Moral Support

[John Dupras]

Hi - Looking for a little moral support. I am practically brand new to sailing, but in my first couple of classes just knew I had to have a boat. I bought an Intrepid 9M built by Cape Dory. Very pretty. Now for the moral support part. I went out this past weekend with my wife (also a novice), for the first time "alone". It was pretty gusty, about 15-20 on Puget Sound. I had te jib and main up. Got hit by a couple of gusts that heeled the boat over probably 15 degrees or so but seemed like more. I got nervous (don't laugh!!) I know that in theory, a 7700 pound boat with 3500 pounds of lead keel won't tip over in this wind, but my nerves didn't know it. I think I was really more nervous about falling off the boat than the boat going over. Anyway, I also blew out the main which ripped along a seam about 2/3 of the way up. How long does it take to get over that nervous feeling as the boat tips some. And are you sure it won't really go over??? Thanks for any moral support, explanations, jeers, what have you. I will go back out again, nerves or not....



jdupras@wdcorp.com

[Bob Luby]

Here's some moral support.

Actually you're doing fine. Heeling takes some getting
used to, but you will come to prefer it - because it means you're going somewhere, and you have control of the boat. In retrospect, I suppose it might have been a good idea to reef earlier, but sails can be repaired. If the main was old, maybe the boat would like one for Xmas!

If you or your wife are concerned, you might want to invest in
saftey harnesses, jacklines, and inflatable PFD's.

If the boat goes over, the keel ( 3500 lbs of lead!) will see to it that you come back up. Catamarans can't say that.

You and your wife can be proud of yourselves!. You went out, handled
a nasty situation - having a main blow out, and came back!

I found a great T-shirt at the Latitudes and Attitudes booth at a boat show. " Attitude - the difference between ordeal and adventure!"

Congratulations on your first adventure!



Rluby@aol.com

[Joe Brown]

Hi, John: Bob Luby is right....you're doing fine. Just remember three rules about learning to sail that I was once taught: (1) A sailboat cannot be sailed directly into the wind; (2) a sailboat has no brakes, and (3) always keep the ocean on the OUTSIDE of your boat.
Keep it up...you'll love it.
--Joe Brown



joebrown@mint.net

[Ed Haley]

John, we were all where you are at one time in our sailing careers. You've got respect for the power of the wind and that's good. Each time you go out and become more acquainted with your boat, some of the nervousness and fear will change to excitement. The more you sail the more it gets exciting.

The US Power Squadrons offer a series of courses on sailing and navigating. There should be one in your area. The courses are almost free to the public. This is a fine sailing and power organization that you should tap into. You'll meet a lot of boaters.

Have fun!



eghaley@dreamscape.com

[Tom]

Hi - Looking for a little moral support. I am practically brand new to sailing, but in my first couple of classes just knew I had to have a boat. I bought an Intrepid 9M built by Cape Dory. Very pretty. Now for the moral support part. I went out this past weekend with my wife (also a novice), for the first time "alone". It was pretty gusty, about 15-20 on Puget Sound. I had te jib and main up. Got hit by a couple of gusts that heeled the boat over probably 15 degrees or so but seemed like more. I got nervous (don't laugh!!) I know that in theory, a 7700 pound boat with 3500 pounds of lead keel won't tip over in this wind, but my nerves didn't know it. I think I was really more nervous about falling off the boat than the boat going over. Anyway, I also blew out the main which ripped along a seam about 2/3 of the way up. How long does it take to get over that nervous feeling as the boat tips some. And are you sure it won't really go over??? Thanks for any moral support, explanations, jeers, what have you. I will go back out again, nerves or not....

Ditto everything that everyone said above, however there are some things that you can do that don't really require sailing knowledge. When it's gusting and blowing 20 That should be a sign to you as a novice that it isn't an appropriate day to learn to sail -- certainly not with the wife along. You don't want to freak them out in the beginning. It can start out calm and suddenly come up, but I wonder if you checked the NOAA weather station for a forecast on the afternoon winds? Start with some days when it's blowing 5 to 10 to get used to heeling. Then try some that are 10 to 15 and get used to heeling there. Learn to reef from a book or from some other sailor and then practice it in lighter winds. Learn to spill wind out of your sail by easing the sheets. Sailboats are meant to sail heeled over and remember that how far they heel over is completely up to you in this kind of wind. By reefing, easing the sheets, pointing up into gusts and so on you control the amount of heel that is comfortable for you. You get over that nervous feeling when you know the boat is in your control and you can stop the heeling any time you feel like it. Sailboats are designed to sail on their sides and unless the rail is underwater you're probably not overpowered. 15 degrees isn't much at all -- in a real knockdown the tip of your mast goes in the water. One shouldn't think one is bulletproof though, when the wind is up, boats can broach and fill with water if sailed improperly no matter how large or well designed. BTW it's not likely that a 15 or 20 knot wind would blow out a sail unless you did something else wrong or it was old and in poor conditon. Hang in there -- we all started out scared and learned to love it. Just take it a little easy at first. One thing about it is that after you've been in higher force winds then everything below that force seems less awesome. After you've been out in 30 or 35 knot winds, 15 or 20 won't seem so bad at all, and now that you've been out in 20, 10 will seem real calm!



TacCambria@thegrid.net

[Walt Bilofsky]

" Attitude - the difference between ordeal and adventure!"

Got that right.

The day I bought my first powerboat (the one that taught me that I wanted a Cape Dory), being pretty much a novice, I got a friend who said he knew about boats to help me bring it the 50 miles home. In the two minutes that I went below to try out the head, he managed to run it aground (on mud, fortunately). When we kedged off, the engine wouldn't start. We got towed in, spent a cold night on the boat (no blankets, of course), and I had to have a cylinder head rebuilt.

After an experience like that, you're either going to decide you enjoy overcoming adversity - or you'll sell the boat. I made my decision, and never regretted it.

- Walt Bilofsky
Master, Steam and Power to 50 Tons, Inland Waters



bilofsky@toolworks.com

[Richard G]

John,

All the earlier replys offer great advise. When I first started sailing eight or nine years ago, a good day was to get out and back without breaking anything...or myself. It is still true for me today to some degree. I am still learning each time I sail and keep looking forward to meeting new conditions to learn from.

Try sailing with the main sheet in your hand. If you feel that you are too nervous in a moment, you can always ease the main quickly, spill the wind and bring the boat back on her feet. This of course after you have checked the weather prior to leaving the dock, and reefed the main accordingly. It is easier to shake a reef out of the main than it is to put one in. Learn this skill, and make sure that your boat is set up so that you can reef easily under way. Learn how to "hove to" your boat. This is a most important skill. Practice it in different conditions. Build up to things as has been suggested.

Keep at it. Take someone sailing with you who has more expereince than you do...learn from books...learn from doing ... but be sensible about it. Get comfortable PFD's and wear them ...consider a harness.

Most of all enjoy.



Aldajon@aol.com

[David Wade]

Hi - Looking for a little moral support. I am practically brand new to sailing, but in my first couple of classes just knew I had to have a boat. I bought an Intrepid 9M built by Cape Dory. Very pretty. Now for the moral support part. I went out this past weekend with my wife (also a novice), for the first time "alone". It was pretty gusty, about 15-20 on Puget Sound. I had te jib and main up. Got hit by a couple of gusts that heeled the boat over probably 15 degrees or so but seemed like more. I got nervous (don't laugh!!) I know that in theory, a 7700 pound boat with 3500 pounds of lead keel won't tip over in this wind, but my nerves didn't know it. I think I was really more nervous about falling off the boat than the boat going over. Anyway, I also blew out the main which ripped along a seam about 2/3 of the way up. How long does it take to get over that nervous feeling as the boat tips some. And are you sure it won't really go over??? Thanks for any moral support, explanations, jeers, what have you. I will go back out again, nerves or not....

John,

We have been there also, and I agree with what the other folks have said.

One thing about learning to heave-to: When you are out in 2-3 foot waves and you want to stop for awhile and assess your situation or have a bite to eat, it is amazing what will happen when you heave-to. You will swear that the waves have suddenly subsided to 1 foot! Then you you start sailing again, it will seem like they restart at 2-3 feet. Try it on a mild day until it becomes natural.

David



David_Wade@prodigy.net

[Bonnie Gilmore]

Hi - Looking for a little moral support. I am practically brand new to sailing, but in my first couple of classes just knew I had to have a boat. I bought an Intrepid 9M built by Cape Dory. Very pretty. Now for the moral support part. I went out this past weekend with my wife (also a novice), for the first time "alone". It was pretty gusty, about 15-20 on Puget Sound. I had te jib and main up. Got hit by a couple of gusts that heeled the boat over probably 15 degrees or so but seemed like more. I got nervous (don't laugh!!) I know that in theory, a 7700 pound boat with 3500 pounds of lead keel won't tip over in this wind, but my nerves didn't know it. I think I was really more nervous about falling off the boat than the boat going over. Anyway, I also blew out the main which ripped along a seam about 2/3 of the way up. How long does it take to get over that nervous feeling as the boat tips some. And are you sure it won't really go over??? Thanks for any moral support, explanations, jeers, what have you. I will go back out again, nerves or not....

John (and wife),

You've gotten some excellent advice from the responses thus far, but thought that some from one who's about where you are on the learning curve might be supportive. I've been sailing exactly one year and when it's blowin', still experience much of the anxiety that you describe. We have a CD33 and my partner is a very experienced sailor, but still I struggle with that 'feeling' when she really heels or we're taking rollers off our beam. We sail in S.F. Bay and were out there this past Saturday when the wind hit 35+. (See E-mail posting by Patrick Turner - Sail Trim and Strong Winds.) With days like this, it's easy to get discouraged (read: scared), but I really try and focus on each adventure as a learning experience. For me, my fear comes primarliy from lack of experience - not knowing what effect the wind and waves have on the boat, and not knowing what to do when the situation changes. Keep going out, take experienced people with you, and ask a million questions. Also, and this may seem obvious but really makes a difference - stay warm and dry ie, foulies. If you're tired and cold and scared, you're much more likely to make a bad call. And if it really looks like it might get nasty, maybe stay at the dock and read a good book of sea stories. There's certainly no shame in that. Good luck.



bgilmore@ci.santa-rosa.ca.us

[John Dupras]

Hi - Looking for a little moral support. I am practically brand new to sailing, but in my first couple of classes just knew I had to have a boat. I bought an Intrepid 9M built by Cape Dory. Very pretty. Now for the moral support part. I went out this past weekend with my wife (also a novice), for the first time "alone". It was pretty gusty, about 15-20 on Puget Sound. I had te jib and main up. Got hit by a couple of gusts that heeled the boat over probably 15 degrees or so but seemed like more. I got nervous (don't laugh!!) I know that in theory, a 7700 pound boat with 3500 pounds of lead keel won't tip over in this wind, but my nerves didn't know it. I think I was really more nervous about falling off the boat than the boat going over. Anyway, I also blew out the main which ripped along a seam about 2/3 of the way up. How long does it take to get over that nervous feeling as the boat tips some. And are you sure it won't really go over??? Thanks for any moral support, explanations, jeers, what have you. I will go back out again, nerves or not....

John,

We have been there also, and I agree with what the other folks have said.

One thing about learning to heave-to: When you are out in 2-3 foot waves and you want to stop for awhile and assess your situation or have a bite to eat, it is amazing what will happen when you heave-to. You will swear that the waves have suddenly subsided to 1 foot! Then you you start sailing again, it will seem like they restart at 2-3 feet. Try it on a mild day until it becomes natural.

David

Thanks for all the support. I realize I was a little overmatched. It was 85 degrees, and that may hav lulled us a little. We sailed about an hour in the bay, and when we went out in the channel is when things got a little crazy. I took the main in today to be looked at and the sailmaker(a great guy at Sailmakers Loft in Edgewood WA) said it's the original (20 years old) and pretty tired. He can fix it and says it'll be good to learn on. He can build me a brand new one with 2 sets of reefs, a jackline and all for about a grand. That's a pretty good savings over some of the name brand places I've talked to and he has a 2 year no questions asked guarentee. Maybe for Christmas this year . I also have a weather radio, good foul weather gear, and a few experience points. I'll keep you posted as the sail will be ready by Friday and I plan on going out again this weekend. Thanks again for all your support.

John and Eileen



jdupras@wdcorp.com

[Harris]

I don't want to be the spoil sport but I think that the boat that you have may be a handful to learn on. The number one advice I can give to you is to seek out experienced crew. Even if you have to hire a proffessional instructor......it will pay off in the long run.Guys advising you as to how to handel your boat with only your wife as crew are underestimating the amount of experience tha they have under their belt. It will take you years to be truely competent. Sailing with and learning from experienced sailors will speed up the process. You have a truely gorgeous boat. Recruiting experienced crew shouldn't be difficult. If yopu are within 100 miles of NJ I will be waiting at the boat with short notice. The other alternative is instead learnig the hard way on the boat that you have.......spend some time on smaller boats......or buy one. The quicker handeling and sensation of heel helps you to sail large boats.After 20 years sailing an Alberg Seasprite 23 I just decided that turning 40 whas the time to go fast and get wet before I get too old. I picked up a used Force 5 for $400. Now I wished that I had owned something smaller all along. Baot speed is double on the small boat and you pay for your mistakes by ending up in the water. On the bigger boats mistakes can be more costly.....to the boat and also in bodily harm.



hg@myhost.com

[Pat Carlson]

John & Mrs. - Welcome to "white knuckle sailing". Sounds like everyone is giving you good advice. Keep going out, keep learning. As Bob Bitchen of "Latitudes & Attitudes" magazine says, "Your attitude is the only difference between an ordeal and an adventure". A motto I live by. I would like to make one point...if you are nervous, that means the wife is nervous. When I first started sailing, my husband had alot more experience than I, but I was scared to death. I just knew that boat was going over. After threatening to give up my position as first mate, he "strongly suggested" that I take the helm. I did & it was the best thing I've ever done. It gave me an appreciation for how the boat handled and gave me confidence that I could handle her. Now my husband and I have to fight each other for the helm because I love to be in the Captain's Seat! Now if I could just get HIM to be as enthusiastic in the galley....Best of luck - Keep The Bottom Wet!



SkywindMCM@aol.com

[Mark Tallon]

Just a couple of suggestions:
1. Check the weather before you go out. Go out in light air until you build your confidence.
2. Keep the mainsheet in your hand and work it. You will become comfortable very quickly. If you get that uneasy feeling let the main out, then bring it in. You will become one-with-boat doing this.
3. Try sailing with the main only a couple of times. This is a great confidence builder.
4. Sit on the high side of the boat when healing her over.
5. Take your time and don't push too hard. You want your wife to enjoy this too. One of the earlier replies mentioned sharing the helm with your wife. Having the helm & mainsheet in your hands helps you become one-with-boat. Be sure to share the helm!

mdt

Hi - Looking for a little moral support. I am practically brand new to sailing, but in my first couple of classes just knew I had to have a boat. I bought an Intrepid 9M built by Cape Dory. Very pretty. Now for the moral support part. I went out this past weekend with my wife (also a novice), for the first time "alone". It was pretty gusty, about 15-20 on Puget Sound. I had te jib and main up. Got hit by a couple of gusts that heeled the boat over probably 15 degrees or so but seemed like more. I got nervous (don't laugh!!) I know that in theory, a 7700 pound boat with 3500 pounds of lead keel won't tip over in this wind, but my nerves didn't know it. I think I was really more nervous about falling off the boat than the boat going over. Anyway, I also blew out the main which ripped along a seam about 2/3 of the way up. How long does it take to get over that nervous feeling as the boat tips some. And are you sure it won't really go over??? Thanks for any moral support, explanations, jeers, what have you. I will go back out again, nerves or not....

cypriss428@aol.com

[Tom Foley]

John, I have been sailing with my wife for 10 years in a Rhodes 19. Last year we sold it and purchased a CD25 which is still in my yard getting ready to go in Kennebunk,maine. Every time i go out I still get that uneasy feeling when the boat begins to heel more than i think it should. The previous suggestions have all been good. i have gone sailing with experienced sailors, took some lessons at a local school and took the coast guard sailing course. This year we look forward to trying cruising. May 99 "Sail" magazine has a good article on cruising. Suggest you subscribe. I suspect that most sailors, amature as well as pros get that feeling we share. Just keep trying and ease into it. I started sailing at fifty and enjoy the exercise and peace of sailing.

Best wishes
Tom Foley

Hi - Looking for a little moral support. I am practically brand new to sailing, but in my first couple of classes just knew I had to have a boat. I bought an Intrepid 9M built by Cape Dory. Very pretty. Now for the moral support part. I went out this past weekend with my wife (also a novice), for the first time "alone". It was pretty gusty, about 15-20 on Puget Sound. I had te jib and main up. Got hit by a couple of gusts that heeled the boat over probably 15 degrees or so but seemed like more. I got nervous (don't laugh!!) I know that in theory, a 7700 pound boat with 3500 pounds of lead keel won't tip over in this wind, but my nerves didn't know it. I think I was really more nervous about falling off the boat than the boat going over. Anyway, I also blew out the main which ripped along a seam about 2/3 of the way up. How long does it take to get over that nervous feeling as the boat tips some. And are you sure it won't really go over??? Thanks for any moral support, explanations, jeers, what have you. I will go back out again, nerves or not....

alewifehouse@mainecoast.net

[Walt Bilofsky]

Thanks for all the support. <snip> I also have a weather radio, good foul weather gear, and a few experience points. I'll keep you posted as the sail will be ready by Friday and I plan on going out again this weekend.

John -

You mention you have a weather radio. I hope you also have a marine VHF two-way radio on your boat. After your PFDs, this is the second most important piece of safety equipment you can have, because if you do get into trouble, it's what you use to call for help. (It also receives the marine weather channels.) If you sail in a busy inshore area, a handheld VHF will do, and can also be taken home to get the forecast in the morning. Be sure it's waterproof and secured to the boat or to you when underway.

- Walt Bilofsky

P.S.: Pay attention to the forecasts, but ask experienced local sailors how reliable they are in your area. The other weekend - when we had 35 knots hooting through San Francisco Bay - the morning forecast was "variable to 15 knots" which is as close to flat calm as they ever predict. They only posted the gale warning after the winds actually came up. Of course, SF sailors know that is liable to happen on any given summer afternoon, and would plan to finish sailing by lunchtime if they wanted to be sure of avoiding a blow.

P.P.S.: Your chances of maintaining your wife's enthusiasm may be enhanced if you name the boat after her.



bilofsky@toolworks.com