What If the Sheet Hits the Pram?

Administrator — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 13:36:12 +0000

Chuck Hawley

Administrator Tue, 04/03/2018 - 13:36

Chuck Hawley ran into CCA member and sailor extraordinaire Skip Allan at the marine flea market this weekend, and he suggested the following Safety Moment:

The recent 14-hour pit stop at Cape Horn of the Volvo Ocean Race leader MAPFRE well demonstrated what I like to call the game of "What If?" MAPFRE had a detached section of mast track and shredded mainsail and desperately needed to make repairs to continue the Volvo. MAPFRE's management had anticipated this possibility months before, and had stationed in Southern Chile a three-man repair crew with available materials and tools, as well as a boat on standby ready to meet MAPFRE at a small, well sheltered cove in the lee of Cape Horn itself, only a few miles off course.

The rendezvous happened without incident, repairs were made, and MAPFRE resumed the race as she was allowed to do under the Volvo Rules.

"What If?" is an excellent game to play onboard or ashore, with both experienced and inexperienced crew

"What If?" is an excellent game to play onboard or ashore, with both experienced and inexperienced crew, day or night, at anchor or underway. I admit I had not considered the ULDB 70 CHARLEY losing her keel on a Transpac return. But situations like this, and others, are not out of order for discussion and often lead to the fact that once discussed, they tend NOT to happen. "What if we wrap net in the prop?" (Put the engine in neutral.) "Hit a whale" (put the engine in neutral), "See 3 vertical white lights ahead?" (Look for the tow and don’t sail between them.) "Have to jibe in breeze with possible danger to the boat and crew?" Tack, preferably with extra way on using the engine for assist.) "Fill a mainsail deep reef pocket with water from a breaking wave? (Have a drain hole installed in your main.) “Break the steering?" (Think about this in advance and have a plan, or at least a drogue at the ready.) "Drag anchor in an unfamiliar and dark anchorage at night?” (Know the compass course to safety and have it posted near the helm.) "Break the spinnaker halyard?" (Turn up quickly so you don't run over the spinnaker.) "If we’re 5 seconds early for the start with no where to go?" (Speed up, don't slow down.)

Many of these ideas sound like what our parents used to tell us about driving defensively: that we should be looking down the road and anticipate what might happen so we can react to it. “What if that car pulls into traffic? What if the kid on the bicycle turns in front of us? What if the light turns red? What if we are stopped on a railroad crossing and the gates come down?”

It’s also related to the concept of “forehandedness” that the Navy is fond of training its officers and seamen. CCA member and former head of Navy Sailing John Bonds used to encourage us to be “forehanded” during his lectures at safety at sea courses: what could happen, how could we deal with it, how could we have avoided it? We could all benefit by following his excellent advice.

A Perspective on Seamanship

Administrator — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 04:21:58 +0000

A Perspective on Seamanship

Sheila McCurdy

Administrator Thu, 01/25/2018 - 04:21

Seamanship

Planning

Seamanship is usually described as a litany of skills and knowledge of boat handling, navigation, deck work, and systems maintenance. The combined crew should be able to cover all of it. Ideally the boat is in better shape at the end of the trip than the beginning.

I would add that good seamanship should include the ability to assess, address, and anticipate. The best offshore sailors use sight, smell, hearing, and feel to monitor what is going on below, on deck and in the wider environment for whatever may come next. Experience lets the crew member distinguish the significant concerns from normal variations. In a perfect world, every issue would be caught before it becomes a problem or emergency. Let’s snap back to reality—it’s not going to happen that way. Good sailors train themselves by running through “what-ifs” as an exercise on watch:

What if an incoming call alarm sounds from the DSC VHF radio? What if my watchmate seems uncharacteristically slow to respond? What if I hear a pump cycling? What if the chart plotter fails? What if I smell something pungent and slightly acrid? What if we had to launch the life raft and get the stuff that goes with it? One can mentally practice the first three to five appropriate steps to take in each of these cases and so many more. The steps include the activating the response team, establishing on-board and outside communications and utilizing tactical boat handling or changes in procedure.

All passages begin and end with land. Visitors need to be prepared to abide by local environmental and harbor regulations, as well as immigration, customs and border protection laws. Before heading out, give crews the heads up on passport and visa requirements for all countries on the itinerary. Research the vessel clearance requirements well before setting out and plan accordingly. Review all the ship's documents and have official contact information for clearing out of Bermuda and into the U.S., Canada, or farther afield.

A return trip from Bermuda to a U.S. port of four to five days is within a pretty reliable weather window with today's forecast abilities. (Attend the weather briefing at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.) While most boats head straight home after several days of fun on this most hospitable island group, it’s possible to arrange to leave a boat in Bermuda for an extended period—normally up to 90 days—provided someone is designated to look after her. This may be a better option than forcing a departure into risky weather or with short-handed crew just to meet a deadline.

Sailing at sea is most rewarding. The adventure should be satisfying, not one of confusion, mistakes, oversights, and damage. After sailing over 100,000 miles offshore, my favorite passages have humorous, rather than harrowing, sea stories. It’s a goal worth pursuing for you, your crewmates, and those waiting for you ashore.

Maybe I’ll see you out there.