Rescued a yachty yesterday

[Daydream believer]

No idea

Who? You or him?

 

[C08]

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]

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.

If you don't know how to do it then I would suggest it's impossible.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Who? You or him?

on second thoughts probably you

 

[SaltIre]

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!

Trem Mooring Hook | Aquafax

 

[Daydream believer]

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!

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"

 

[Daydream believer]

..I have just had an idea

 

[38mess]

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]

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"

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.

 

[sailorman]

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]

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.

 

[stelican]

Symantics

Wot no you tube video of the rescue

 

[Seastoke]

His wife did the rescue

 

[stelican]

His wife did the rescue

So where is the video?

 

[superheat6k]

You have no idea what training and/or experience he has and yet you’re saying he’s a fool based on breaking down?

I do know he was on a sailing boat and unable to sail it just when he needed to !!!

 

[ylop]

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]

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.

 

[Mr Googler]

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

onboard

Or bored….either works for this thread

 

[Bigplumbs]

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

 

[Bigplumbs]

onboard

Or bored….either works for this thread

But you are reading it.