WNS (What Now Skip?)

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timbartlett

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In response to overwhelming demand, here is this month's What Now Skip. As well as remembering that as it is now February, I must be working on the May issue (the one that will probably appear in Smiths sometime in late March or early April)… please also bear in mind that:

* The idea is to offer a nautical puzzle, which experienced skippers will (hopefully) find interesting or entertaining, from which the less experienced may be able to learn something, and from which we can all pick up ideas.
* The WNS skipper is a fictional character. Any resemblance to a real individual is purely accidental, except that he occasionally makes mistakes, and he is not able to make time run backwards. So having got into a situation, he can't get out of it by wishing that he had done something different.
* WNS is not a competition to see who can match some hidden but predetermined solution. Of course I have an answer in mind (you wouldn't like it if I gave you an impossible situation, would you?) But mine may not be the best or only answer.
* If you think I've missed something or given confusing information please ask for clarification.
* Attributed extracts from selected posts will appear in the next issue of MBY.
Our hero is taking his boat -- a fifteen year-old 43 foot flybridge cruiser -- round to the next harbour on the coast for engine servicing. He's on his own, but conditions are fine and the sea is smooth so as he approaches the busy channel towards the harbour, he slows down to 6knots and engages the autopilot while he gets the warps and fenders ready. When he tries to return to the helm, however, he realises that the catch on the saloon doors has stuck, and he is locked out.

The flybridge helm position still has its winter covers on: there are no keys up there and the engine controls are of the single-lever type that can only be moved when the lower station controls are in neutral. His mobile phone and hand-held VHF are both inside.

What now skip?
Click to expand...
 
I assume he can operate the autohelm from the upstairs position ... so first thing I would do is to make sure that is operating and make sure we're not heading into danger.
 
Pop unstairs and disengage the F/B autopilot and then steer on manual to buy some time.


Then......you realize that you have the crowbar in the laz - patio door is 'jimmied' in no time lifted clear of the base rollers.



PS This happened to a mate off Dover at 20Kn+ and he had no F/B helm autopilot.....Now always, as I do, keep a key in my pocket.
 
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I assume we are heading into the busy channel ,though we dont know how far that is..
Hit the emergency engine stops,or fuel cut offs;anchor if practical.
 
Use my blue and yellow briefs and sticky tape to make a delta flag (keep clear, vessel not under command)

Use a long rope to lasso the safe water pole and jump in the tender , by the time I return with the spare keys and a jerry can of diesel the boat will have run out of fuel and be easy to board.
 
Go onto the coachroof and open the forward hatch, climb into the boat via the forward cabin. You do always make sure that it's not locked when underway, don't you?

Daka, having removed your blue and yellow briefs to make a 'Keep Clear' Delta flag, you should then attach your balls to the mast to indicate Not Under Command (Rule 27, A ii)
 
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I assume all other entries (hatches etc) are locked? Work out if you want to stop engines right now or leave it a few mins. Stop engines when you judge it right by pulling the fuel stops (or going to engine room to stop them). Meantime steer via a/pilot on fly. When stop, anchor or manouvre the boat using the tender if feasible. Get toolkit from laz and enter boat using the well-known method that works on virtually every boat and causes no damage; I wont write it here for obvious reasons and will pm you instead
 
jfm said:
I assume all other entries (hatches etc) are locked? Work out if you want to stop engines right now or leave it a few mins. Stop engines when you judge it right by pulling the fuel stops (or going to engine room to stop them).
Click to expand...
Well, that wouldn't work for us as the fuel cutoffs are under the step in the saloon, so inaccessible.
Get toolkit from laz and enter boat using the well-known method that works on virtually every boat and causes no damage; I wont write it here for obvious reasons and will pm you instead
Click to expand...
That we could do, though...

Isn't this the perfect reason why you shouldn't ever drive a fly from anywhere other than upstairs?
 
He's only doing 6kt, so steer back out to sea from FB helm using either AP or manual (only takes secs to get the cover off). Once clear of channel traffic, have time to find a way to gain access to saloon with minimal damage, then drive boat to port. No need to stop engines from under the floors. One possible option is that if he can access the trottle cable control box, is to manually push the active throttle controls back into neutral (ie via cables) so he can then use the trottle levers normally at the FB helm.
 
jfm said:
I assume all other entries (hatches etc) are locked? Work out if you want to stop engines right now or leave it a few mins. Stop engines when you judge it right by pulling the fuel stops (or going to engine room to stop them). Meantime steer via a/pilot on fly. When stop, anchor or manouvre the boat using the tender if feasible. Get toolkit from laz and enter boat using the well-known method that works on virtually every boat and causes no damage; I wont write it here for obvious reasons and will pm you instead
Click to expand...

Hmm... wonder if its the same way entry that I would use. As you say no damage and would work fine on our boat!! That is of course after steering to a suitable area using fly then pulling the engine stops and dropping the anchor! At the same time using fly VHF as needed to alert the HM/CG/others if needed.
 
Interesting scenario - something I had not considered, but I do tend to always helm from the fly.

Our boat has the old style single lever controls as described, has no way of access to the engine space without going into the cabin, and only has electronic (via the ignition keys) engine shut-offs. All fuel valves etc are in engine space. Currently only the lower helm A/P is actually working (don't tend to use it though!)

If the scenario as described happened to me I would have to break into the cabin.

I think I need to send a pm to Jfm to find out how to get in without damage, just in case!
 
First and foremost, fly the delta flag that any sensible helmsman keeps in his pockets, knowing that these things can and do happen! :D

Jokes aside, x3 on breaking into the cabin.
Assuming there's no other trick (which obviously depends on the boat), and that only the FB a/p is working, there's no other sensible way out - period.
 
I remember Me, Long John Silver and the ex, stood in the cockpit, door locked, as the boat thundered down Plymouth Sound at 20 odd knots on auto.


Then another time I was on my own in Sutton harbour, wife had gone shopping, door locked itself, so finding I had a port hole open, went round Plymouth looking for little kids. I got some funny looks and kids scarpering in every direction, but I finally collared one and injected him into the port hole.
 
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