Wind The wind can be a huge hindrance, Be Polite – try to keep track of Be Patient – I have circled for
especially to a slow moving boat. By where you are in line and let everyone well over an hour waiting to fuel up a
understanding what the wind is going have their turn. Let me share an couple different times, and yes, it was
to do to your boat and using this to your experience we had a couple years ago. frustrating. But ‘road rage’ does not
advantage, you can make the wind an As we were about enter a small harbor help in the boating world any more
ally rather than an enemy. However, in the San Juan Islands a power boat than it does on the highways, so be
doing so may require changing your came speeding past us. A moment later patient.
original plans. For example, backing we both turned into the harbor and Go Slow – you may need to stop
all the way out of the harbor. saw there was only one open buoy. quickly so be prepared to do so. Keep
One other point, a side wind The skipper of the power boat realized your speed down to around 2 knots in
does two things to a boat: it pushes it he had just aced us out of the buoy, tight spaces and no more than 4 knots in
sideways (as you would expect) but it stopped his boat and turned to me harbors and anchorages. Even if things
does so unevenly – it pushes the bow saying, “Let’s share, how about rafting are fairly open traffic wise, it is polite
faster than the stern. This is due to up?” Nicely done! to keep your wake small until you are
uneven resistance under the water, the Communicate – Don’t be afraid clear of anchored or moored boats.
keel and rudder hold the middle and to ask someone what they have
stern, but nothing holds the bow in planned. And pass on your own intent; Next month, in the second of the
place. So a boat sitting still in the water hand signals work well and verbal three part series, we’ll look at applying
and hit by a gust from the side will spin communication works even better. the tools we discussed to achieve different
as well as drift. During the summer most skippers are maneuvers.
outside and it is easy to just call over
Current Current tends to drag the whole to them. Mike Huston owns a computer
boat with it and can do so relentlessly. Lookout – the more people consulting company in the Seattle area
Because moving water is denser than watching for traffic the better. If and teaches sailing part-time for San
moving air, a one knot current can possible have a crew member on the Juan Sailing in Bellingham, WA. He has
feel like a fifteen knot wind. The main bow to look around corners for you. been sailing for over 40 years, many of
difference is that current does not spin And as you approach aisle ways look them spent racing. He and his wife own a
the boat like a side wind. for moving masts, short or tall, that Jeanneau 43DS, “Illuminé.”
may be headed your way.
Dock Lines There are times when dock
lines can be used to control a boat,
especially while pulling into or out of
a slip.
Manual Labor Having a crew member
give a boat just the right push or pull
can be very helpful around the docks.
Thrusters I do not plan on discussing
bow thrusters in this series but they
can be a useful tool in tight spaces.
Over the next two months we
will be looking at how these tools can
be used to achieve the maneuvers
listed earlier. But before we get to the
maneuvers here are some thoughts
on dealing with other boats in tight
spaces.
Dealing with Traffic – During the busy
summer season just getting in and/or
out of harbor can be a challenge as boats
can be coming from several directions
at once. Frequently, following the rules
of the road just doesn’t make sense
and doing what is logical and polite
usually ends up winning. Here are a
few thoughts on dealing with this kind
of situation:
48° No r t h , Ja N u a r y 2010 Pa g e 43
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