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Maybe too bold!

4K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  SailNet Archive 
#1 ·
I've wanted to sail for years now and recently I came across an opportunity to buy my first boat (Pearson 26) about a month ago. I have not taken lessons yet. I ordered a couple books (Sailing for Dummies, The Complete Sailor). I read the books and spent some hours trying to familiarize myself with the boat. My two sons (19 and 16) and I motored out of our marina (Hampton Roads area of the lower Chesapeake). We put up the main sail and sailed back in forth right outside the marina. About a week later, I took the wife and the boys out. We motored out into the bay and then raised the main and the 130 genoa. The winds were kind of light but we were moving! We sailed over to the Norfolk Naval base area and then headed back. When we got about 3/4's mile from the marina we hit the current coming in from the rising tide and the wind died off. It took quite a while to get back in and we did get close to an anchored container ship! I learned a few lessons and I will try and not to take such chances in the future.
 
#2 ·
Conggratulations... at least it was an anchored container ship, rather than one under full steam. One is much more a hazard than the other.
 
#6 · (Edited)
In my opinion your being a little too bold! A P 26 is by no means a big boat but it's also not a laser or a sunfish. These boats can be a handful when the conditions change or an emergency pops up that your not ready to deal with.
I remember watching a father and son team sail their way through our mooring field completely out of control,on their new cat 25. A gust came up and the guy couldn't overcome the sails with the rudder (no steerage) he t-boned another boat doing considerable damage, his comment was ' I turned the tiller but the boat wouldn't turn'. He obviously didn't know his little rudder couldn't overcome the forces generated by the sails and that he needed to ease them at that point.
There is so much to be learned on a small sunfish style boat that will help you on your big boat. I strongly advise you to take some lessons or get an instructor to come on your boat.
BTW congratulations the P 26 is a good boat and a great D fleet phrf racer.
 
#7 ·
You've got a good boat and a good attitude. What you might consider is hiring someone who's good at sailing to take you out on a nice 10-15-knot day to run you through the basics--tacking, jibing, reefing, man overboard, heaving-to, docking and undocking, rules of the road, anchoring, and yada yada...

It'd be a good way to learn the right habits to start with, and how to get the most out of your rig and sails (jib lead and traveler position, which jib to use when, how much tension on the sheets, etc.).

One or two trips with someone like that, and you can then go back to learning it by "trial and error", but you'll be higher up on the learning curve.

(Full disclosure--I teach basic keelboat sailing as a weekend gig, so you're hearing advice from an instructor here)

In any event, good luck, and good sailing.
 
#8 ·
My recommendation would be to take a basic ASA 101 course to get an idea of the basics, and then spend some time sailing on your boat...
 
#11 ·
morgan5152 said:
This is Morgan's wife and I hope he takes y'alls advice becuse I won't go out on that boat again. He failed to tell you we were only about 15 feet from the ship.
An anchor is considered an important piece of safety equipment in a situation like that.
 
#12 ·
well, I agree you may have bitten off more than you can chew for a first bite, but there is something to just getting out there and doing it too. No harm done, just slow down a bit, both of you should take the classes cause the more sailors you have on the boat the better. :) Also, find experienced sailors who don't have a boat currently and get them to come along and sail with ya.

Don't worry, all of us have horror stories when we first started out, but one thing is clear, after even two sails under your belt you will feel much much more confident and have learned a lot. Think of how much you learned these two times out and how much better you'll be next time. :)

Welcome to the best sport ever!!!
 
#13 ·
Morgan's wife,
As an officer on one of those ships, for twenty years, I will relay to you one our old sayings, "a miss is as good as a mile". Think of it as just a lesson checked off on your resume. We all get that one checked off sooner or later. You did have fun, otherwise?
 
#15 ·
camaraderie said:
Good thing it was a container ship. If you'd gotten to close to one of those big gray ones...some folks would have come out on their rubber dinghys to "help"!!
Yup... .50 caliber help... lots of fun.
 
#16 ·
Morgan -- Lots of good advice, and I love your attitude. The best way to learn sailing is to SAIL! Read, take classes, sail with someone more experienced. There's nothing like time on the water in your own boat. And the P-26 is a great learning platform.

Ms. Morgan -- It's great that you're going along as well. Now, your job is to learn more than the Mr. so that you can out sail him. :)
 
#19 ·
jorgenl said:
Sailingdog,

It is probably 30-50 ft of water where the container ships anchor, anchoring the P26 would require a lot of rode...
Yes, but there were probably some shallower sections that he had passed through while having the issues with the current and such that he could have more easily dropped anchor in, and which would have prevented him from getting into the container ship anchorage area in the first place. :rolleyes:

I really only mentioned it because a lot of people forget that stopping the boat by dropping anchor is a valid and often good way to keep a bad situation from getting worse.
 
#20 ·
SailorMitch said:
The best way to learn sailing is to SAIL! :)
Try to find some calm days during the week, not the busy weekends.

Practice your docking and anchoring in variuois condition.

Get out and enjoy yourselves.

Try to avoid big ships.

And to Mrs. Morgan, No harm no foul.
No big deal. Fifteen feet from a moving ship, well thats a different story.

Take the classes, they will certainly help. You don't need to learn everything the hard way.
 
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