sailboat seamanship 203
“Your Call, Skipper”
You’re the skipper or most knowledgeable crewmember in each
of the following situations. What actions would you take?- “Skipper, the anchor shank seems to have a bit of a bend over to the
left side. Looks okay to me; just thought I’d mention it.” - “Skipper, I just checked those seacocks last night before we anchored.
Do we really need to check them again before sailing today?” - You’re sailing under full main and genoa in a moderate breeze. The
boat seems a bit sluggish, and you just don’t believe she’s reaching
her best speed. Name three things you might try to ramp up boat
speed and power. - You’re tacking up a narrow channel, and you alone are working both
headsail sheets. As the boat comes about, the leeward sheet jams into
an override. You have about 45 seconds to the next tack. What do you
do now? - With winds increasing, you’re starting to heel more. The helmsman
is white-knuckled, and weather helm is increasing. You don’t want to
reef just yet. What steps could you take to balance the boat and get
it back on its feet?
Answers - Turn the anchor into a lawn ornament or a large paper weight. In
any case, don’t cast off without replacing your anchor! - “Check ’em again, sailor!” Make sure they’re operational and leak-
free—each time, every time; before and after getting underway. - Check the luff of the mainsail. If it’s backwinding, ease the headsail.
Use the luff-and-sleep trim method. Match the mainsail and headsail
leech twist. After each adjustment, check your speed by observing
relative motion against the shoreline or your wake bubbles. - Pinch up to luff the headsail. Manually clear the override and rewrap
the turns. Fall back to the close-hauled course. After the next tack,
change the sheet lead angle. - Pinch up in the gusts to depower both sails. Move the mainsheet
traveler to leeward. Move the jib block aft one or two stops. Check
the helm. Reefing is the next step!