Nervous? Paranoid? Anxious?

[MedDreamer]

Well the season is rapidly approaching and we are all looking forward to a wonderful relaxing time on the water.

In truth however how relaxed are you? Do you genuinely relax at the helm of your boat or are you always on higher alert anticipating something going wrong?

Admittedly I am still a relative newbie (only about 100 hours in total) and as my outdrive doesn't seem to be able to go five miles without eating itself (now sorted I hope) perhaps I have more reason than most to be anxious but even the more experienced skippers I speak too still seem to have the same "stage fright".

I suppose hightened awareness is no bad thing as we are doing something that has the potential to be dangerous but does it affect you?

Martyn

 

[iangrant]

It is an easy state of mind to get into, especially if things mechanical go pop. However, I can confess it took me a long time to become "comfortable" at sea, a long time to realise that the boat can float just as well out of harbour as in the marina, and lets face it the only real dangers in a breakdown are drifting into a shipping lane or a rocky shore. The second of which we can avoid with a decent anchor.
If you are in local waters then subscribe to sea start for peace of mind and enjoy your boat, the more you use it the better it will be.

Good luck

Ian

 

[hlb]

Know the feeling well, but I only feel like that these days if going far from land. Listening to the engines, which seem to have a different sound when ever I move my head. Years ago whilst crossing to Ireland with just the gps position showing, I used to get the distinced feeling that I was going the wrong way. Apparently every one has a left hand biase? So the tendancy is to try to go round in circles. With a chart plotter and auto pilot it feels much more reasuring for some reason.

Mind, with the times I've broke down, maybe I should worry!!

 

[Blackfeather]

I'm never anything other than nervous and preoccupied when at sea. I sometimes wonder why I do it.

In no particular order the thoughts in my mind are:

>Do the engines sound right

>Are the bilge pumps working

> what's the weather doing

> where are the lobster pots

>Is that fuel clean

>did I check the forecast enough times, ie more than 6

> shouldn't I really be working rather than doing this

>Is there really a god

>will Leeds Utd get back into the Premiership

>Why does the word lisp have an S in it

>At what point in my life did women stop finding me attractive, and did they ever

 

[tcm]

Re: going round in circles

hm. On our boat in bay of biscay, it felt downhill when we set off and then uphill towards the french coast. Weird.

Anyway, in order to feel less worried, invite people on board who are more likely to be worried on account of their clumsiness or their boaty experiencedness. That way you contract out the worry, and can behave in a much more devil-may-care manner.

 

[hlb]

Re: going round in circles

Yep. Thats right. Once took a bloke down, who had been talking about his Sea Witch for years. Minute I put the throttles forwards, he shouted from below. TAKE ME HOME!! Then we hit this big wave and stopped dead. There was a lot of moaning coming from below. He'd been stood by the back door, trying to close it, Frightened that the water would come in. Anyway we found him and the carpet down the cellar (Cant spell Lazerety thingy) Cos the door shot open and he fell in!!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I think it depends on how much experience you have with a particular boat. I find I need a season or more with a boat and a few longish trips before I have enough confidence in her to feel relaxed about a trip. You need to be able to recognise the different sounds she makes, particularly the difference in engine noise between a following and a head sea and you need to trust the way she behaves in varying sea conditions
But, I think you're right. A little nervousness is a good think, keeps you alert and makes you think about the what-if scenarios

 

[MedDreamer]

Re: going round in circles

As we are now on a proper sea I decided last year that I needed to carry out a full safety briefing; use of lifejackets, mayday, flares, MOB etc.

Did this for the first time when we had friends out last Spring - result - nervous wrecks. I could see them visibly change as the realisation that the sea can be dangerous sank in.

I thought I did it in a relaxed enough manner, but I think I still need to refine my technique /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Martyn

 

[Eightball]

HI WELL MATE I THINK WE ALL GET THAT WAY WITH SOME BOATS THEY ARE A PAIN YOU FINEDTHAT IF YOU HAVE AN ON GOING PROBLEM YOU CAN NOT RELAX IHAVE JUST GOT RID OF ONE THAT WAS A REAL PAIN NEVER WENT ANY WHERE WITH OUT DOING SOME THINGTO GIVE ME THE WILYS SO I BOUGHT MY OLD BOAT BACK AND CAN NOW RELAX AGAIN . WE DO NOT HAVE LAY UPS HERE AS OUR WEATHER IS USUALY FINE ALL YEAR ROUND AS I LIVE ON THE EAST COAST OF AUSTRALIA AND SAIL MOST DAYS IHOPE YOU HAVE HAPPYDAYS FROM NOW ON AN WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF FREEDOM ALL THE BEST DAVE

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Strewth, mate, do all Aussies SHOUT like you do

 

[Vagabond]

I think your best bet is to get a new boat or bite the bullet and get it all put right.

It's like having a car that always lets you down and leaves you on the hard shoulder all the time. It takes the pleasure out of it.

Keep on the lookout for potential problems, worn hoses, water leaks etc but in the comfort of the marina. Just open the hatch and have a good look. If there is something that doesn't look right put it right before it lets you down when at sea.

Rarely is it something major though, it's usually the old chestnuts, fuel filters, water strainers etc. Just check them each time you get back into the marina.

 

[Eightball]

SORRY MATE we have to shout a bit so you can here us as we are so far away is this better . and im not an ausse im a silly welchman. any way nice to here from you hope you have a nice day regaurds dave

 

[MedDreamer]

Welcome David

Why not fill in your user Bio. to let us know more about you.

 

[peterandjeanette]

It's probably not a bad thing to remain all three. It keeps the mind focused.

Get the same feeling when flying. I always said that the day I'm not nervous, paranoid or anxious I'll give it up. Planes and helis bite fools. Boats can give you a nasty nibble!! I'm still flying after 30 years, still nervous, anxious and paranoid but doubly so now that I boat as well!! But I'm still here.

 

[tcm]

Meddy\'s safety briefing : full text

welcome aboard! Or do i mean "welcome to the gates of hell" haha just my little joke. Well, not MY joke actually, it was joke that old wassisname used to say. Well, whilst he was alive anyway - before he sadly fell overboard and garotted himself on one of the mooring lines - yeah - actually it WAS on this boat right here last year, august 13th, unlucky for some. Well, unlucky for him i suppose. And now it's april 13th, but anyway, lightning doesn't strike twice, or not usually. Let's hope so eh? haha.

Ahem, first thing is lifejackets. Yep, i know, no good in a fire, and no good for old wassiname getting garotted as he fell overboard, but quite good if say we find ourselves in a storm and the boat flips over, say. Course, i'm not saying the boat WILL flip over but if it does, well, the lifejacket might save you. I say "might" save you cos lifejackets don't always work, but in a test at a boat show once i heard that at least 50% of them work, which isn't too bad, really.

Next thing is the fire extinguishers. Now, you may not be aware but we have a special relationship with the fire brigade whilst at sea - we don't callem and they don't bother us. Ho ho! Soo, if there's a fire then we have to put it out ourselves, using these little fire extinguisher things. Now, the boat is tinder dry, made of things that will either catch fire like wood and plastic, or cause a fire with engines and cookers, or simply fuel the fire like hundreds of gallons of oil or petrol or diesel and THAT's why we've got one of these dinky little fire extinshers EACH. Good eh? Provided they work. Best i reckon is to get the hell out BUT if you wake up and the boat is really roaring with flames, yoiu might need to use it.

Well, yyes, as you suggest , i suppose you COULD sleep on deck, in the lifejacket clutching the fire extingusher and another spare lifejacket or indeed, as you say, check into a hotel. Hotel is bound to safer obviously, although er hey, where are you all going? - i haven't mentioned the seacks or the liferafts or the....

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Welcome aboard Dave. We have loads of peeps from far and wide here, which is great. BTW - my boat is moored in Porthmadog, North Wales, any where near where you come from?

Cheers
Dave

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Yep, you guessed it. As I am launching on Saturday, I am already going through the list of horrible "what will go wrong" items.

Generally, I am always a tad edgey when setting off, but once underway and the motors are sounding good, I am vigilant, but otherwise OK.

 

[Eightball]

hi thank you for the welcome i am very new at this computer stuff so i need to ask what is a bio? anyway what type of boat have you got ?i have a 40 foot steel yatch built in 1946 by allan payne he vwas the guy who designed gretal one and two my boat was his very fist. i have just got it back after a four year rebuild so im very happy she sails like a dream as for me ive been here for 40 years now i came fron southwales aS a young man i have traveldthe world extensively and have never been with out a boat of some sort well regaurds for now dave

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Re: Meddy\'s safety briefing : full text

That was excellent. I'll remember that next time I get some newbies on board.

 

[BarryH]

Planing and maintainace! I have a regular routine I follow before the boat gets used. Engine checks etc. Then theres things like spares. I got laughed at for carrying a spare coil. But it got me out of problems in under 10 mins while I haste'n to add A N Other boat couldn't get above 3000 rev's!
Aim to be fairly self sufficient as far as the engine goes. You'll find your spend loads on spares for that little emergency and never use them.
Knowing your boat helps a lot too. Get to know what does what and how and why. Knowing basics will give you a bit more faith in yourself as well as the boat.
Whats the point of doing something if you don't enjoy it. For me thats the time to give up and do something else!