First Solo Sail........

[Bob Luby]

Let me add my voice to the congratulations. Remember what the airplane pilots say: Any landing where you're in 1 piece is a good landing.

If you intend to solo-sail, lead your halyards and topping lift back to the cockpit and perhaps invest in roller furling.

Also- invest in a safety harness/PFD and use it.

Welcome to the fraternity!

[M. R. Bober]

A wiley, more experienced contributor to this page might have signed your post with someone else's name. You are a sailor of HONOR!!! Welcome aboard.
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
Annapolis,MD

[Paul Hierstein]

I'm posting this in hopes that someday I'll be able to look back at this and laugh. Actually, I'm laughing at myself now.

I decided to attempt my first sail today with my new CD25. Those of you that have read my posts lately know that I'm a novice at this. It's sunny, warm, 15mph wind...seems like a good prospect.

First of all, how do you steer in reverse??? I had a heck of a time getting out of my slip heading into the right direction. It seems like the CD has to have quite a bit of water passing the rudder before it becomes at all responsive. 2 Guys on the docks kept me from hitting anything too hard while a few guys with sneers watched cautiously from their 40 footers. Eventually I headed off into the right direction, out through the channel and into open water.

I had decided to just use the main sail today, to get used to it. Just to practice. Everything was going great. Had it going on a beam reach, moving along pretty good I thought for a novice such as me. I played with the sheets and the traveler getting a feel for it. I was happy. Hey! I'm sailing!

After about 1/2 an hour, I decided to make a 180 deg turn heading back the way I had come. As the boom swung through and the sail filled, the main sheet slipped from the traveler. I had no knot tied in the end (had really never thought of it) so all the rope pulled out of the pullies. No problem, stay calm. I'm an ER Nurse. I'm used to stressful situations. I'm cool. I figured I'd just lower the main until I got the sheets re-run and start over. The Main halyard is run back to the cockpit. Easy. Except it wouldn't come down by just it's own weight. No problem. Just hop up on the deck and pull the main down. As I did, the sail started coming off the mast. What the HEL...! Seems the little alluminum cylinder shaped thing that holds the sale onto the mast had slipped out. Oh, there it is, rolling toward the bow. Dive! Got it! Slipped it back into place, grabbed the vise-grips and tightened it a little. It won't tighten. Damn! It's stripped! All this time, since the sheets are still loose, the boom is riding free. Get a grip. Stay cool. I jumped back down to the cockpit, grabbed the loose sheet and tied it off to a cleat. Now the boom is secured temporarily. I went back up t the mast and gathered up the sail to keep it from filling with wind or blowing overboard. Then I figured I'd go back down to the deck and fix the sheets and then re-hoist the main. I'd worry about that stripped part when I got back and lowered the sail.

As I stood there on the stern re-running the main sheet, I got tossed a little bit from the waves so just just down. SNAP! Oh shi...! I just broke my tiller in half!!!! Then the sheet slipped from my hand, the end of it wrapped around the broken end of the tiller and threw it overboard. Too far to grab. I don't feel so cool anymore. What am I doing out here by myself! Wait a minute. Don't cry. Why not, no one else it here to see.

Well, I still have about 18" of tiller so I can still steer. I got the Sheets back together, secured the sail, and just motored on home in defeat. Now I'm wondering. How do I get back into my slip without anyone noticing my tiller. As much trouble as I had getting out of it, I'm sure they're all waiting for my return. As expected, I was met at my slip but getting into it was much easier. Maybe I steer better with a short tiller. Anyway, no one mentioned my tiller. Guess I'll see if the ones I've seen at West Marine will fit.

Anyway, just thought I'd vent a little. It sure would help if some of you would add you stories to make me feel like I'm not alone at this. I really am enjoying it though, and I didn't fall overboard!

Forget all the advice on backing! Even as a new CD owner myself I know for a fact that a CD CANNOT be backed. That reverse gear is only there to trick you into thinking that it might go backwards. Just accept the fact that reverse really doesn't exist and all you need to do is shove her back out of the slip.
All the advice you're getting is just a joke being played on you since you're a 'new guy'.
No sir! I'm too smart to fall for that trick! I've tried backing and I know it can't be done!
Happy sails!

Paul Hierstein
CD30 #160
Abre Alas
Galveston, Texas



paulhstn@aol.com

[scott MacCready]

Thanks for all the fellowship. As a side note, my halyards are led back to the cockpit. I hadn't thought about the topping lift. A new roller furling is in the mail from the original owner of the boat. As far as a safety harness, what is it hooked to that would allow for freedom of movement around the boat? thanks again, Scott



scottmacc@coastalnet.com

[Bob B]

I rigged a safety harness that was clipped to a short runner and then to either padeyes in the cockpit or a jack line. The jack line that I used was a flat piece of webbing that extended from the cockpit to the bow cleats. The flat webbing is less likely to roll under your foot if you step on it. I could clip into this from the cockpit and go forward without worrying about being left behind, should I go over. Luckily, that has never happened. While in the cockpit, I don't usually clip in unless the weather is looking dubious. Others may suggest that you do but you can make the call there. If offshore, the rules change to being clipped in. I always clip in when going forward if soloing and I wear a pfd. It is always that time that you don't expect it that something will happen.

Bob B.
CD25D Tiva
Charleston, SC



BundyR@aol.com

[Jim Myers]

Now you've done it. This whole string will be deleted now that you have let that secret out. Please do not let anyone else know. Otherwise the resale on all our boats will drop. Who really needs to go backwards anyway?



jmyers@styluscentral.com

[Larry DeMers]

Jim, Paul et al,

Yes the CD's DO back, but it takes a little experience first, then patience, an understanding and feel for the boat, and a little bit of physics to understand what you need to know to make it work for you.

Normally, with little crosswinds blowing, the idea is to get the boat moving in reverse as quickly as you can (without knocking all the folks on board over from acceleration of course) leaving the rudder in the center position. Once you have say, 11/2 - 2 kts speed up in reverse, put the engine in low rpm and neutral, then slowly move the rudder in the direction you want the stern to go. Continue to slowly increase the angle of the rudder until you can feel it grip the water. Stop increasing the rudder angle at this point..going further will only stall the rudder out, and you will go nowhere. Once the stern starts to obey your command to turn, then you can increase the angle slightly if needed. At about half way through the turn, simultaneously move the engine to forward and swing the rudder hard to the opposite extreme position, and then gun the engine. Here you are using the force of the water against the rudder to shift the stern around even more, torquing the bow around in the desired manner. Once again, when the desired action starts to happen, ease off on the throttle and head on out as you need to.

The tricks are to get stern way on before the rudder is moved; then to not move the rudder too aggressively at first, as it will stall out, giving you no rudder action at all; use forward wash from the prop against the rudder surface to complete the turn, and start you forward.

It does not hurt to have help on the dock for the first few tries, as each boat size has it's own quirks to adjust this procedure to. Rest assured that you can reverse the boat to either side, as you wish...with practice. Granted it is not like driving a car..or a fin keeled boat for that matter, but it is certainly doable..I do it every weekend with only a few screw ups due to the darn Seiche Tides up here on Superior..these things have overpowered us in forward at 3kts+, shoving us into a seawall made of timbers and riprap. It's the darnedest thing to get used to as this tide runs only when there is a low pressure system at one end of the lake, and a high pressure system at the other end. It has a cycle time, from High to Low, of about 40 minutes, and we have seen 1 1/2 ft. of change each time, which causes about a 7kt tidal current to flow. Full speed forward, and we made 2 kts backwards! Now we look for the telltale v-shaped pattern that this tide creates on the pelican poles, as it goes by, and wait for "slack water", heh. Never thought I would have to deal with tides on Superior, but it does add another interesting dimension to getting in and out of our dock.


In closing..keep trying to feel that boat as she backs up. It WILL work for you, but you need to not be so uptight that you miss the boats responses to your inputs.

Best of luck,

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
Apostle Islands of Lake Superior

I'm posting this in hopes that someday I'll be able to look back at this and laugh. Actually, I'm laughing at myself now.

I decided to attempt my first sail today with my new CD25. Those of you that have read my posts lately know that I'm a novice at this. It's sunny, warm, 15mph wind...seems like a good prospect.

First of all, how do you steer in reverse??? I had a heck of a time getting out of my slip heading into the right direction. It seems like the CD has to have quite a bit of water passing the rudder before it becomes at all responsive. 2 Guys on the docks kept me from hitting anything too hard while a few guys with sneers watched cautiously from their 40 footers. Eventually I headed off into the right direction, out through the channel and into open water.

I had decided to just use the main sail today, to get used to it. Just to practice. Everything was going great. Had it going on a beam reach, moving along pretty good I thought for a novice such as me. I played with the sheets and the traveler getting a feel for it. I was happy. Hey! I'm sailing!

After about 1/2 an hour, I decided to make a 180 deg turn heading back the way I had come. As the boom swung through and the sail filled, the main sheet slipped from the traveler. I had no knot tied in the end (had really never thought of it) so all the rope pulled out of the pullies. No problem, stay calm. I'm an ER Nurse. I'm used to stressful situations. I'm cool. I figured I'd just lower the main until I got the sheets re-run and start over. The Main halyard is run back to the cockpit. Easy. Except it wouldn't come down by just it's own weight. No problem. Just hop up on the deck and pull the main down. As I did, the sail started coming off the mast. What the HEL...! Seems the little alluminum cylinder shaped thing that holds the sale onto the mast had slipped out. Oh, there it is, rolling toward the bow. Dive! Got it! Slipped it back into place, grabbed the vise-grips and tightened it a little. It won't tighten. Damn! It's stripped! All this time, since the sheets are still loose, the boom is riding free. Get a grip. Stay cool. I jumped back down to the cockpit, grabbed the loose sheet and tied it off to a cleat. Now the boom is secured temporarily. I went back up t the mast and gathered up the sail to keep it from filling with wind or blowing overboard. Then I figured I'd go back down to the deck and fix the sheets and then re-hoist the main. I'd worry about that stripped part when I got back and lowered the sail.

As I stood there on the stern re-running the main sheet, I got tossed a little bit from the waves so just just down. SNAP! Oh shi...! I just broke my tiller in half!!!! Then the sheet slipped from my hand, the end of it wrapped around the broken end of the tiller and threw it overboard. Too far to grab. I don't feel so cool anymore. What am I doing out here by myself! Wait a minute. Don't cry. Why not, no one else it here to see.

Well, I still have about 18" of tiller so I can still steer. I got the Sheets back together, secured the sail, and just motored on home in defeat. Now I'm wondering. How do I get back into my slip without anyone noticing my tiller. As much trouble as I had getting out of it, I'm sure they're all waiting for my return. As expected, I was met at my slip but getting into it was much easier. Maybe I steer better with a short tiller. Anyway, no one mentioned my tiller. Guess I'll see if the ones I've seen at West Marine will fit.

Anyway, just thought I'd vent a little. It sure would help if some of you would add you stories to make me feel like I'm not alone at this. I really am enjoying it though, and I didn't fall overboard!

Forget all the advice on backing! Even as a new CD owner myself I know for a fact that a CD CANNOT be backed. That reverse gear is only there to trick you into thinking that it might go backwards. Just accept the fact that reverse really doesn't exist and all you need to do is shove her back out of the slip.
All the advice you're getting is just a joke being played on you since you're a 'new guy'.
No sir! I'm too smart to fall for that trick! I've tried backing and I know it can't be done!
Happy sails!

Paul Hierstein
CD30 #160
Abre Alas
Galveston, Texas

demers@sgi.com