We have all heard about Murphy\u2019s Law, \u201cwhatever can go wrong, will go wrong,\u201d however, the truth is that Murphy was an optimist, and that was his downfall. There was a lack of preparation and planning on Murphy\u2019s part that caused a test he was responsible for to go totally wrong. Sadly, it\u2019s like that on boats quite often.<\/p>\n
Listening to channel 16 on the VHF on a \u201cbusy day on the bay\u201d Saturday can be quite an educational experience. Yesterday was a great example. There were a lot of boats out on the bay, too little experience on the part of some of the captains, and a good amount of wind. Added together you have a recipe for disaster. The Coast Guard got called with \u201cemergencies\u201d several times. The one that caught my attention was a 54\u2019 sailboat that had lost all steering. The Coast Guard ran through the normal questions. What is your location? Just South of Angel Island (with the wind blowing from the South). How many persons on board? Seven. Does everyone have a life jacket on? Yes. Are you in immediate danger? The captain responded, rather tentatively, \u201cNot for about 15 minutes.\u201d Vessel Assist came on the radio about this time advising they were in the area and would respond. A few minutes later, the boat safely in tow, the danger was past.<\/p>\n
What does all this have to do with Murphy? Preparation, planning, and practice. There are things that can be done to steer a vessel without rudder control.\u00a0\u00a0 The sails for example can be used to steer a boat. In this case, the sails were down. Get them up and use them. Trim the main and ease the jib \u2026 the boat turns to windward (you can actually do a tack this way). Ease the main and trim the jib \u2026 the boat turns to leeward (don\u2019t try to jib this way). Is there something that can be rigged as an emergency \u201ctiller?\u201d Check out books like Chapman\u2019s and the Annapolis Book of Seamanship. Both have some great ideas, and we have copies in the office for your use.<\/p>\n
Now to the point of this tip. There are generally\u00a0things that can be done, however, the middle of an emergency on a 43\u2019 boat is not the time to miraculously come up with a solution. Plan for and practice what you would do. To learn using the sails to steer, take a Capri out and practice it in Marina Bay. Then take a 30\u2019 to 32\u2019 boat out and practice in a safe area. Keep building on the skill \u2026 bigger boat \u2026 more challenging wind and sea conditions. I have on a couple of occasions sailed back from the San Francisco city front never touching the wheel. Preparation, planning, and practice are what get you through when Murphy\u2019s Law rears its ugly head \u2026 and it will.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We have all heard about Murphy\u2019s Law, \u201cwhatever can go wrong, will go wrong,\u201d however, the truth is that Murphy was an optimist, and that was his downfall. There was a lack of preparation and planning on Murphy\u2019s part that … Continue reading