Help us shorten our learning curve... What was the dumbest/worst mistake you've made?

[sailaway21]

In virtually every case a line was involved. And either letting go of it, or not securing it, were the proximate causes of the inevitable following strife.

I must admit that the vent on the outboard fuel tank has happened and shows the best potential for repeatability!

[cardiacpaul]

I just saw this thread, so, I have to add...
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/hersai...irst-time.html

[midlifesailor]

Being brand new to sailing and brand new boat owners, there were only a few trips last year that were relatively mistake free. One memorable one involved getting back to the dock on one of our early trips. We'd had a good morning sail, but the wind had dropped to nothing in the afternoon. We baked in the sun several hours trying to eke out a few knots and hoping the wind would pick up.

Finally, when sun stroke started to look inevitable, we bagged it and motored back in. Our slip is in a dead end canal and I misjudged the first shot at backing into the slip. Things went off script when we pulled forward for another go. Unfortunately, this was the point where the heat caused the brain to completely lock up. I put on some forward way to edge away from the dock, then shifted to reverse and watched for the prop walk. Strangely, it didn't seem as as the stern were swinging as usual, so I added a touch more power. Still no swing, and the boat didn't want to slow down, so I gunned it hard to get her stopped.

At this point things seemed to be in slow motion and I remember the event as an observer hovering ten feet above the boat. It was then I noticed we were headed directly into a motoryacht in it's covered boat house. Hmmm...that's weird.....Why is the boat going forward at darn near hull speed when I have it in reverse????? The crew reacted as trained -- "When in danger, or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout". Their quick action did help break my trance as I pondered this strange set of events.

Oh wait, thats it, down is forward, UP IS REVERSE. I had apparently shifted the unfamiliar (and not entirely intuative) shifter to neutral, then without thinking slipped it back into forward, Yikes!!!! As my crew scrambled forward to try to fend off the impending collision, I actually got the boat into reverse and gave a good shot of power. Now the stern swung hard, almost into the bulkhead, but we did get stopped and were soon enough moving in the proper direction We got it solved, just before making our imprint on the boat house and a very expensive boat that was minding its own business. Too close!

Ever since this incident, part of the crew briefing is to inform the crew that the skipper will sound off with "Reversing" prior to backing up and they are to respond loudly that "Reverse is UP" in order to remind the dimwitted skipper. (Sure would have been simpler if they just built the shift control lever to move forward for forward and back for back.)

There were plenty of other "learning experiences" last season but this was the only one where I might have hurt something besides my own boat and/or pride so the memory is vivid. The learning points here were to know your boat and try to take a big picture look when it's not performing as expected. Secondary, is to be aware of what the environment is doing to you. The heat and humidity had really taken a toll and I was good for nothing but a dip in a cool pool at the point this occured. I should have recognized the situation sooner and gotten in before performance started to suffer. That said, I expect we'll make our share of mistakes (or more)again this year but the only way to learn is get out and do it. Have fun but recognize your on the steep part of the learning curve.

[sailhog]

I once hoisted my 780-pound wife up the mast to fix the sheave. Her weight drove the mast through the hull and sank the boat.

[sailortjk1]

Here's my story of embarrassment.

About 4 years ago we are putting the boat up for the season.
To get to our yard we have to first drop the mast than motor about 5 miles up a congested waterway. The Calumet River on the South Side of Chicago. The Calumet is the commercial port of Chicago; hence it is very busy with everything from Great Lakes Freighters to River Barges to pleasure craft.

As we were approaching the river entrance, I see a large 800ft. vessel entering about a mile ahead of us. I figure we will be stick behind him the whole trip down the river, well as it turns out, about two miles up river, he stops in mid channel and starts a docking maneuver. Now I must tell you that the Calumet River is very narrow with just enough room for passing vessels to clear each other.

So we wait for the freighter to dock, as there is no way for us to clear him while he is docking. He basically stopped in the dead center of the channel and used side thrusters to push him sideways onto his dock.

Well after he has pushed himself sideways out of the channel, I proceed to pass him and continue on our route.

As I begin I see a large barge coming upstream. I say to myself no problem, we have just enough room between the docked freighter and the barge, plenty of room.... right?

There was plenty of room, but the only problem was that the docked freighter still was using his thrusters to push him against the dock. His thrusters were creating an ebb in the water that was extremely powerful.

Did I mention that this was our older boat of only 25' and weighed about 5'000lbs?

Needless to say, we all met at the ebb in the water, the up bound barge and our little 25' vessel with very little room to spare. As we hit the current in the water caused by the freighter we are pushed to port almost directly into the path of the barge, I put the tiller hard over to starboard and am now headed directly at the docked freighter, back to port and straightened out I get our little vessel under control just in time as we pass the bow of the barge. No problem, we had about ten feet to spare.

The bowman on the barge gave me a quick pleasantry to which my wife replied, "Thank you very much," and said to me "Did you hear what he called you?" To which I responded, "Something about a crazy bastard. I just wanted you to get a good look at a fast moving barge."

How does that saying go? No harm no foul.

Live and learn.

[sailhog]

Just thought of another mistake: I once had congress with a goat.

[camaraderie]

Sailhog...I'll bet that Congress never passed no non-binding resolutions either..although I can think of a few goats in our present one too. It wasn't one of them was it??

[sailhog]

Cam,
Unlike the 103rd Congress, I used Polygrip. So, yes, it was binding. Just in case there are any kids reading this thread, I want to point out that it's not something I'm proud of...

[jr438234606]

Let's see, so many... where to begin?

1.) Left dock (or tried to) with shorepower still attached.

2.) Reefed WAY too late. (I actually repeated this mistake numerous times. After blowing out both sails, I finally "got it".)

3.) Raised main numerous times with sail ties still attached.

4.) Ran aground, in a shipping lane, at night, in 20 Knot winds, with all sails fully deployed, in the rain, and with at least 5ft seas. Hit a "Spoil" area. Thought "Spoil" meant it was merely a place that raw sewerage was discharged. Duh.

5.) Attempted to unfurl and furl the headsail at the same time on the same winch.

6.) While in a remote area, attempted to bleed the fuel lines of a Perkins 4.108 diesel without following the documented procedure.

7.) Decided to attach a small wooden block to the hull (below the water line) to mount a pump to. It made sense to use screws, which of course punched a hole through the hull.

8.) Sailed over 100 miles with the anchor partially submerged off the bow. Had left it out to clear the mud while we sailed for a few minutes. Of course, I forgot about it.

[sailhog]

johnr,
Did any of your mistakes produce newborns with little triangle beards? Didn't think so. I think I got you beat.
sailhog