the importance of a good bowline!!!!

[powerskipper]

Was cruising past the pontoons at the entrance to the Hamble with students on broad when a single handed yacht berthed on the lee wood side of the pontoon, bow line on , mid ships spring on and was on the pontoon, with a stern line in his hands pulling the stern in for all he was worth, [ wind was quite gusty today]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif
Well we just got level with him when he does this very impressive back ward somersault strait into the water , stern line still in hand, [can only guess it came undone]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif surfaces line still in hand and grabs the stern mooring line of a yacht, but can not get out of the water, so we shout like mad to another yacht on the pontoon, to go to his help, while we moor the boat, but he has one try and Cantor get out , we just get alone side when he manages to get out, gives us a short wave and goes to his boat, looking a little embarrassed,

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/>http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/</A>
Julie<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by powerskipper on 16/07/2004 19:34 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[MarkJohnson]

Embarresing moments do happen, certainly to me.

A couple of weeks ago, I was gliding into the marina lock, and lost steerage way on my Sadler 32. She was heading for the lock pontoon at 2 knots and would not turn. Had to put the engine in reverse to prevent collision, then with prop wash managed to get her alongside facing the wrong way.

Just as well as it was 7am in the morning and noone was around to see it!!

Mj

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[Mirelle]

Even worse

In 1984 was making fast alongside the staging outside the Heybridge Basin lock when my (ex-) wife threw a line to the helpful lock keeper....without belaying the end.

He did a graceful back flip from the (quite high) staging into the muddy Blackwater.

Turned tail and fled and have never been back!

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Col-it-is]

So, you come back from a gentle few days sailing with your wife, feeling quite pleased about missing the worst of the storms and having explored some new places. You make arrangements to leave your boat for the next few weeks in the Hamble - and come home to find your embarassment splashed all over the Scuttlebutt site!!

Yes, twas I fell who somersaulted off the visitors pontoon off Warsash; I did appreciate the assistance offered and provided and it was probably the combination of shock and embarrassment which led me to get back on board pronto and disappear. Fortunately body, soul, enthusiasm, watch, glasses and wallet all survived relatively unscathed.

Actually the problem was that I was trying to leave the pontoon single-handed to go and collect my wife from the Harbourmaster's pontoon (she having gone by train to collect car from where left in Exmouth), prior to going up river to leave C-Spirit on piles until next able to get away to move boat onwards towards Ipswich. Under-estimated strength of ebb so when let stern rope go (hoping to then release head rope before jumping back on board and finally releasing spring), combination of wind and tide took boat stern quickly towards mid-river. That was mistake 1; mistake 2 was trying to pull stern back in with stern line without first having made sure it was securely fastened to stern cleat; obviously it wasn't!!

Still no major damage done and some lessons learned - including I guess to wear lifejacket at all times, specially when single-handed. Always do when setting off on passage but, a bit like seat belt in car, haven't always bothered for short journeys. Experience shows that's when problems most likely to occur.

Thanks for sharing this with the world!!

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[powerskipper]

Glad all OK, /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

It was a spectacular somersault.

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Julie

 

[Twister_Ken]

Beggar that

Actually the problem was that I was trying to leave the pontoon single-handed to go and collect my wife from the Harbourmaster's pontoon

That's what the river taxi is for!

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[Colin_S]

Well done for being brave enough to own up!

I don't suppose anyone thought to check if the marina had a CCTV security system. Could be a prime candidate for You've Been Framed /forums/images/icons/smile.gif


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