Sail without a paddle?

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by AdamLein

Is it paddles or anchors, as in, either would suffice, or do you need both?

One or the other.

Equipment - Safe Boating Guide - TP 511 E - Marine Safety Publications - Marine Safety - Marine Transportation - Transport Canada

Above 9 meter, anchors are required.

[jackdale]

BTW - we teach docking under sail in the CYA Advanced and ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore courses. Last September we had to dock a 50 foot Beneteau under sail at Pender Harbour when the engine overheated. We had enough wind from the right direction. We also had the anchor ready to go, just in case.

[johnnyandjebus]

dborck

This reply isn't directed at you but more of a general comment.

I can't count the number of times I have seen boats come into harbour with the jib put away and the main covered up, I shake my head every time. Keep your sails at the ready at all times, more your jib than the main as it can be more easily spilled of wind when needed.
I can't count the number of times I have seen boats travel parallel/between 2 piers , more often than not close to the down wind pier. No room to maneuver when things go bad.

As to the engine dieing am I correct in saying that more often than not once an engine is running and warmed up, it's chances of dieing are slim. In other words an engine that will not start is more likely than an engine that will quit once warmed up? It has been mentioned here that bad gas has caused engines to die, fair enough. Was this truely bad gas or a filter system that has not been maintained as much as it could be. Again I am not trying to direct that comment at anyone just a general question to the masses.


I have had to sail the boat in under sail several times due to a engine that was troublesome to start. The cause of my troubles? Me
First time was a bad/weak electrical connection that I knew about and ignored for too long.
The second time, my engine needs it's valves adjusted once a year, again I had neglected this. After safely tie'ing up to my slip I adjusted the valves and the engine fired right up.

As to oars? don't know but I suspect a good handheld VHF and a vigilant marina staff will go further than oars.

John

p.s I have a contessa 26, about 5400 pounds dry weight, I can't imagine a set of oars that would be useful in anything more than zero wind conditions, with that said I have never tried so I could be proven wrong.

[dbrock010]

This is all very useful information! Thank you.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by johnnyandjebus

p.s I have a contessa 26, about 5400 pounds dry weight, I can't imagine a set of oars that would be useful in anything more than zero wind conditions, with that said I have never tried so I could be proven wrong.

I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about sails. The mainsail cover comes off and goes on at the dock. The main halyard is attached at the dock and taken off at the return to the dock. No exceptions; that includes being anchored or on a mooring ball - no sail cover.

If there is a breeze and you have to get to a dock, get to any dock if your slip is infeasible. Folks will understand, they may tow you back to your slip.

[jaschrumpf]

I humbly suggest you practice a skill more known among cowboys than sailors: lassoing.

Many is the time I've made an impromptu lasso from a line with a small bowline at one end and tossed a loop around a nearby piling. Sure, if the wind is up a bit it gets harder, but it's still a skill worth having; and a heavier line will cut through a bit of wind better than a light line.

With a bit of practice one can easily lasso a piling from ten feet away, which would normally be like the other side of the moon if no one was there to catch it for you.

Obviously this isn't going to help you if you're out in the fairway when your engine dies, but sometimes docking is a game of feet, and if your iron genny dies right outside your slip and you can toss a line around one of your slip's pilings, you might just save the day.

[tager]

A bilge board lashed to a boat hook worked pretty well for me. 2 nautical miles in 6 hours. Dead wind and ebbing tide.

[PeterSailer]

Once my motor stop in the middle of the little channel of the marina (~15 feet wide) .

I couldn't drop the anchor there...
I hadn't time to raise the sails.
And I had no oars.

I got in the marina by sculling with the rudder were I had enough space to anchor but this was with a nordica 16.... wich is really small.

I don`t know if it would be possible with a 26 feet sailboat, especially if there is any wind.

[AdamLein]

Originally Posted by jaschrumpf

you can toss a line around one of your slip's pilings, you might just save the day.

Sounds like a great idea... somehow most of the marinas in my area don't have pilings at every slip, or even at particularly many of the slips. My marina has pilings every few slips, but they're at the "inner" end, where there's lots of other masts and such in the way

[billangiep]