Solo sail on the bay, started All wrong nice ending

[SimonV]

Well today is, Sunday the 17 Feb 2008, BF piked it, said he was feeling a little under the weather. Not me I was going for a sailing, solo. Put everything away down below, a quick trip to the bins to get rid of the empties and rubbish. Double check everything and headed out of the Marina. Head into the wind with the engine just over idle giving 3 knots (no auto pilot), lock the wheel and sprint to the mast grab main halyard and winch away, nothing. ... Realise the main halyard is still connected to the topping lift. Rush back to the wheel, unlock and correct course, try to release halyard shackle, but it is still under tension. Correct course lock wheel. Rush to the mast release halyard run to wheel correct course, lock wheel, remove halyard and take to mast attach to main. Rush back to the wheel correct course lock wheel, stagger to mast and pull up main. Main stops at the second spreaders won’t go up, will come down. Stumble to wheel correct course and study situation, whilst sucking in large quantities of air. Realise main halyard is on the wrong side of the lazy jack line. Lock wheel run to mast drop the main, redo halyard hoist main.... main only gets to the first spreaders (feel heart attack building). Pull on halyard harder. Engine revs, drop main as the third reefing line is around the engine controls. run to wheel correct course, untangle reef line move it out of the way lock wheel stumble to mast start to raise main reef line now hooked on stanchion gate, lower main shake boom while shouting a bad word or two, line come free sail goes up, stagger to cockpit, wait for the heart attack. After calming down and now doing 2.5 knots with just the main up, and a nice main it is, I get passed by a bout with about 10 people on it. Got to go faster ,so now I have my breath back and the throbbing between my ears has stopped it’s time to let out the Genoa, release the furler sheet and pull on the Genoa sheet, perfect, no winch handle, it is still on the mast. Luff up into the wind, pull the sheet in tight then bring her back off the wind and all is good with the world. Who needs a winch handle? I did go up and get it latter. And that was the bad part; the rest of the day was a great solo day with lots of tacking and just playing around. In fact, I think I will do it all again tomorrow as I had the biggest smile on my face once things got sorted.

Only a couple of pics as I kept myself quite busy.

[sailingdog]

ROFLMAO... I've long since learned to check and clear the halyards before setting off from the dock or anchor... It is a good habit to get into.

Nice hard dodger on the new to you boat.

[uspirate]

damn Simon, i got tired just reading that. looks like you got it under control. must be the longhorns cap, that will always save you! BTW the dodger looks good

[sailaway21]

Shoot, Simon. I've neeeeever done thaaat. (g)

Did the phrase, "I'm getting too old for this S***" cross your lips?

Glad you had fun. Forget about those people on that other boat-you OWN a boat and a damn fine one!

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by uspirate

damn Simon, i got tired just reading that. looks like you got it under control. must be the longhorns cap, that will always save you! BTW the dodger looks good

BJ
I left the bit out where that hatf came off and was laying half on the deck and the other half over the toe rail, it was a worthy save.

SD
I bet there are still times you forget stuff. I do know someone who shall remain nameless, who on tying his Genoa sheets led them back to the cockpit on the inside of the shrouds. only found out when we pulled out the Genoa. AND IT WAS NOT ME.

[Stillraining]

No Brit would have admitted to all that..Mate...Got to like thoes Oz's...

[chris_gee]

Gee Simon I didn't realise you were older than me. I thought you were a youngster or is that an after photo?

[whroeder]

I single hand most of the time. I partially unfurl the geni, kill the engine. The geni will keep the boat pointing to the wind but now I'm not moving much.
Now I have all the time in the world to go forward to raise the main when it gets caught, etc.

Reverse the procedure to lower. How are you going to cope if your out in a big blow?

[sailingdog]

Simon-

Why do you think I check things now... Last season, when we commissioned the boat, I forgot to put the lazy jacks back up... so we had to take the mast down to do that. Fortunately, taking the mast down on my boat is a very simple operation that I can do by myself.

Originally Posted by SimonV

SD
I bet there are still times you forget stuff. I do know someone who shall remain nameless, who on tying his Genoa sheets led them back to the cockpit on the inside of the shrouds. only found out when we pulled out the Genoa. AND IT WAS NOT ME.

[teshannon]

Think of all the exercise you got! You'll be talking about that one for years.