomfortable.

You know what they say about fairy tales and sailing stories. One starts off with "Once upon a time..." whereas the other starts off with "No sh!#, there I was, thought I was gonna die..."

Glad it worked out for you, with minimal damage and no injuries.

-David

[Kenomac]

The same thing today, only this time a 65ft Sunseeker with the professional crew onboard wearing matching outfits. The boat anchors 300 meters away near the beach, little to no wind, the next thing I know they're less than fifty feet off the bow then fifty feet off the port side. Same time of day. It's a huge empty anchorage, OMG it's like my boat's a magnet. I don't understand how they can be dragging... wind is maybe only 2 knots at most.

There must be an area with bad holding up by the beach, I'm thinking that a change in scenery might be a good idea for tomorrow.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Davidhoy

You know what they say about fairy tales and sailing stories. One starts off with "Once upon a time..." whereas the other starts off with "No sh!#, there I was, thought I was gonna die..."

Glad it worked out for you, with minimal damage and no injuries.

-David

Except my story should have began with... "It's a beautiful calm sunny day without a care in the world, no boats anchored nearby, I think I'll take a trip into town."