how many fenders?

[Northern Star]

Just added a 6th one each side and the small one at the rear was on the boat originally but put a larger one on but it seemed to get pushed around the back too much.

 

[Daydream believer]

I've taught many people over the years how to tie a clove hitch. They might have a sudden panic when asked to do it for real the first time - but even with teenagers its not usually something you need to repeat more than once... perhaps you are teaching them badly? Often with knots people seem to want to show off how quick/clever/versatile THEY are with the knot they've been using for 40+ years and forget the aim is to help someone learn ONE really robust way to tie the knot.

I took one chap sailing who had his own gaff cutter. He was going to do a round UK trip so wanted to sail to the CIs with me to get some tips.He told me how he had recently been to the local school at the request of a teacher & gave a lesson to the kids on knot tying. The kids seemed to enjoy playing with the bits of rope & sticks he took along.
As we came to Boulogne I asked him to tie the fenders & use a clove hitch. I stopped looking at him because I was getting the stern line & some more fenders ready. When I looked, he was siting on the cabin, starring at the rail.
"what's up?" - "How do you tie a clove hitch to a wire?". Every port we went in to he just could not do it. Yet he had been showing kids how to tie knots in the classroom.
I have had others in the same situation. You tell them to do something & they get there & then sit as if in a trance. When challenged the say that they do not know what to do.
I cannot help replying " Well why the F.. did you not say so before you went forward to do it?"
" If you do not know how to do something b..y ask. It is my job to make sure that you know. I have no problem showing you. I will show you as many times as it takes. But do not sit there like a tosser staring into space"

 

[ylop]

I cannot help replying " Well why the F.. did you not say so before you went forward to do it?"
" If you do not know how to do something b..y ask. It is my job to make sure that you know. I have no problem showing you. I will show you as many times as it takes. But do not sit there like a tosser staring into space"

Do you ever wonder if your reaction is why people don't ask for more help/guidance.

 

[capnsensible]

I took one chap sailing who had his own gaff cutter. He was going to do a round UK trip so wanted to sail to the CIs with me to get some tips.He told me how he had recently been to the local school at the request of a teacher & gave a lesson to the kids on knot tying. The kids seemed to enjoy playing with the bits of rope & sticks he took along.
As we came to Boulogne I asked him to tie the fenders & use a clove hitch. I stopped looking at him because I was getting the stern line & some more fenders ready. When I looked, he was siting on the cabin, starring at the rail.
"what's up?" - "How do you tie a clove hitch to a wire?". Every port we went in to he just could not do it. Yet he had been showing kids how to tie knots in the classroom.
I have had others in the same situation. You tell them to do something & they get there & then sit as if in a trance. When challenged the say that they do not know what to do.
I cannot help replying " Well why the F.. did you not say so before you went forward to do it?"
" If you do not know how to do something b..y ask. It is my job to make sure that you know. I have no problem showing you. I will show you as many times as it takes. But do not sit there like a tosser staring into space"

I may have just found the reason that you sail alone......

 

[Daydream believer]

I may have just found the reason that you sail alone......

I already knew.
But to be honest, I am not clairvoyant. I cannot read minds. If they want to know something, say so. Most times I will go as far as I can to see they get it. But if they say nothing-- Well
.

 

[Daydream believer]

Do you ever wonder if your reaction is why people don't ask for more help/guidance.

So you would sit there staring in to space would you?
Just the sort one needs on a boat
You may as well butter the bread for the sandwiches when you are sitting below

 

[johnalison]

I took one chap sailing who had his own gaff cutter. He was going to do a round UK trip so wanted to sail to the CIs with me to get some tips.He told me how he had recently been to the local school at the request of a teacher & gave a lesson to the kids on knot tying. The kids seemed to enjoy playing with the bits of rope & sticks he took along.
As we came to Boulogne I asked him to tie the fenders & use a clove hitch. I stopped looking at him because I was getting the stern line & some more fenders ready. When I looked, he was siting on the cabin, starring at the rail.
"what's up?" - "How do you tie a clove hitch to a wire?". Every port we went in to he just could not do it. Yet he had been showing kids how to tie knots in the classroom.
I have had others in the same situation. You tell them to do something & they get there & then sit as if in a trance. When challenged the say that they do not know what to do.
I cannot help replying " Well why the F.. did you not say so before you went forward to do it?"
" If you do not know how to do something b..y ask. It is my job to make sure that you know. I have no problem showing you. I will show you as many times as it takes. But do not sit there like a tosser staring into space"

He probably only knew how to make a clove hitch and throw it over a bollard, for which it has some use. Most people do this by making two similar loops and crossing them into a clove hitch, which is fair enough. I find it more entertaining, on the rare occasions I do it by crossing my hands before grasping the line, which makes an instant hitch when the hands are uncrossed, which I have no doubt that most here already know.

 

[Daydream believer]

He probably only knew how to make a clove hitch and throw it over a bollard, for which it has some use. Most people do this by making two similar loops and crossing them into a clove hitch, which is fair enough. I find it more entertaining, on the rare occasions I do it by crossing my hands before grasping the line, which makes an instant hitch when the hands are uncrossed, which I have no doubt that most here already know.

You are possibly correct.
I was taught how to tie lots of knots in the boy scouts & have not forgotten the ones that I need.
I was going to make myself a nice knot board to hang on the wall & had most of the knots tied. Then one day I was on the viewing point at the Raz de Sein. There in the tourist shop was a really good knot board.
I bought it & when I proudly hung it on the wall at home, the wife said:-
" Lovely- but why is it written in FRENCH"

 

[ylop]

So you would sit there staring in to space would you?
Just the sort one needs on a boat
You may as well butter the bread for the sandwiches when you are sitting below

No but I try quite hard not to shout obscenities at people on my boat. I probably wouldn’t have specified the knot to someone who is supposedly experienced either - would it have been a crisis if he used whatever he normally does? Like a Round Turn and Two Half Hitches?

 

[johnalison]

No but I try quite hard not to shout obscenities at people on my boat. I probably wouldn’t have specified the knot to someone who is supposedly experienced either - would it have been a crisis if he used whatever he normally does? Like a Round Turn and Two Half Hitches?

I tell visitors that there are some things on the boat that matter, such as not putting your fingers into a loaded winch, and others that either follow tradition or are my preference. The way I tie my fenders or fasten to cleats are not uncommon but not universal, and I merely excuse my preference by saying that I prefer things this or that way because I might need to deal with them in a hurry and/or in the dark. I find that visitors generally understand and accept this with grace, or perhaps well-concealed resentment.

 

[Daydream believer]

No but I try quite hard not to shout obscenities at people on my boat. I probably wouldn’t have specified the knot to someone who is supposedly experienced either - would it have been a crisis if he used whatever he normally does? Like a Round Turn and Two Half Hitches?

Who said anything about shouting obcenities? You added that bit,not me.

 

[Daydream believer]

I tell visitors that there are some things on the boat that matter, such as not putting your fingers into a loaded winch, and others that either follow tradition or are my preference. The way I tie my fenders or fasten to cleats are not uncommon but not universal, and I merely excuse my preference by saying that I prefer things this or that way because I might need to deal with them in a hurry and/or in the dark. I find that visitors generally understand and accept this with grace, or perhaps well-concealed resentment.

I am the same & I expect that most skippers have their little foibles.

 

[capnsensible]

Who said anything about shouting obcenities? You added that bit,not me.

I cannot help replying " Well why the F.. did you not say so before you went forward to do it?"
" If you do not know how to do something b..y ask. It is my job to make sure that you know. I have no problem showing you. I will show you as many times as it takes. But do not sit there like a tosser staring into space"

 

[ylop]

Who said anything about shouting obcenities? You added that bit,not me.

Did you whisper post #62?

 

[Daydream believer]

I cannot help replying " Well why the F.. did you not say so before you went forward to do it?"
" If you do not know how to do something b..y ask. It is my job to make sure that you know. I have no problem showing you. I will show you as many times as it takes. But do not sit there like a tosser staring into space"

I did not shout I try not to shout unless there is a lot of periferal noise, such as high wind to be heard above. Shouting shows loss of control.
I learned that in business. You can still put venom, or light heartidness, in to the words, without screaming at the other party.
One can express that second sentence about asking, in two totally different ways. You have clearly assumed that I said it in an acrimonious one.

 

[SaltyC]

I cannot help replying " Well why the F.. did you not say so before you went forward to do it?"
" If you do not know how to do something b..y ask. It is my job to make sure that you know. I have no problem showing you. I will show you as many times as it takes. But do not sit there like a tosser staring into space"

Aah, maybe they need to be comfortable that their question / lack of knowledge will be met with explanation and assistance not derogatory comments??

 

[Stemar]

Whenever I'm in a position where I'm the person who's supposed to know what he's doing, at work, on the water or anywhere, one of my first rules is that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask, because you stay ignorant.

 

[capnsensible]

I did not shout I try not to shout unless there is a lot of periferal noise, such as high wind to be heard above. Shouting shows loss of control.
I learned that in business. You can still put venom, or light heartidness, in to the words, without screaming at the other party.
One can express that second sentence about asking, in two totally different ways. You have clearly assumed that I said it in an acrimonious one.

Oh well that's different. You swear at people but as long as you insult them in at a normal voice level, it's OK.....

 

[Daydream believer]

Oh well that's different. You swear at people but as long as you insult them in at a normal voice level, it's OK.....

You clearly do not understand.

 

[Daydream believer]

Whenever I'm in a position where I'm the person who's supposed to know what he's doing, at work, on the water or anywhere, one of my first rules is that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask, because you stay ignorant.

Which is why one needs to impress on them the need to ask it. One does not moan at them for asking. One tries to impress the implications for NOT asking.