Rescued a yachty yesterday

C08

Well-known member
Joined
8 Feb 2013
Messages
3,725
Visit site
It's actually pretty easy - but one needs to know how to sail.
Sailing into an unknown harbour and picking up a bouy single handed may be extremely difficult or quite easy depending on the wind strength and direction. Not a matter of knowing how to do it.
 

SaltIre

Well-known member
Joined
13 Mar 2017
Messages
20,730
Location
None of your nosey business
Visit site
Not so sure about that. Also this buoy only had an eye on the top no rope
Not a problem with foresight - but I suspect your intrepid yachty didn't have one... They are incredibly useful, whether short handed or not - on the end of a pole, obviously. Not a Pole!:)
6-22502.jpg

Trem Mooring Hook | Aquafax
 

Daydream believer

Well-known member
Joined
6 Oct 2012
Messages
19,055
Location
Southminster, essex
Visit site
Not a problem with foresight - but I suspect your intrepid yachty didn't have one... They are incredibly useful, whether short handed or not - on the end of a pole, obviously. Not a Pole!:)
6-22502.jpg

Trem Mooring Hook | Aquafax
Actually I do not think that they are much use to a SH sailor for mooring to a buoy. To a hoop on a french pontoon perhaps, where the boat is pretty captive to start with, then yes.
But for a SH sailor to get the bow to the buoy, run forward pick up the hook & then locate the ring ( which may well be too small or at an awkward angle) whilst the boat is being blown off or drifting away is a bit of a non starter. Trying to do it amidships, then walking the line forward, relies on being strong enough to hold the boat sideways on & then pull the bow round as one moves forward, along a narrow side deck, past the shrouds etc. Not a good operation in difficult conditions.
Perhaps one might consider using a large hook (mine can be used on its own, or as a detachable end to a boathook) tied to a rope forward. Lead this outside the craft. Back to the helm position. Position the boat alongside the buoy. Lean over through the guard rail (Use the boat hook if high topsides, or the buoy is low in the water) Hook the buoy & let the boat drift back on the rope. Get the sails under control & nip forward & heave the line in & swop for proper mooring penants.
Do not believe those armchair types that say ""stroll" forward, moor up & have a cup of tea. They never do it that easily" :rolleyes:
 

38mess

Well-known member
Joined
9 Apr 2019
Messages
6,045
Location
All over the shop
Visit site
I would suggest the word fool very apt, indeed from his voyage thus far 'lucky fool'. And he stil has to weather the Cornish coast and up the Bristol channel, where on the north Devon coast he might also get know what Atlantic swell looks like.
I prefer the Atlantic swell to the nasty chop we have to endure in the upper Bristol channel. Especially with East wind over tide like we have coming back to port this last few weeks
 

SaltIre

Well-known member
Joined
13 Mar 2017
Messages
20,730
Location
None of your nosey business
Visit site
Actually I do not think that they are much use to a SH sailor for mooring to a buoy. To a hoop on a french pontoon perhaps, where the boat is pretty captive to start with, then yes.
But for a SH sailor to get the bow to the buoy, run forward pick up the hook & then locate the ring ( which may well be too small or at an awkward angle) whilst the boat is being blown off or drifting away is a bit of a non starter. Trying to do it amidships, then walking the line forward, relies on being strong enough to hold the boat sideways on & then pull the bow round as one moves forward, along a narrow side deck, past the shrouds etc. Not a good operation in difficult conditions.
Perhaps one might consider using a large hook (mine can be used on its own, or as a detachable end to a boathook) tied to a rope forward. Lead this outside the craft. Back to the helm position. Position the boat alongside the buoy. Lean over through the guard rail (Use the boat hook if high topsides, or the buoy is low in the water) Hook the buoy & let the boat drift back on the rope. Get the sails under control & nip forward & heave the line in & swop for proper mooring penants.
Do not believe those armchair types that say ""stroll" forward, moor up & have a cup of tea. They never do it that easily" :rolleyes:
As you say, you don't need to get to the bow. You can stay safely in the cockpit and reave the line through the eye by reaching under the guardrails. If you miss you then simply sail about and have another go - without doing the cockpit-bow-cockpit hokey cokey. Once secured you can then moor bow to then retire to the cabin & have a cup of tea.🍵
I find it best not to run about a boat, particularly when single handed...

Edit:
For those not familiar, here's how you can easily loop a line though an eye with the ingeneous little device - on the end of a pole or boathook.
 
Last edited:

sailorman

Well-known member
Joined
21 May 2003
Messages
78,862
Location
Here or thertemp ashore
Visit site
Off we went last night in our little 4.5 m rib for an evening meander in Torbay as the easterlies are generally stopping us getting out during the day. There were about 2 other boats out. Came across a 24 ft sail boat about 500 m from the mouth of Brixham Marina he was trying to start his outboard. I thought he looked in trouble but as I headed towards him the engine started and off he went. We then had about 4o mins messing about in the bay avoiding lobster pots and then headed back. There was the sail boat bobbing about dead in the water. He waved at me so over we went. His engine had failed and he needed a tow in to a buoy. He was as cool as a cucumber.

After getting him to the buoy we hat a chat an he had only had the boat 2 months. He had bought it off eBay for £2,000 and left Eastbourne and got caught off Portland bill in very heavy seas. He was ducking into Brixham on his way to North Devon !. He was solo and at no point did he show any worry and was totally relaxed it seemed. His boat was a huge bargain and what a trip he was doing……….. Not sure if he was foolish of courageous or both.

good job we were there to tow him ini think the headder shoud be "assisted"
 

Zing

Well-known member
Joined
7 Feb 2014
Messages
7,794
Visit site
As you say, you don't need to get to the bow. You can stay safely in the cockpit and reave the line through the eye by reaching under the guardrails. If you miss you then simply sail about and have another go - without doing the cockpit-bow-cockpit hokey cokey. Once secured you can then moor bow to then retire to the cabin & have a cup of tea.🍵
I find it best not to run about a boat, particularly when single handed...

Edit:
For those not familiar, here's how you can easily loop a line though an eye with the ingeneous little device - on the end of a pole or boathook.
Another vote for those things.
 

ylop

Well-known member
Joined
10 Oct 2016
Messages
1,491
Visit site
Symantics
Semantics!

Does not work when there was a person on board.
Salvage certainly works with people on bird but first the boat needs to be in some sort of peril.
I do know he was on a sailing boat and unable to sail it just when he needed to !!!
Or he was able to sail it (hence why he was so calm) but spotted an easier option with less risk of him falling in / getting a line round prop etc?
 

SaltIre

Well-known member
Joined
13 Mar 2017
Messages
20,730
Location
None of your nosey business
Visit site
Semantics!


Salvage certainly works with people on bird but first the boat needs to be in some sort of peril.

Or he was able to sail it (hence why he was so calm) but spotted an easier option with less risk of him falling in / getting a line round prop etc?
His outboard wasn't working and he'd probably have it tilted with the prop out of the water.
 

Bigplumbs

Well-known member
Joined
7 Nov 2015
Messages
6,582
Location
UK
Visit site
Semantics!


Salvage certainly works with people on bird but first the boat needs to be in some sort of peril.

Or he was able to sail it (hence why he was so calm) but spotted an easier option with less risk of him falling in / getting a line round prop etc?
Bird 🤪
 
Top