First season mistakes (or should I give up before I kill someone?)

[Lineguy]

Had my Catalina 27(my first sailboat) for 1 1/2 years in Gig Harbor, WA and needed to move it to Kelowna BC. A friend of mine suggested I sail to Vancouver, then trailer it to Kelowna. Short notice-no crew available, so I naively singlehanded her up the coast. Got caught in a gale in Skagit Bay and ran her into a sand bar a mile offshore(no chartplotter, just fishfinder that failed) as it got real busy and I lost track of my charting. Tide came up after a few hours of waves crashing over the deck and was able to get to Hope Island for the night. I shot Deception Pass at full ebb tide 8AM next morning. What a rush, as I was close to being dashed upon the cliffs on either side in the rip!! Things stayed interesting, though. I was motorsailing up the Fraser River to meet my haulout and my outboard quit as I was too cheap to get fresh fuel. She ended up getting towed into Steveston by an awesome C-tow operator. Spent a full day trying to reschedule a crane(offered to pay OT rates and most yards refused to accommodate). Kudos to Captain's Cove Marina and the trailer operator who treated me like gold! Nobody died-I gained experience and MUCH more respect for the unexpected...

[IanTrail]

Yep, that sounds like a fairly typical week.
I've been sailing for 45 years and I'll keep doing it till I get it right!

[Rubicon King]

First season blues for me were.....
1. left my water pump feed seacock closed at the start of a 1 week trip with my wife onboard and her first experience. While transitioning out of Ponce inlet with ripping tides and no wind, the overheat alarm came on and I immediately knew my faux pax. Had to drop undersized 35 lb anchor (13T boat) for all to watch. Sat there in the middle of the inlet, worried about dragging into the rocks, but she held for 3 hours while I buried my head into the engine because the impeller was decimated from the dry operation. Wife's comment when I was finally finished and OPENED the seacock prior to restarting was "As a pilot, don't you think you should have a checklist for a sailboat as well" AND "is this what you meant when you said you never want to be THE SHOW" Yes, we are still married

2. Same trip - On auto pilot cruising down the ICW around Vero Beach (very narrow), with my wife helming, I asked her if she would pass me a beer with a lime in it. Being a great spouse she immediately felt compelled to do so with not a hint of thought about assuring position, etc.... (and i knew better to distract her as I was fiddling around with my solar array on the stern.) She dutifully got up (cooler was empty) went below deck to get some beers and a lime, came back up and within 5 seconds we were hard aground 6 knots to 0 within 5 seconds. UGH, I couldn't be mad at her, as I should never had distracted her for a freaking beer. Only one comment this time "Well we wont drag anchor if we stop her for the night" we both laughed once we found out we weren't leaking.

It's ok to share the lessons, we all make errors and have poor judgement from time to time. just learn and pass along with a smile

[rgranger]

The fact that you are analyzing it and learning means your are already ahead of 90% of the credit card captains that go out every day.

[schrater]

Welcome to boating! Glad to have you!

Everyone wants to be a captain until it’s time to do captain stuff. The real requirements are perseverance, willingness to learn, and a built-in passion for the process. Skills will come with experience, and every day on the water is an adventure.

[LisaRepac]

I smacked a brand new dock while staging for haul out. Outboard quit and could not reverse to slow down. I superman jumped off the boat onto the dock ahead of the bow and grabbed the pulpit to try and slow it down. SMACK!!! Thank God for the rubber bump rail on the dock, there was no damage, but my bow ended up with a little dent I have to fix. I laugh about it now, but we all have a story like this that at the time it happens, makes us question ourselves. You're in good company.

[dbraymer]

Previous owner 72 foot Alden schooner here. We got asked a lot of questions campaigning that boat.

You just sort of asked one of them:

Question: "How do I know if I know enough to sail around the world?"

Answer: "By the time you realize that you will never know enough, you
could have made it halfway"

Two key points in your question per mistakes made:

1. Are you learning, or do you repeat them?
2. Have you figured out yet that extended/poorly managed watch schedules can lead to degraded thinking?

If you are not repeating mistakes, and you are a bit of a stickler about the watch schedules on long journeys, then you are getting there.

[upstateny]

Your doing great. Best way to learn is buy a boat.

Our first year bare-boating in BVIs we were sailing along at a slow 2 or 3 Kts and all of sudden everyone said what is that motor noise. We went down below and motor was off. What could it be. Finally we noticed our dingy was trying its best to pass us. Someone had left the dingy motor in gear with the key on. Yup the outboard on the dingy jump started itself and had a small amount of throttle to try to pass us. We still laugh about that one and many others.

Today's TIP - move the dingy with gas tank to the bow if yah BBQ off the stern.

Funny how you always anchor the keel in soft mud when the tide is going out.

[Cynara]

You have received good advise, except, never enter a port at night. We returned to our marina at night after we had been gone for 3 weeks. We had been in the same marina for years, problem was while we were gone they setup dredging equipment that blocked our normal entrance. It was very dark and we were very tired. Lucky we didn't hit the machinery.

[Dave9111]

>>So, in autumn 2019 I've bought a boat boat together with my friend.

Ok...

>>The thing is, when looking at the log for the season, I'm not sure I'm up to it.

So some self doubt - ok.

>>1) When putting boat back in the water, I've noticed water ingress (read: gushing water) ...

Ship happens.. You didn't sink. This is why they tell you (or they should) to go below and check things out before they drop the straps on the travel lift.

>>2) I have not correctly predicted the wind change once, and we had to return during the night. Our marina is in a narrow and somewhat curvy channel, and I ****ed up navigation by two lights aft - not sure what's the correct terminology here. there were two flashing lights behind the boat (on a poles) which are one behind other during when sailing the correct course. I almost ran aground, we had around 30cm of water below, keel. (there was no chart plotter aboard at that time)

Range lights.. Night sailing can be great, but distance is very hard to judge at night. Unless you grind paint off the keel or need to call a towboat... you didn't have a "grounding". Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

>>3) When leaving the marina for the last time this season, in a strong crosswind, I forgot to pull up the mooring line, which got wrapped up in the propeller. We had not crashed into the breakwater only thanks to the favorable wind.

You won't likely do that a second time!

>>4) Docking at the slip (or leaving) still makes me worried I'll hit some other boat or the breakwater.

You and me both. This next season try going slow and see how slow you can go and still steer your boat into the dock. The slower you go, the more time you have to make corrections. Keep in mind that if there is a breeze you will need to counter the breeze while you dock. Most new boaters tend to approach the dock at excess speed. You might be amazed at how slow your boat can go and still maintain steerage. Don't be afraid of going too slow.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Dave9111

>>So, in autumn 2019 I've bought a boat boat together with my friend.

Ok...

>>The thing is, when looking at the log for the season, I'm not sure I'm up to it.

So some self doubt - ok.

>>1) When putting boat back in the water, I've noticed water ingress (read: gushing water) ...

Ship happens.. You didn't sink. This is why they tell you (or they should) to go below and check things out before they drop the straps on the travel lift.

>>2) I have not correctly predicted the wind change once, and we had to return during the night. Our marina is in a narrow and somewhat curvy channel, and I ****ed up navigation by two lights aft - not sure what's the correct terminology here. there were two flashing lights behind the boat (on a poles) which are one behind other during when sailing the correct course. I almost ran aground, we had around 30cm of water below, keel. (there was no chart plotter aboard at that time)

Range lights.. Night sailing can be great, but distance is very hard to judge at night. Unless you grind paint off the keel or need to call a towboat... you didn't have a "grounding". Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

>>3) When leaving the marina for the last time this season, in a strong crosswind, I forgot to pull up the mooring line, which got wrapped up in the propeller. We had not crashed into the breakwater only thanks to the favorable wind.

You won't likely do that a second time!

>>4) Docking at the slip (or leaving) still makes me worried I'll hit some other boat or the breakwater.

You and me both. This next season try going slow and see how slow you can go and still steer your boat into the dock. The slower you go, the more time you have to make corrections. Keep in mind that if there is a breeze you will need to counter the breeze while you dock. Most new boaters tend to approach the dock at excess speed. You might be amazed at how slow your boat can go and still maintain steerage. Don't be afraid of going too slow.

Mrkva, I've already commented in this thread, but reading the list as answered very well by Dave, it occurs to me that if these were your only mishaps, you had a pretty good season.

I see three "almosts" that you'll probably never repeat, having learned from them, and one "worry" that pretty much everyone who docks in a crowded marina in a strong crosswind or current has at some point or another.

Who here hasn't racked up that score (or worse) in a year???

[Donlin]

Join the crowd. Do not give up. Such instances create seasoning and makes one a better and safer sailor as experience grows and learning occurs. I would like the sailor who has not had these sorts of issues to identify.

[jtsailjt]

As you can see from reading through this thread, many of us have done very similar things and continue to, but haven’t given up on sailing. Hopefully you won’t either.

Regarding getting out of the channel at night, it’s all too easy to do, especially when using references behind you. So don’t get yourself in that position if it’s a tricky one, and in fact I don’t enter any harbors at night unless I’m very familiar with them and weather/visibility conditions are excellent. If I have a nagging worry that it’s going to be anything less than straightforward, I’d just anchor out and wait for daylight when so many things become much more obvious. You have bunks and food and an anchor or you can heave to if anchoring isn’t possible so you almost never HAVE to get in the harbor right now. Try not to forget that you usually have the option to wait until conditions are such that you feel confident of success.

Worrying at least a little about getting into and out of a slip probably isn’t going away anytime soon if you’re usually on a mooring or anchored. I’ve been sailing cruising sailboats for 35+ years and am still in that category where I’m always somewhat apprehensive about getting into a slip, especially if there’s a current or crosswind or another boat on the other side of me. My paint job just cost over $15K and the boat next to me might be worth a million dollars or more so I can’t help but be aware there’s a lot at stake every time! As a pilot, I was always known for having good hands and I feel like I’m actually pretty good at controlling my boat and frequently hear compliments about my boat handling when coming into a fuel dock, but I know that because I don’t use slips very often there are LOTS of less experienced sailors who are much better than I at getting their boat into a slip unscathed because they do it a lot. So, once again, since I’m not real comfortable doing it, I just don’t unless conditions are very benign. I try to thoroughly assess all factors and take account of other boats that might become a conflict and if possible I scope it out from shore before arriving. I open boarding gates and pre-rig my fenders and dock lines at appropriate heights and if I’m short handed I’m not afraid to ask for someone and wait if necessary to be on the dock to throw lines to. Then I brief whatever crew I have onboard on specific assignments for each of them and which lines need to be secured first and remind them to ignore any demands for changes to our plan coming from the dockside help. When approaching I’m totally focused and have no hesitation to abort and start over if things aren’t looking right. Resist any urge to worry about what onlookers might be thinking because you really have no idea and it’s a self inflicted distraction you don’t need. Whenever you’re at a Marina and have a few spare minutes, scan the harbor entrance for incoming boats and try to position yourself to get a good view of him as he approaches his slip. Then in your own mind, try to assess what he did right/wrong and think about how you can avoid any problems he has or apply things he does well to handling your boat.

It’s a constant learning process and I think that’s part of the fun of boating. But you made it through your first season and have learned some good lessons already, so you’re better equipped to handle whatever might come up than you were last year and you lived through that. So it really sounds to me like you’re off to a very good start. Don’t be hard on yourself, and good luck!

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Mrkva

Yeah, nobody got hurt and nothing got damaged. Fortunately.



Yeah, I guess I'll learn that as well. I mean, when I comapre it to my first year with drivers license, it's still fine. But it's a bit different to be alone in a car, and to have a crew you're responsible for.


JPA Cate: Yeah, I've learned a lot. I guess it won't hurt if you learn some things the hard(er) way? (Regarding that night time thing, I was fully prepared to bail out and spend night out in the sea before entering the channel. But I wanted to push through once I was in the channel).

Benjamin85: oh, your list of mishaps made me realize I forgot about seeing partially frayed metal/wire genoa halyard, that got wrapped around forestay the moment we tried lifting it. Fortunately, we've managed to replace it before sailing anywhere.

Generally, the thing is - I'm well aware of the mistakes I've made. It makes me regret things half a year after season ended. And I'm sure I'll do my best to not repeat them. I'm just worried that for every thing I learn there's three more things I have not learned and I should have. And that I'll **** something up and it will adversely affect people I care about (but I guess the same thing applied to me when I learned how to drive). If I was 10 years younger, I'd buy a boat and try to sail across Atlantic with no prior experience.

Eventually, experience tempers what you want to do at the moment. The idea of getting into "safe harbor" is sometimes really attractive, or simply the pull of a full night's sleep. But most of us, most of the time can pull out a night of" hove to on the offshore tack," for a watchkeeping night, and wait for daylight's better depth perception to return to base, in the same way that you now want to feel assured that the boat is up to the job you want to ask of it. Those are not rank beginner concerns. They show the dawning of taking in and making part of you the responsibility of the skipper for the welfare of his or her ship and crew. Your ego isn't as useful a tool as your reasoning mind, for that.

There seem to be an infinite supply of learning experiences awaiting people who sail, mostly, we walk away a little bit the wiser. The little bits, as long as you remember them, and pay attention to the lesson, slowly group together into good seamanship.

Or, in Aussie speak: she'll be right, mate!

[GBR134]

I've now got 50 years experience if you include messing about in dinghies from younger than 10. I've owned my own sailing cruiser for 5 years with years of chartering before. With experience I've learnt two things of any great importance:

1. I have a stupid cock up virtually every trip but am more confident to live with them.
2. Those that lecture incessantly about how their routine checks everything and eliminates mistakes either don't get out of the Marina much, don't recognise their own failings or fib - I am not sure which of three possibilities I am most glad isn't me!

Keep going, own your cock-ups and remember to have fun whilst staying alive!