Dave_Snelson
Well-Known Member
Yet some more learning by experience happened to me on Saturday. I would never normally set off in a F6 but it was an Easterly, so for me that is off-shore. Went out to Porthmadog Fairway (3 miles) and took some piccies. It was a crystal clear day and the Snowdonia backdrop was magnificent.
Motored back into the harbour and came in dead slow toward my trot mooring, ready for my Dad to pick up the link line.
Next thing I know, is that the bow of my boat is very suddenly facing 90 degrees to my intended direction and I'm on a very close collision with my neighbouring yacht! I slammed the Port motor into reverse to tank steer the boat in the direction it had decided to spin around and my pulpit rail just clipped the yachts rails very slightly and without damage. I was then facing backwards.
What I hadn't realised, or ever experienced before, was the effect of windage on a slow moving power boat - and I don't have a bow thruster. Honestly, in 29 years, this has never happened to me, nor was it part of my PB 1&2 experience.
My own analysis of the event was that I wouldn't normally bother with a F6, but the sea wasn't rough. The prevailing wind in Porthmadog is West / South West, which blows stern on when arriving back in port, therefore no problem. Reversing back up the channel was a piece of cake - aided and abetted by the wind that had just fubah'd my previous attempt.
Felt like a right buffoon - but now I am yet wiser.
Oh - I'll see if I can get some piccies on my site for viewing here soon. They are seriously good.
<hr width=100% size=1>Madoc Yacht Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk>http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk</A>
Motored back into the harbour and came in dead slow toward my trot mooring, ready for my Dad to pick up the link line.
Next thing I know, is that the bow of my boat is very suddenly facing 90 degrees to my intended direction and I'm on a very close collision with my neighbouring yacht! I slammed the Port motor into reverse to tank steer the boat in the direction it had decided to spin around and my pulpit rail just clipped the yachts rails very slightly and without damage. I was then facing backwards.
What I hadn't realised, or ever experienced before, was the effect of windage on a slow moving power boat - and I don't have a bow thruster. Honestly, in 29 years, this has never happened to me, nor was it part of my PB 1&2 experience.
My own analysis of the event was that I wouldn't normally bother with a F6, but the sea wasn't rough. The prevailing wind in Porthmadog is West / South West, which blows stern on when arriving back in port, therefore no problem. Reversing back up the channel was a piece of cake - aided and abetted by the wind that had just fubah'd my previous attempt.
Felt like a right buffoon - but now I am yet wiser.
Oh - I'll see if I can get some piccies on my site for viewing here soon. They are seriously good.
<hr width=100% size=1>Madoc Yacht Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk>http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk</A>
