SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Engine please don't fail me now!!!!

3K views 16 replies 15 participants last post by  JonEisberg 
#1 ·
#6 ·
Yes, the skipper (or helmsman) is pretty damned good. But, he was still very lucky things didn't go very badly. He may have managed to get away with it that time, but a prudent skipper would have waited for better conditions. The next time may not turn out so well.
 
#10 ·
This one was posted here almost a year ago. What gets me is the genius who was standing on the foredeck. I suppose he was yelling, "I'm the king of the world!"

I have absolutely no offshore experience, and I am sure I would be scared sh!tless to be out there in those conditions, but everything I've read says to get away from land in situations like that. The saddest thing to me is that the captain's success that time could encourage him to try it again next time.
 
#13 ·
Given the choice of staying out there or trying for the harbor, I don't know which I would have chosen. I am impressed by the way the captain played the waves, that last one rode him right in. I agree that the toughest part might have been avoiding that obstruction to starboard once inside the breakwater.

Mike
 
#14 · (Edited)
Rarely does one see a better example affirming the old saying, "I'd rather be lucky than good…"

I'll give the skipper the benefit of the doubt, and concede he may have had some compelling motive to make that entry in those conditions… but IMHO he appears to have exercised extraordinarily poor judgment, I would certainly decline to go to sea with such a captain…

Making a downwind approach in breaking/cresting seas to such an entry verges on the suicidal. Once that boat started to surf, they were simply along for the ride, and he was fortunate indeed to have been able to apply such effective steerage in water so intensely aerated… Had they been aboard a less responsive design, in all probability they would have broached right into the weather breakwater, and chances are that moron on the foredeck would be dead…

The only way, in my opinion, to have approached that entry was from downwind, motorsailing close-hauled with a deeply reefed main or trysail. Carefully forereaching into a position close to the entrance, observing the pattern of the seas to windward, biding your time until an opportune lull, then turning sharply for the entrance when the moment seemed right….

Granted, there doesn't appear to be too much sea room to leeward off Svenske Havn in those conditions:


But still, a more sensible approach could have been made by basically heaving-to slightly downwind or abeam of the entrance, and crabbing or "feathering" one's way into an approach…

But, to this particular armchair sailor, what really speaks volumes about the foolhardiness of this skipper and crew is the total absence of either life jackets or safety harnesses among them, as best I can tell from the video… I'll be the first to admit, I can be pretty lax about their use at times, but unquestionably that situation clearly calls for everyone on deck to be clipped in… (Hell, I would have preferred to see everyone but the helmsman and perhaps a "spotter" watching the seas astern to have been placed belowdecks for that approach, but that's probably just me) Not to mention, I can't imagine what would compel a skipper to permit the completely needless presence of one of the crew at the bow in such a situation, and the fact that he appeared to be un-tethered absolutely boggles the mind…
 
#16 ·
It's not that hard really :) Just take big balls. The scary part is aligning the boat in the gap, without ****ting our pants, but he had the current from the back.

I docked in 28 knots / 35 gusts in a tight spot, last week coming back from a week-end on the gulf, port was sporting a red flag (no boats allowed to go out), with an undersized prop and lazy tired diesel in need of overhaul. Still, big props to the skipper, nicely done.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top