[davekrista]

We were supposed to get our first sailing lesson today with my husbands friends, but we had to cancel. Yesterday I had mentioned to my husband that I was in the mood to go fishing. I was going to go the the lake/damn we have up the street. He said "well we have a boat so why do we motor out a bit and drop anchor and fish off our boat." So I went and got my fishing license then we headed out.

Long story short, him and my daughter rowed the dinghy out and on the way to the dock the shear pin broke off and they got stuck half way. Had to call sea tow and got towed back to the mooring. The cpt of sea tow told dave it was probably the shear pin and west marine was up the street and he could be up and running in about 10 min. He was right...

We got running and went out past the hurricane barrier and it was kind of rough and dave didn't feel comfortable dropping anchor so we headed back and was going to fish from the mooring. On the way back the motor kept cutting out. We had plenty of gas she he wasn't sure what the issue was. Luckily it started up after a few pulls every time. BUT.. from the pulling the pull rope got frayed and broke. Not once but twice. We had to tie the pieces together each time as a temporary fix.

Finally get tied up to the mooring and do a little fishing. Not everyone fits in the dinghy at the same time so dave had to make a few trips. Forgot to mention that while fixing the motor he lost an oar, so he had to paddle with 1 oar each time.

After making 2 trips and dropping off the kids at the dock, on his way back to get me and the baby, his remaining oar broke. The paddle part snapped off and sank.

So now i'm "stuck" at the mooring with the baby, 19 months and cranky because she wants to go bye bye.. and he is stuck in the dinghy going with the current right for the bridge.

Another call to sea tow!!! Finally they get up all to the docks... Now we had to cancel the lessons for today, but I think we learned we need a second set of backup oars and we need to get the motor running 100%.. I thought i had seen somewhere that sells floating oars? I thought ours were supposed to float but apparently they didn't... You can read the "long" version on our blog http://cptdaver.blogspot.com/

 

[joethecobbler]

welcome to boating.
Hang in there, the more and more frequently you "go out" the better versed and prepared you will become.
Unless you get discouraged and just quit.
wooden oars float,and you can make them yourself.

 

[davekrista]

welcome to boating.
Hang in there, the more and more frequently you "go out" the better versed and prepared you will become.
Unless you get discouraged and just quit.
wooden oars float,and you can make them yourself.

Thanks for the tip on the oars. I think ours were aluminum or something. Live and learn I guess. So much different than a motor boat that is for sure.

If you asked us yesterday, we were ready to "quit" but today is a new day and we are looking at it as a learning experience. Can't wait to get the kinks ironed out and get our lessons.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

See? Now you realise you do not need the lessons! You can F it up all by yourselves!





It does get better.

I am just procrastinating for 5 minutes before I go unblock one of the toilets.
What would you prefer... Unblocking the heads, or an excuse to call your Hubbie a goose for the next 25 dinner parties?


Mark

 

[zedboy]

Dave & Krista,

Stick with it. Our first season boating with little kids (at the time, 2, 4 & 6) was full of "learning experiences" - but we managed to iron them all out, and continued having a blast for three more summers in Ontario. After a transatlantic move, one of the few things the kids really miss about Canada was having a boat - we'll have to work on that here.

 

[vega1860]

"Mama said there'd be days like this
"there'll be days like this" my Mama said...

It could be worse. It could be raining.

 

[Puddin'_Tain]

"Mama said there'd be days like this
"there'll be days like this" my Mama said...

It could be worse. It could be raining.

 

[capecodda]

We've all had an equivalent day, and most of us more than once. No crew missing, no boats sunk. You did fine!

 

[PaulinVictoria]

On the sea trial for my first boat, the prop on the loaner motor fell off when we started it up to come back in. We all have those days

 

[Sal Paradise]

Yep. Been there, done that.

 

[davekrista]

Well it feels good knowing we aren't the only ones who have had a day like that. Good to know we are "on the right track"

 

[Skipper Jer]

Did anyone lose an eye? No? How about a finger or a toe? Again no? Hmmmm. Ok, anyone
bleed? Its not a good day on the water unless you bleed. Again no? Your story sounds like
a typical day out there. Like a famous captain said, "If anythings gonna happen, its gonna happen out there."

 

[davekrista]

Did anyone lose an eye? No? How about a finger or a toe? Again no? Hmmmm. Ok, anyone
bleed? Its not a good day on the water unless you bleed. Again no? Your story sounds like
a typical day out there. Like a famous captain said, "If anythings gonna happen, its gonna happen out there."

Ha Ha funny you should mention blood. Dave did end up bleeding. He doesn't know when it happened. He thinks it was when we were trying to tie up to the mooring and he went flying because of the current...

We can laugh at it now, but not yesterday... live and learn.

 

[davekrista]

Oh wow, I looked up the wind speed for yesterday and according to Sail Flow it was at 28.7 knots.

 

[hellosailor]

krista-
" on the oars. I think ours were aluminum "
That's the answer to the whole day, right there. With boats you can't "think" you have to know. If you make any assumptions--they will come back to bite you.

Shear pin? There's always supposed to be a spare, in the engine cowl or someplace equally close to where it will be needed. Sometimes, two spares because that way, you'll never need either of them. That's just the way things work.

Oars? You lose one, you use the other as a paddle. You don't know if they float? So, you hold one in the water to find out and make sure. Oars get lost, some folks put a leash on them to make that harder. (From the oar to the oarlock.) Some carry a spare oar, or two, secured to the inside of the boat.

But this is sailing, and boating. It forces you to pay attention to the world around you, and either you develop situational awareness, or you learn to play golf instead.

 

[jimgo]

Think of all the issues you identified in a single day. Any one of them could have ruined a given day. By having them all happen at once, you've eliminated them as sources of problems in the future.

Or at least that's what I keep telling myself when I have those days/weeks/months.

 

[CalebD]

With 28 knots of wind it was not a great day for an easy sailing lesson on your 22' Seafarer, but you seem to have learned a lot anyway.
I'm pretty sure that I (re)learn something every time I go out for a sail and it is the mistakes one makes that are the most instructive.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. ... Those who
fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them.

 

[Frogwatch]

Kept looking for the bad part but never found it in the original post.

 

[trantor12020]

Sailing fun won't happen before maintenance fund.

 

[azguy]

We see thee posts from time to time and I'm always surprised at the responses. I understand everyone is being nice and supportive but these people shouldn't be alone on the water, never mind is 25+ knot winds.

We kill people on this board for wanting to sail or even slip without insurance but heck go out with little to no sailing experience in 25+ knot winds and we are all nice and fuzzy.

If they had bounced off your boat, you'd be singing a different tune.