A skipper’s
prerogative
Terry Kemmann-LaneI’ve sailed with Keith on his boat at the end
of the season for years. This year, we laid up
the boat in Leros Marina, using the lazyline
and warps from the quarters to the pontoon.
This left the stern about 7ft from the pontoon.
We were all packed up and I had carried
the bags across the passerelle just at the
time that the taxi was due to take us to the
airport. The passerelle would not stay across
all winter; fortunately, there was one boat
between us and the quayside, so Keith said
he would cross the 2ft gap between boats
and alight on the quay that way.
I went aboard the adjacent boat and helped
pull the two together. Keith lent across and
grabbed the side lines and settled his feet
on his own toerail, where upon the two boats
began to part. Within a second, Keith was
horizontal, toes on toerail, hands on side
lines. It was clear he wouldn’t be able to
maintain this bridge long enough for me to
take a photo and his cries of ‘Do something!’
left me wondering what.
Then it came to me: if I got back on to
the quayside, I could push the neighbouring
boat out and thus close the gap. First efforts
simply made the two boats move away from
the shore as Keith acted as a solid horizontal
link. But I pushed harder with the risk that I’d
also become horizontal between the quay
and boat. Gradually they began to close
up, and Keith hinged into a ‘touch my toes’
stance and then made it from boat to shore.
Cherbourg reverse
Brian ClementsLong ago, when a Westerly 33 was thought
large, five friends and I chartered one from
Lymington. Our navigator failed to show so
it was down to me to find Cherbourg. Young,
confident and inexperienced, I found the
port after an uneventful night passage.
Then it unravelled. Entering the Grande
Rade, a strong south-easterly headed us as
we looked to cross to the marina. We motored,
furling the sails, but the wind checked our
course. Alarmed, we dropped our anchor,
engaging forward gear to ease the strain
on the ground tackle. The anchor dragged;
the harbour wall neared. Our first flare failed.
The second soared over Cherbourg, landing
on the harbour lookout tower, startling its
occupants. The French Navy came, towing us
the short distance to the marina.
Next morning, a writ arrived, keeping us in
harbour until payment of salvage. The charter
firm advised flight. We sought the Lloyd’s
Insurance Agent instead. Release was
secured with promise of payment of the
salvage claim. A visit to the admiral saw
removal of the writ with an apology that
payment helped keep the French fleet at sea.
Back on board, my crew had solved the
problem of the night before – the gear
linkage had reversed.A humble apology
Colin LangfordMy wife and I were at a boat show looking at
our dream coastal cruiser. We removed our
shoes before stepping on board as is custom
and left a few bags of stuff we’d bought at
the show with them. Hours later, having left
the boat and taken all our bags, we stopped
to consolidate our purchases. My wife looked
in one bag and then looked at me accusingly.
‘I didn’t see you get a new pair of shoes...’
‘I didn’t!’ I protested.
‘Then why are your old ones in here?’
Only they weren’t mine. We’d picked
up one too many bags on leaving the boat,
one of which another of the viewers had
stored their shoes for safekeeping. If the
person who had to walk around the show
in stockinged feet is reading this, I apologise.Email [email protected] Post Confessions, Yachting Monthly, Time Inc. (UK) Ltd,
Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF
Send us your stories in less than 200 wordsTHE CONFESSIONAL
OWN UP TO YOUR SAILING SINS
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