What I learned my first summer of sailing...

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What I learned my first summer of sailing...

Postby Breakin Wind » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:58 pm

The top 10 things I learned this first summer of sailing...

10. Once you put your boat in the water… all of your intended ongoing construction plans go on hold for the summer!
9. A combination of a windy day, and forgetting to put the centerboard down makes for an interesting sailing experience!
8. A wind gust will come from any direction, when you are least ready for it.
7. Always sail with the main sheet in your hand (always)
6. When in doubt… reef first, ask questions later.
5. Roller furling the jib is the only way to go!
4. How to heave to… finally! (it only took all summer to figure it out)
3. Never – ever take your wife our for her first sailing experience on a windy day when you don’t know what you are doing…. (sigh)
2. Tacking is waaay easier then Gybing!

And the number one thing I learned this first summer of sailing…
1. There is absolutely no replacement for the decades of experience, patience and willingness to share information, found on this forum.

Thank you all so much for your support last winter… this has been a fantastic summer and I simply can’t wait for next season to get here….
A very very special thanks to GL and jdoorly for posting after posting of ideas, counter-ideas, stabilizing suggestions and infinite patience for my... visions.... also to Skippa and Kokko for their kindness and instructional rides this summer… I only remembered the basics of what you showed me, but those were the most important things I needed this year!

Thanks again all- Scott (formerly hectoretc)
- Sailing... "lovin every minute of it!"
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Postby GreenLake » Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:16 am

Great summary, Scott!

And it sounds like you had a great summer, too.

You're doing fine. It took me much longer for #4. :oops: :oops:

As for #8 - it gets really interesting if you sail on the lee side of a step hill (the eddies there really come in all directions).

I managed for eight years without #6 - but it's easy around here - the winds are more often too weak than too strong. Now that I'm set up - I still can't seem to make the right call :cry:

As for #3 - even if nothing goes wrong, you'll never be forgiven for admitting you're still learning. :D
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Postby triathjohn » Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:23 pm

I totally agree with #1.
#6. I don't have any reef provisions on my main sail. I should somehow remedy that(?)
#3. I took her along (only on low wind day) thinking she could at the least set the jib. She was very helpful since I didn't know what I was doing. She didn't either but she's a great sport. We survived but there were some scary moments.
#10. Each time I go out (6 times so far, she has been with me on each) is like a shakedown cruise. I find something else that needs attention. One time it was the loops on the wire halyards getting caught in the in-mast sheaves. A couple of times we had a bit of wind and struggled to raise the main since the boom kept sliding off the mast. etc.
1984 O'Day (Spindrift) Daysailer I 17'
# 11730
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Postby GreenLake » Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:38 pm

Good question: should you fit reef points?

After many years without I had single reef points fitted. Ironically, I've since sailed in higher winds without using them than when I did use them.

When I did use them, I can't seem to make up my mind as to whether I really "needed" them in the conditions. Some days, I put the reef in when single handing and congratulate myself on how much easier it is to hold the boat, then the next day I sail just as easily without it, and there's not been a clear change in the overall wind conditions.

I often sail on a lake where the winds vary a lot, not just over time, but also depending on where you are on the lake. In that conditions, it sometimes seems no matter whether you set or don't set the reef, whatever you do it's the wrong choice.

When I go for longer cruises I usually pick days where the wind is forecast to stay in a range where I don't need a reef. So, in that scenario, having the ability to reef is just peace of mind, in case the wind ends up getting stronger than you expected.

So, I can't report that I've been in a situation where a reef turned out to be necessary to get home. Except once: that was the day some bigger boat drove his anchor through the clew of my sail. Since the damage was localized, I simply put the reef in, and could sail home.

Now, those hardy souls that go on the various small boat challenges, put second and third reefs in. And they sail in conditions where those are needed.

So, I say, it depends. The good news is that putting a set of reef points in is not very expensive, and neither is the additional hardware. (There are some threads here that describe useful setups) But it does add a bit of complication to rigging the boat.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Postby brucybaby » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:03 am

Scott, that list could be written in stone!

#3: Took me two years and a bigger sailboat to get my wife back on again after spilling a wee bit of water over the rail during a windy gybe!

#5: Never tried a furling. I'm afraid I'd turn spoilt :lol:

#6: After five years of sailing, I made it a point of it to try reefing this season on one of the breezier days (maybe +/- 15 mph gusts ). I think it helped?maybe? idunno? I still ended up spilling the sails when needed. Jury's out for me on the benefits of reefing. Maybe I'll try it again sometime.

#10: Like Triathjohn, each time I go out, something different is forgotten or put on incorrectly or whatever. One time I may be attaching the foot of the jib, next it may be the mainsheet was left undone before pushing off or... you get the point. One of my Creekfleet buddies uses 360 degree system of setup. He gets out of his truck at the launch and works his way around the boat counter clockwise setting things up...same way every time. Write it down, then repeat, repeat,repeat.......repeat! I've got to remember to try that :roll:
Bruce
'71 Oday DS2-Dashaway: Hull# 25873 Class# 4842
Ray Twp., MI
Pics: http://s1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa4 ... =slideshow
Vids: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL60647F9C03EAE28A
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Postby Lil Maggie » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:13 am

brucybaby wrote:
#10: Like Triathjohn, each time I go out, something different is forgotten or put on incorrectly or whatever. One time I may be attaching the foot of the jib, next it may be the mainsheet was left undone before pushing off or... you get the point. One of my Creekfleet buddies uses 360 degree system of setup. He gets out of his truck at the launch and works his way around the boat counter clockwise setting things up...same way every time. Write it down, then repeat, repeat,repeat.......repeat! I've got to remember to try that :roll:


I remember an old boss of mine used to tell me:"do it right every time and you'll never do it wrong"....words to live by

Sailing is like skiing...the more you do it, the better you get at it.

I have yet to establish a routine to set up my DS1 for launch...retrieval is getting better; I keep telling myself to write a checklist so my wife can partake on setup and not just stand cross-armed not knowing what to do.

A logical sequence eventually settles in by trial-and-error...the biggest one for me was applying tension on the rig with the mast jack (much easier to do it with the boat still on the trailer than out bobbing around)...last time I went out I forgot to attach the outhaul to the mainsail!..the mainsail wrinkled in toward the mast like a shower curtain and the boom hit the deck as I sheeted in (luckily there was no one around)

I grew up sailing and worked around boats almost all my life but just now after almost 30 years without sailing am getting back into it...while the basics are the same, each boat design behaves different and one has to learn the ins and outs...
A crappy day sailing is better than a good one at home...
DS 1 #2313
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Postby ChrisB » Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:53 am

#6 - Totally agree. I would much rather keep the boat under control, enjoy the day, and not get the tar beat out of me than keep a full main in an attempt to get that extra 2 tenths of a knot during lulls. Reefing allows me to sail on days I would have stayed home.
#8 - Should say "See #7" at the end.
#7 - Should be written on the inside of your sunglasses.
#2 - I actually prefer gybing when sailing solo. Tending to the jib is much less urgent in a gybe.
Chris B.
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Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:28 pm

On roller furling. Never had it on the DS, but have it now on my "other" boat. Complicates rigging the boat, which is a pain if you launch from a trailer. I almost never drop the jib on the DS - but, for example, all the boat launches I use are well protected, so sailing in with all sails up is never a problem. The other boat is a bit more "spirited" so being able to "depower" conveniently is nice. Conditions are different.

On holding the sheet in your hand: K.C. Walker encouraged me to get a ratchet block - only way to go 8) . Makes holding the sheet so much easier. Get one of the automatic ones (e.g. Ronstan). They disengage the ratchet when not under tension, so there's no penalty at light winds (and no need to remember to switch the action on or off) - but: don't thread the sheet the wrong way - you'll look pretty silly trying to sheet in if the ratchet won't let you (don't ask how I know :oops:)

On routine: I decided against writing things down. But I found out that taking tasks in some order is useful. As I get out of the car, I go from front to back on the boat, doing one series of tasks, from disconnecting the trailer light, to putting the Windex on the mast. On the return, I collect various bungees used to tie down things during trailering. Point is, those task are now arranged in a fixed sequence and less likely to be forgotten.

I still manage to sail w/o Windex or I have to scramble trying to get a bungee off the mast that's now 10ft in the air :shock: . And I've tried to float my trailer or sink the boat by flooding it via an open transom drain. Stuff happens. I have separate "lists" in my head for going out with experienced crew or guests, and I leave as much connected as possible (sheets, for example). That helps.

#10: yes, I've postponed cosmetic maintenance happily once the season starts, but too often, I come off the water with a new item to fix.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Postby ChrisB » Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:48 pm

Awhile back, I came across this quote on the subject of boat repairs:

"Working on the boat is the reason for owning a boat. Going on a voyage is only to ensure that there will be something to work on when you get back."

Sometimes more fact than fiction.
Chris B.
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Postby brucybaby » Wed Oct 03, 2012 1:30 pm

How true, the trick to an old boat is not to sink deeper than your wallet, or your actual repair skill level will allow. : )) I've seen/heard some amazing things done to boats I might've put in the flower pot category though.
Bruce
'71 Oday DS2-Dashaway: Hull# 25873 Class# 4842
Ray Twp., MI
Pics: http://s1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa4 ... =slideshow
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Postby jeadstx » Wed Oct 03, 2012 4:38 pm

Interesting summary.

#10; I don’t worry about that since I don’t keep my boat in the water all the time. I launch and retrieve it every time I go sailing. Since it is in the backyard between sails, I can work on it if I need too.

#9; I haven’t forgotten to put the CB down, but have had it jam in the up position a couple times. On the second day of the 2011 Texas 200 we had the board jam in the up position and had to sail with it that way for about 35 miles. Fortunately, it was mostly downwind and we were under a double reefed main. We didn’t even put the jib up. That afternoon after we reached camp we had to careen the boat to fix the centerboard. That was the first time I careened the boat.

#8; You’re right about the wind gust thing. I sail on a lake with high hills around it and have to deal with strange wind patterns. A new one for me back in June on the Texas 200 was a rogue wave that knocked us out of the boat when it tried to capsize into the wind. #7 would not have helped.

#7; I usually keep the main sheet in my hand. I capsized in the spring of 2010 because I didn’t follow that practice. The boat capsized on the Texas 200 in June because my cousin who was at the helm didn’t follow that practice in an emergency.

#6; As far as reefing goes, I have two sets of reef points. When sailing on the lake I rarely reef the main. On the Texas 200 it is suggested that you start out with a double reef in the main as the winds will usually be over 15 knots most of the day and can easily get above 20 knots. If you should encounter light winds, you can shake out a reef. I’ve only used roller reefing once and that was on my dad’s O’Day Mariner. I really didn’t care for it. I haven’t used the roller reefing on my DS2 since you need a reefing claw to attach the main sheet too. Reefing claws are hard to find and expensive, they cost about the same as putting in reef points.

#5; I’ve thought about roller furling for the jib, but went with a jib downhaul controlled from the cockpit instead.

Never really dealt with #3 & #4.

#2; I prefer tacking to gybing. A gybe is easier to get hit in the head with the boom. A tack is more controlled.

As for #1, I’m still learning new things and this forum is a great place to find information.

GreenLake mentioned about not using a windex. I’ve always found one to be useful and I’m in the habit of looking up at the masthead on a regular basis. In addition to the windex, I also have tell tails on my side stays, which is something I got from my dad when he taught me to sail. I use surveyor flagging to make the tell tails out of and I keep the roll of flagging on board. The sun and trailing wear them out from time to time and they need to be replaced. I’ve had the same roll on board for 6 years and have only used a quarter of it.

I must say that I have learned a lot about my boat sailing 200 miles up the coast on the Texas 200. I’ve completed it in 2011 and 2012, I only made a couple days of it in 2010.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:00 pm

On Windex: when I sail w/o is because I forgot to rig it, which I discover usually the instant the mast is vertical.. :D

Upwind, telltales on the jib work best - except a Windex can help you out if you've accidentally sail a reach (with perfectly trimmed jib). You should be able to tell from the main - and telltales on the main help trimming for a reach.

Downwind, the Windex rules, ditto for really light winds. I have trouble "reading" telltales or wind indicators mounted on the shrouds - but I've sailed plenty of times where the wind at boom level was in an entirely different direction from what the Windex showed at the mast top. In those situations having some wind indicators at a lower level would probably give a better indication as to what wind the sails are getting.

I have been on a boat where the skipper keeps a cigar for drifting conditions...
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Postby jeadstx » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:11 pm

I've done the "putting the mast up, then realizing the windex wasn't on" thing a few times. Never have had the tell tails on the jib, but I can see how they would be useful.

I've also done the launch the boat without the plugs in thing.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Postby Lil Maggie » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:37 pm

this is great! is like the "sailor's confessional"
A crappy day sailing is better than a good one at home...
DS 1 #2313
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Postby GreenLake » Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:45 pm

Tell tales on the jib go about a foot behind the luff. One on each side of the sail, abut 1/3 up from the bottom. They are really easy to use: when you've trimmed your jib for upwind and are sailing the right course, both of them should fly (if you have enough wind). If one of them flutters up, you steer AWAY from that side until it flies flat again.

Helps to have them at slightly unequal height, and contrasting colors, so you know which is which. If you get a new sail, have them put a small window so you can see the one on the leeward side a bit better.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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