First Family Trip Out: Disaster

[KLMartini]

Okay, disaster may be exaggerating a little, but not a lot. I won't go into how many times I cried (it was many,) and how completely anxious and incompetent that I felt (immeasurable.) I also won't go into every detail because I would be here writing all day, so I'll just post the things that I learned and the questions I have.

We noticed that when we turn the steering wheel to the left, the rudders go all the way to where they should. When we turn the steering wheel to the right, they stop and won't go any further. If we turn the steering wheel harder, there is a pop and it's very difficult to move it. I don't think there is a problem with the rudders, I think there is something in the steering wheel. Should I take it apart and see what's going on? Any ideas of what it could be?

The PO suggested we change the battery so we did and then nothing worked. Our neighbor came over to help and it turned out we bought a brand new dead battery=Fail. We put the old one back in and were ready to go.
Lesson learned the hard way=When buying a new battery, make sure it actually works before leaving the store.

Our plan was to just do some motoring so we took the boom down and the Bimini up because it was going to be very hot (why we can't use the Bimini with the boom is so stupid.)

I seriously had NO idea how to get the boat out of the slip. I learned on a much smaller boat and there were two of us backing her out. I didn't know if I should untie the bow line first or the stern line. Neither choice seemed like a good idea. Finally I figured it out and was about to hop on when the motor died. Died. Wouldn't start. Luckily I was able to somehow pull her back in the slip. We let the engine sit awhile and it started again. We believe that we need to adjust the idle because that's when it seems to stall, always at an inconvenient time like leaving or coming in the slip (this has happened three times now.)

Mechanically, everything else seemed to do fine from then on out. We even managed to anchor and then pull the anchor out which was one small success.

We had out three teenage daughters with us. When we anchored, it was so they could swim around a bit. We pulled a safe distance behind another boat about 50 yards out from the beach. The youngest teen put on a PFD and hopped into a tube. And quickly started to float away. Second daughter went in after her and she started to float away (also wearing a PFD.) That's when I started to freak out. My wife, is the calm one (former cop,) and she directed the girls to swim to shore, walk ahead of where our boat was and swim towards us. The current brought them right to the boat and we threw out our brand-new-bought-that-day round flotation device on a rope and pulled them in. How stupid was that? I can't believe I let my kid jump into a river, not thinking about a current!
Lesson learned the hard way=Always check the current before hopping in a river.

Just minutes after my kids were safely in the boat, we noticed two teenage boys also caught in the same current. They ended up on some pilings and I called 911.

Guess what? Calling 911 in the middle of a very large river is not a simple task. First of all, we were between Oregon and Washington so my initial call went to Washington but we were more on the Oregon side, so I was rerouted to Oregon 911. Then I was trying to describe where I was and really didn't know. How stupid was this? After talking to about six different people who kept screwing up the information I was giving them, the fire department boat arrived just as the kids were pulling themselves out (they climbed over all the pilings to get to shore, I have no idea how.)
Lesson learned the hard way=Know where you are on the darn river. This morning I bought an app for my iPhone that will give me the location coordinates of anywhere I am.

Then I accidentally spilled the chemicals for the porta-potty all over the floor of the head.
Lesson learned the hard way=prepare the porta-potty BEFORE leaving the dock.

Our engine died again when we were pulling in our slip and thank goodness someone happened to be walking by that I could throw him the bow line, otherwise we would have crashed.
Lesson learned the hard way=If you're having trouble with your engine stalling, it's probably a good idea to fix that problem before taking your boat out.

Overall, I felt like a complete idiot.

On our way home we stopped for dinner and I had a margarita, I came home, showered and relaxed. After some sleep, I'm feeling better about everything and trying to just focus on the positive and all that we learned yesterday. I knew there would be a learning curve, but wasn't quite expecting this. I seriously felt like someone handed me a baby and I had no idea what to do with it!

My wife wrote her perspective of our adventure here: http://martinisserenity.blogspot.com/

I'm leaving town with my daughter this weekend but when I get back on Sunday, we're going to try again. My wife is going to attend to the motor issue and get Serenity nice and cleaned up before I get back. I think next time will be much better!

(I hope all of you aren't laughing at me *too* much

[dlandersson]

I would not take the family out until you've gone out at least once w/o them and addressed all the issues.

[kmclemore]

Overall, I felt like a complete idiot.

Ahh... but there's where you're wrong. You've learned something, and therefore are NOT an idiot!

Besides... the real idiot wouldn't have tried at all.

It gets better, as they say.

[KLMartini]

I would not take the family out until you've gone out at least once w/o them and addressed all the issues.

Another lesson learned the hard way! They are gone with their father for the next two weeks, so hopefully by the time they get back, we will have at least some things better figured out!

[JohnCFI]

Thank you for sharing your first day out with such candour. I am now determined not to be rushed into anything by my over eager family. I have been powerboating for many years, but sailing is new to me. we got our boat a couple weeks ago, and have spent the time since in rewiring and rejigging things the way I wanted it. Almost ready to go, but now I am reminded to get someone experienced to start me off with a few sailing lessons.

I would reiterate what someone else has said, you are not an idiot, you have learned and have shown you want to learn more, thats not idiot behaviour!! I wish you the best of luck and happy sailing.

[mastreb]

This sounds like a very typical first outing to me.

I'd go into a bunch of pontification about what I think people should be doing before they go out the first time, but lets face it: You just bought a new boat. You're going to get out there on your new toy no matter what anyone says, so perhaps I'll just write up a post on "What to do on your second time out".

How to pilot in and out of a slip (for beginners):

METHOD: Boat is Bow in, you will reverse out to open water.

1) Start the engine. Rev it once or twice to make sure it's really going to stay running when you put it in gear.
2) Have Boat Hook at the ready. If you don't have a boat hook, stop the engine, go buy one, and start over.
3) Have all available spare crew members positioned one on the bow, one each on the port and starboard gunnels. Google Gunnel so you know what I'm talking about. They should have RUBBER SOLED boat shoes on. Purpose will be clear in step (7)
4) Uncleat the boat, handing the forward dockline to the crewmember on the bow, still looped ONCE around the cleat such that this person can let the dockline slip through their hand and then through the cleat just by letting go of it. Same with the Aft dockline. I usually handle the aft dockline myself but then I'm an expert.
4) Stand facing aft, forward of the helm. Put the captain seat in the UP position so that you can see the outboard motor.
5) Put the outboard in reverse (this should be a forward motion as you are facing AFT. The boat will begin to move in reverse. The dockline handlers should let slip the docklines as you move, taking care to ensure that they won't snag on anything. I don't use docklines with an eye loop at the end for this. If something goes wrong while they still have the docklines, they can stop the boat.
6) Point the MOTOR in the direction you would like to travel. Don't worry about where the boat is pointing--it's behind you. It will crab sidways to some extent. As long as the motor is pointed in the direction of travel, you'll be fine. Increase speed to 3..4 knots. Steer as you would if you were driving the boat forward; by facing aft, the same steering movements will work correctly and you won't have to think about what you're doing.
7) Avoid hitting other boats. Should it become necessary, crew can put a foot or a boathook out on another boat to prevent boat impact. Rubber soles don't leave a mark, and where there's no harm, there's no foul. If you stay around 4 knots, you won't do any serious damage even if you do hit something.
8 ) Once you're in open water, put the helm seat down, stand in the normal helm position facing forward, and put the motor into forward gear. You'll turn about 45 degrees when you change direction. Don't be afraid to goose the motor to get your momentum up.

UPON RETURN

1) Motor slowly and apprehensively towards your slip, rudders down and daggerboard down. Test steering to ensure you know what you're doing.

2) When you are one slip forward of yours, Point the BOW of the boat directly at the slip. The boat will go right in.

3) once you're along side your slip, reverse the throttle and point the motor at the dock (usually this is the opposite direction you'd been steering) and gun it. The hole-shot will stop the boat's forward momentum and pull it towards the dock. This works REALLY well, and it's 100% of the trick to looking like a pro when you come along-side a dock. Crewmember jumps off with a dockline and guides the boat in.

4) Cleat off. Google how to tie a proper cleat knot.

Go bow in until you feel like you have skills, and then you can decide whether or not to go stern in. I don't go stern in because I'd rather hit the dock with my bow than with my ETEC-60 if something goes awry, and it's hard to do the holeshot correctly in forward gear.

[mastreb]

Thank you for sharing your first day out with such candour. I am now determined not to be rushed into anything by my over eager family. I have been powerboating for many years, but sailing is new to me. we got our boat a couple weeks ago, and have spent the time since in rewiring and rejigging things the way I wanted it. Almost ready to go, but now I am reminded to get someone experienced to start me off with a few sailing lessons.

I would reiterate what someone else has said, you are not an idiot, you have learned and have shown you want to learn more, thats not idiot behaviour!! I wish you the best of luck and happy sailing.

I would be certain you were comfortable with the motor before a first sail. I often recommend just motoring on the first trip, and getting the sails out once you're comfortable with docking, getting the ballast in and out, line handling, and trailering.

The first time you raise the sails, you'll have it over-sheeted and rigged tight, the boat will flop right over to a 50 degree heel, the admiral will spill her iced tea, and then you'll be forbidden from really sailing until she trusts that the boat isn't going to capsize every time it heels.

When you do put the sales up, have the mainsheet loose so the boom can go out to one side. This will prevent the main from catching too much wind right off the bat and startling you. As you're ready to power up, pull in the mainsheet until the boat is at a comfortable 20 degree heel and then stop. Now pull out your roller furling genoa but only until it's at the mast. You generally won't pull it out all the way unless you're in light airs.

Keep the mainsheet in your hand. I drape mine over the throttle so it's always right at hand. When the boat heels over too far, snap it out and spill wind by letting the mainsheet go to leeward. When you go back upright, pull it back in. The mainsheet is your primary method for controlling heel and it works well.

[RobertB]

4) Stand facing aft, forward of the helm. Put the captain seat in the UP position so that you can see the outboard motor.

Mastreb - I really want to know how you would recommend a new driver learn parallel parking a car

Step 4)Remove windshield, sit on hood with legs hanging over dashboard so you can see where you are going, grasp wheel

[WASP18]

Sailing or motoring a new or used boat for the first time should be considered a shakedown cruise. It should not be a family outing. It should be approached methodically with a plan. Buy a clipboard and include your plan in the form of a checklist, etc. Also include a squawk sheet and take notes of any problems. I would test the engine on the trailer at home by using a pair of "ear muffs" before launching. Connect the ear muffs to a garden hose and make sure they stay attached while running the motor. Be sure that everyone wears a PFD when it becomes a family outing regardless of how good they are as swimmers. A great swimmer could be knocked out by a boom or they could slip, hit their head and fall unconcious in the water.

[Catigale]

Let me see....

You got on the water, everyone returned safe, and no damage...


I would say a great first outing!!!

[Crikey]

Sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I can always come off looking like a total TOOL! You're in good company pal - keep me lookin bad....

[Russ]

Yup.... everyone is alive and well. You learned a lot. A good first day I'd say.

Don't feel bad. Overall, I'd say you did fairly well.

Okay, now my time for a sales pitch. Get some boating education.
http://www.americasboatingcourse.com/index.cfm

There, now find a local mentor (maybe a marina mate) and ask for help. Boaters LOVE to help newbies. It makes them feel less newbie.

Soon you will find why boating is so much fun. Now calm down and have another margarita.

[kmclemore]

When I take my 90+ Boy Scouts on trips our rules are simple:

1. * Nothing gets broken.
   * Nobody gets hurt.
   * Everyone has fun.

I'd say you're doing fine. Now it's just down the fine points.

[coolchange]

When you do put the sales up, have the mainsheet loose so the boom can go out to one side. This will prevent the main from catching too much wind right off the bat and startling you. As you're ready to power up, pull in the mainsheet until the boat is at a comfortable 20 degree heel and then stop. Now pull out your roller furling genoa but only until it's at the mast. You generally won't pull it out all the way unless you're in light airs.

I don't know about most of you folks but to me the first sailing and "comfortable 20 degree angle" don't really go in the same first day class.

and now for two unsolicited comments: Cheap lesson on the Columbia River currents...you will always want to have a strategy for dealing with it...especially in the boat..even these 2-3 kt ones can make things happen faster than you expected, or go places you had not planned (don't ask how I know).

Second: there is tidal effect in the river and if you beach on a "high" you could be hanging around for awhile..or if you hit the sandbar right across from your pump-out dock...glad my board was up even if is is "soft"

[cptron]

4) Stand facing aft, forward of the helm. Put the captain seat in the UP position so that you can see the outboard motor.

My wife and I took sailing lessons in Florida 2 years ago with a couple. The instructor was teaching my wife how to back into a slip this way and as a result the aft made it in however with the affect of a 5-7 mph breeze it pushed the starbord side into a piling catching the shrouds and almost ripping out the chain plaits. This happened despite the fact that his wife and I were on each side to push off. I am no weakling and I could not hold it off. I would recommend taking something that floats (your throwable pfd, fender, gallon jug, etc...) and try manouvering around it in all directions. Approach fron both port and starbord along with backing and see how close you can stop to it. This will also give the added benefit of being able to practice in different wind and current directions. Worst case scenario? you run over it with the prop and have to by a new floatie.

Like everyone else here is saying, you and your family survived and now have a great story to share. So once the day is done and everyone is safe, "RELAX" their is always tomorrow to start a new story.

Good luck on your future adventures and remember that everyone learns differently so take all the wonderful advice from this board and apply what works best for you.