Recently reading the "And What Went Wrong" posting in the home builders section I thought it might be amusing to start a posting on our "and what went wrong" during our outings on the water. You may read the postings and feel a little better that these things don't just happen to you or perhaps guard against the event and learn from other people’s mistakes. I don't mind airing my eventful day yesterday on Rutland Water.
Arrived at Rutland, boat lock keys not in the car, jacked up trailer and managed to change the wheel with spare and remove the now thought through useless wheel clamp.
Rigged boat before launch, boom clipped to mast, topping lift released from mast and taken to rear of boom, topping lift pulled to lift boom, forgot to clip it on, and disappeared up the mast.
Launched boat onto the slip, turned her round, rigged stern and bow lines, parked car and trailer, back to boat, rudder down, centreboard down, tank filled, mizzen and jib rigged. Blowing a good 5 so two reefs in the main decided upon. Released the stern line to let her get head to wind, bow line rigged to slip (looped over the two horns of the cleat and back to the boat. Main up tying in the reefs oblivious to everything else whilst tying in the reefs with the sail thrashing about, next thing I hear is the boat grounding on the beach next to the pontoon, you guessed it the bow line had slipped from the cleat.
Hurriedly I pushed the boat off the beach (to save my embarrassment) pulled her back to the pontoon with the bow line, guided her along the pontoon and stepped onto the boat as she glided along and sailed into the creek, whilst in the creek set the tiller with the tamer and tidied the remaining main with the reefing points before the wind hit me in the main body of the water, almost ran into the training pontoon in the middle of the creek. There's a lot of wind out there, is the call from the guy behind me in a Macgregor 26, he too had a double reef in his main, full tanks I shout back and double reef should be ok.
In the main body of Rutland now, she is flying along with double reef, jib and mizzen, the wind is howling and the waves a good 3 foot high, I love it and as usual the boat is behaving impeccably.
Tacked my way up to the South Shore sailing club and the only two boats out with me have turned back one of them being the Macgregor. Down to the nature reserve, run back and then have a calmer reach down the North leg I pencilled in. Well we continued the beat with the gunwales just above the water, the boat crashing through significant waves (for a reservoir) and a very wet ride, and yes I was still enjoying myself. I’m now over canvassed I conclude so let’s bring her around and carefully ease the sheets to get her on a broad reach (didn’t fancy a full run with this wind). So all went much quieter the wind was on our starboard stern quarter and the mizzen set around 45 degrees. So with some sea room still left I planned my gybe, slowly pulling in the main, maintaining course, around we go, just as I put the tiller over the mizzen sheet slips through the camcleat, stops at the knot and puts the mizzen now at 180 degrees pointing up the boat, around comes the main and the boom jams hard up against the mizzen sail. I can’t spill the main, the boat heels over, the mizzen mast is bending worryingly and I’m making a lot of leeway to the shore. Can’t release the mizzen, can’t bear away, must get her head to wind and get the pressure of the mizzen then I can get the mizzen back and bring her under control again (fortunately at that point the boom lifted as I pulled her round and it rode over the mizzen.
No visible damage, I head for a part of the water where I know I can get to shelter from the wind and I get head to wind with the tiller set and the mizzen central and jib loose. I release the main halyard pull her down quickly and untie the bowline on the head, hold it in my teeth while I stuff the main under the foredeck. And yes you guessed it the wind pulled the halyard out of my mouth and it flew off at 45 degrees to the boat.
Now under jib and mizzen she behaved wonderfully, and I was still doing over 5 kns through the water, back to the pontoon, perfect approach and tied her up.
Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed my little outing, the mizzen I’m afraid has done this before but not in such a dramatic fashion, I did once apply the mod listed in the forum which prevents the 180 degree rotation but unfortunately you lose the ability to use the mizzen to help tack the boat. Going to work on the mod to see if I can implement it and when required be able to “back it” for assisted tacking.
PS
I’m not usually this inept at sailing Joybells, just “one of those days” I thought I would share with you and lighten your autumn day.
Peter Cockerton