Boarding a vacant boat without permission

[Praxinoscope]

My solution is to lower it and stow* it below.

* Just chuck it down below while still furled - can be very quickly and easily hoisted up through the hatch and reattached - or jus dumped on the foredeck. This is quicker, easier and more effective than any complicated procedure with ties, wrapping with another halyard (which will develop a twist) and anything else.

Interesting, I would like to see a demonstration of getting a furled Genoa off the furling gear, I think Inwill stick to the double wrap of sheets ( which has served me well in a variety of situations) and the addition of a sail tie if it looks like a really strong blow coming in.

 

[Poignard]

Interesting, I would like to see a demonstration of getting a furled Genoa off the furling gear, I think Inwill stick to the double wrap of sheets ( which has served me well in a variety of situations) and the addition of a sail tie if it looks like a really strong blow coming in.

I suppose it could be done if you had a Wykeham-Martin furling gear.

 

[westernman]

Interesting, I would like to see a demonstration of getting a furled Genoa off the furling gear, I think Inwill stick to the double wrap of sheets ( which has served me well in a variety of situations) and the addition of a sail tie if it looks like a really strong blow coming in.

This is what my furler looks like:-

Davey Wykeham Martin Furling Gear Drum Size 4

 

[Praxinoscope]

This is what my furler looks like:-

Davey Wykeham Martin Furling Gear Drum Size 4

But this a furling system not a reefing system, The Wykeham Martin system doesn’t use an aluminium extrusion to hold the luff but relies upon a strong luff wire, so naturally you can drop your Genoa relatively easily compared to the more common ’reefing‘ system

 

[noelex]

I have boarded a few boats to stop them from dragging.

 

[Poignard]

Talking of unwelcome boarders, a couple I know have one of those yachts with a quarter berth featuring a window into the cockpit.

Late one night, in a Solent marina, they were awoken by a grunting noise.

Peering through the window the wife observed a naked male backside rhythmically rising and falling as its owner gave a young lady "a good seeing to".

 

[johnalison]

Talking of unwelcome boarders, a couple I know have one of those yachts with a quarter berth featuring a window into the cockpit.

Late one night, in a Solent marina, they were awoken by a grunting noise.

Peering through the window the wife observed a naked male backside rhythmically rising and falling as its owner gave a young lady "a good seeing to".

We moored next to a charming German couple on Rugen once. They had spent the previous night in Dasser Ort, which is a quiet 'naturhaven'. They were in the separate aft cabin and heard some rumblings in the main cabin. When they investigated they found a sub-adult fox checking on their food supplies. The fox soon scarpered but left behind a brown thank-you note.

 

[dunedin]

I have from time to time seen furled genoas damaged in high winds in spite of having a sheet wrap, since this leave such a long stretch of sail unprotected. My solution is to wrap the jib with the spinnaker halyard tightly wound in a spiral in the opposite direction to the furled sail.

We have left a furled genoa up through at least 15 Scottish winters, and the furled sail has survived at least 4 sustained F10+ severe gales in that time.
I am certainly a believer in at least three full turns of the sheets round the sail. But the key IMHO is how you furl the sail in the first place. For a “harbour stow” we keep a lot of tension in the jib sheets when furling, and once or twice lock off the sheets and pull the furling line as tight as physically possible before continuing. This ensures the top of the sail is really tightly furled, ato avoid the wind getting in.
But after going on board 2 other boats to recover flogging sails, I added an additional safety feature. Not a sail tie, as the sheets cover that, but a rope on the drum wrapped round twice and tied to the pulpit. This is after the two other boats had neatly stowed sails, but the reefing lines had chafed through or slipped in the jammer.

 

[westernman]

But this a furling system not a reefing system, The Wykeham Martin system doesn’t use an aluminium extrusion to hold the luff but relies upon a strong luff wire, so naturally you can drop your Genoa relatively easily compared to the more common ’reefing‘ system

Nobody has mentioned reefing in this thread!

 

[dunedin]

Nobody has mentioned reefing in this thread!

No but 99% of genoas unfurling in a gale will be those fitted on a roller reefing head foils, as Whkeham Martin non reefing gear is so rare these days.
Taking my jib off and folding is a near impossible task solo, and certainly over 2 hours to refit so ain’t going to happen when the boat is still being used.

 

[westernman]

No but 99% of genoas unfurling in a gale will be those fitted on a roller reefing head foils, as Whkeham Martin non reefing gear is so rare these days.
Taking my jib off and folding is a near impossible task solo, and certainly over 2 hours to refit so ain’t going to happen when the boat is still being used.

When I am leaving the boat, I take it off, but do not fold it. I just lower the long snake down below. It fills up the cabin, so I will raise it up and dump it on the deck if needed, or hoist it back up if I am taking the boat out.

Unrolling it to fold it properly is a PITA.

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

I suppose the fear is that you will be accused of causing the damage that you are trying to rectify rather than trespass.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Nobody has mentioned reefing in this thread!

I think that may be because the majority on this thread have roller reefing on head foils, which is commonly referred to as ‘furling’, the WM furling gear is relatively rare, in fact I have only seen it on about 10 boats over the last 40 years, ( but that may be I just don’t look for it).

 

[johnalison]

We have left a furled genoa up through at least 15 Scottish winters, and the furled sail has survived at least 4 sustained F10+ severe gales in that time.
I am certainly a believer in at least three full turns of the sheets round the sail. But the key IMHO is how you furl the sail in the first place. For a “harbour stow” we keep a lot of tension in the jib sheets when furling, and once or twice lock off the sheets and pull the furling line as tight as physically possible before continuing. This ensures the top of the sail is really tightly furled, ato avoid the wind getting in.
But after going on board 2 other boats to recover flogging sails, I added an additional safety feature. Not a sail tie, as the sheets cover that, but a rope on the drum wrapped round twice and tied to the pulpit. This is after the two other boats had neatly stowed sails, but the reefing lines had chafed through or slipped in the jammer.

I agree that a sail in good condition and tightly furled should not be at risk. I don’t routinely halyard-wrap mine unless bad weather is expected, but I double-lock the furling line.

 

[Bilgediver]

I'd love to know what marina that was. If a marina manager doesn't like the sound of slapping halyards he's in the wrong job.

Did anybody pay up??

It is the landlubber neighbours who complain to the marina manager! He then passes on the complaints or deals with the noisy offenders.

 

[Frogmogman]

Yes, a sail tie is very effective at preventing it unrolling .

Q. How do I know this?

A. I have more than once motored out of a port and found I could not unroll the genoa because I had forgotten to remove the sail tie. ?

Been there. Done that.

 

[dgadee]

It’s amazing the numbers that don’t, I always continue to wrap the Genoa until at least two turns of sheet have wrapped around it.
If really high winds are forecast then I have a blue ‘Westaway‘ sail tie that I use to added security.

( Does anyone else have trouble with the predictive text on the forum? I had to re-type a couple of words three times before I could get the words I wanted on the above short post)

The law of trespass exists and is well developed. I had a stupid neighbour who claimed that it didn't. I responded by saying I would have a rave in her garden.

 

[Praxinoscope]

^^

The law of trespass exists and is well developed. I had a stupid neighbour who claimed that it didn't. I responded by saying I would have a rave in her garden.

Sorry, maybe I am being very thick, but I don’t see the relevance of #77 to my post #27,

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I have heard of such an attitude over there. Whether I would be negligent in not jumping in to rescue someone in the water, I don’t know, but I believe that one can’t stand idly by while someone is at serious risk, or even likely to split an infinitive. I think the whole attitude, although no doubt well meant, is a bit Napoleonic, and I would guess that it has zero effect on the outcome of emergencies.

Since there is no law of trespass, I have never concerned myself when the need to board other boats has arisen, for the usual reasons, or even to leave a thank you note or bottle. A lawyer will no doubt confirm or deny, but I think that all anyone can do is sue you for damages.

The UK doesn't even have a Good Samaritan law (Good Samaritan law - Wikipedia) unlike most of Europe, never mind one for property. Maybe one wasn't needed in earlier times but I reckon it is now.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The UK doesn't even have a Good Samaritan law (Good Samaritan law - Wikipedia) unlike most of Europe, never mind one for property. Maybe one wasn't needed in earlier times but I reckon it is now.

Doesn't Maritime Salvage legislation cover it?