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5 Things You Need to Know About Sailing
1. Rag Bags Versus Oil Guzzlers
A good-natured war between sailors and power boaters has long existed. They are often heard taunting each other across marina docks and in open water. Each boater has trouble understanding what the other sees in their chosen water transportation. Boaters with big engines who get going with a turn of the key think that sailing looks too much like work.
Sailboat Points:.
Sailboats are environmentally friendly / Sailboats operate by manual labour and wind; they are not entirely fuel dependent / Sailboats are quiet / Unlimited range of travel / Sailboats bring you closer to nature / Sailing is more suited to the adventurous type / It's much much cheaper to run a sailboat engine. / You can steer from the stern of a sailboat and talk to everybody / The further you travel, the more cost effective the sailboat becomes.
2. It's a Sport
Beginners learn to sail beside an experienced sailor or by taking sailing lessons. In addition to learning about wind and how the boat reacts to shifts in the sails, you need to learn an entire new language. You must know the names for the knots and lines you will work while sailing. There's a name for the seat you choose and how you move around the boat.
3. A Place for Everyone
When given a job on a sailboat, you should listen to and respond quickly to the captain's orders. A quick gust of wind can come and go in an instant. You might have to pull in the lines when the mainsail is shifted. When the captain says pull, pull fast and hard. Passengers are often used in sailboat races as dead weight. Called rail meat, extra bodies sit on the rails to tip the boat straight. A sailboat when gaining speed will tilt and the more hull that touches the water, the faster the boat will go. So rail meat sitters shift from side to side as the boat leans, sitting on the high side to push it down.
4. High Seas or low Lakes
Sailboats can be enjoyed leisurely on quiet lakes as well as on the ocean for exciting trips. The only requirements for a sailboat are movements in the wind and a bottom deep enough for the keel to move without hitting bottom. Smaller sailboats have moving keels, which can be lifted in shallow water. These boats are typically day sailboats that do not have cabins for sleeping. Even though a true sailor abhors the sound of an engine, most larger sailboats have an inboard or outboard engine to get through the windless times.
5. Even Techies can Sail
While they claim to be all about the tranquility of the water, sailors get into technical gadgets as much as their powerboat contemporaries. Gear such as depth finders, wind analysis meters and chart plotting devices fill the navigation tables of many sailors. Electric winches and mechanical furling stations save the lazy sailor muscle strain. Also, the jewelry, watches and clothing lines for sailors offer endless opportunities to incorporate their sport into their personalities..
A good-natured war between sailors and power boaters has long existed. They are often heard taunting each other across marina docks and in open water. Each boater has trouble understanding what the other sees in their chosen water transportation. Boaters with big engines who get going with a turn of the key think that sailing looks too much like work.
Sailboat Points:.
Sailboats are environmentally friendly / Sailboats operate by manual labour and wind; they are not entirely fuel dependent / Sailboats are quiet / Unlimited range of travel / Sailboats bring you closer to nature / Sailing is more suited to the adventurous type / It's much much cheaper to run a sailboat engine. / You can steer from the stern of a sailboat and talk to everybody / The further you travel, the more cost effective the sailboat becomes.
2. It's a Sport
Beginners learn to sail beside an experienced sailor or by taking sailing lessons. In addition to learning about wind and how the boat reacts to shifts in the sails, you need to learn an entire new language. You must know the names for the knots and lines you will work while sailing. There's a name for the seat you choose and how you move around the boat.
3. A Place for Everyone
When given a job on a sailboat, you should listen to and respond quickly to the captain's orders. A quick gust of wind can come and go in an instant. You might have to pull in the lines when the mainsail is shifted. When the captain says pull, pull fast and hard. Passengers are often used in sailboat races as dead weight. Called rail meat, extra bodies sit on the rails to tip the boat straight. A sailboat when gaining speed will tilt and the more hull that touches the water, the faster the boat will go. So rail meat sitters shift from side to side as the boat leans, sitting on the high side to push it down.
4. High Seas or low Lakes
Sailboats can be enjoyed leisurely on quiet lakes as well as on the ocean for exciting trips. The only requirements for a sailboat are movements in the wind and a bottom deep enough for the keel to move without hitting bottom. Smaller sailboats have moving keels, which can be lifted in shallow water. These boats are typically day sailboats that do not have cabins for sleeping. Even though a true sailor abhors the sound of an engine, most larger sailboats have an inboard or outboard engine to get through the windless times.
5. Even Techies can Sail
While they claim to be all about the tranquility of the water, sailors get into technical gadgets as much as their powerboat contemporaries. Gear such as depth finders, wind analysis meters and chart plotting devices fill the navigation tables of many sailors. Electric winches and mechanical furling stations save the lazy sailor muscle strain. Also, the jewelry, watches and clothing lines for sailors offer endless opportunities to incorporate their sport into their personalities..
safety for guests and crew onboard
When you take a new crew or guest on your boat the first time, be sure to teach them the basics about how to stay safe on the water. All too often, when the weather is good and conditions are stable, a skipper is tempted to get underway immediately—and tell guests or crew about safety equipment and actions later on if a need arises. The problem is that if a need does arise, it’s usually too late then to talk about safety actions, because immediate action is needed. Boat safety for guests is an important matter to address from the start.
Remember too that you the captain may be involved in an emergency and unavailable to give instructions at the time. Imagine if you were knocked overboard — would your guests know how to rescue you or call for help?
Here are five safety guidelines to show and tell guests and crew before heading out.
1. Make sure everyone has a PFD.
Don’t just tell them where PFDs are stored, but get them out and make sure everyone has one. Have them try them on and make any adjustments needed for a good fit. Then each guest can put the PFD where they can find it later (better yet: wear it). Remember that children under age 12 must wear one at all times.
Also show them your throwable PFD (life ring or seat cushion) and instruct them that if anyone goes overboard, even when wearing a PFD, throw the life ring or additional PFDs toward the person in the water. They will provide additional buoyancy for the person, and having several items in the water makes it easier to find the area if you’re under sail and it takes a minute or two to return.
2. Show everyone how to stop the boat.
Assume, in the worst case scenario, that you are in the water or having a medical or other emergency. Sailing crew can likely stop the boat or return to you, but guests may not know what to do. Under sail, show them at least how to release the mainsheet and jib sheet immediately to spill the wind and stop the boat. Under power, show them how to shut down the engine—it’s not good enough to think you have the boat in neutral if a person may come anywhere near the prop. Once you’re underway, you can talk more about how to run the boat back to a person overboard under either sail or power—but before starting out, guests should at least know how to stop the boat.
3. Show everyone where fire extinguishers are located.
If a fire were to break out, you might be too busy doing other things to fetch a fire extinguisher. Show people where they are and how to release them from a mounting bracket.
4. Show the boat’s radio and how to use it.
Several kinds of emergencies might result in you being incapacitated and needing help. In this day of universal cell phones, guests may assume they can simply call 911. Off the coast they may lack a signal, and even if they have a signal, using a VHF radio is better. The Coast Guard will hear a radio distress call virtually anywhere in US waters, and other boaters nearby monitoring channel 16 may also hear and arrive to give help long before the Coast Guard does. With a phone call, these boaters obviously will not know you are in distress.
Unless you are very near land where crew and guests can easily identify shore features to describe the boat’s position in a distress call, you should have your GPS unit on. Make sure at least one guest knows how to read longitude and latitude to be able to give your location in an emergency call.
5. Explain the plan if someone falls overboard.
Falling overboard is the most common boating emergency, a situation that requires immediate action from others in addition to the captain. Tell them what to do if you yourself end up in the water. (If your guests are not sailors or boaters, the best they may be able to do is stop the boat so that you can swim to it.) But explain that you need their help if one of them falls overboard. As noted earlier, throw the life ring and other floating objects immediately. Assign one person to watch the person in the water at all times, pointing with an outstretched arm. Others should stand by for your orders, such as controlling the sails or preparing a retrieval system such as a LifeSling. It takes a coordinated team effort to return the boat to someone in the water and assist the person back on board.
In addition to these five guidelines, if you are the only one aboard who knows how to sail, it can be critical for someone else to know how to handle the boat if you become incapacitated or are knocked overboard. Here are the essentials to teach your sailing partner or crew.
Then head out and have fun!
Your safety “show and tell” doesn’t have to be scary—that’s not the point. It takes only a few minutes to cover these basics, but should an emergency occur, this will have been time very well spent.
Remember too that you the captain may be involved in an emergency and unavailable to give instructions at the time. Imagine if you were knocked overboard — would your guests know how to rescue you or call for help?
Here are five safety guidelines to show and tell guests and crew before heading out.
1. Make sure everyone has a PFD.
Don’t just tell them where PFDs are stored, but get them out and make sure everyone has one. Have them try them on and make any adjustments needed for a good fit. Then each guest can put the PFD where they can find it later (better yet: wear it). Remember that children under age 12 must wear one at all times.
Also show them your throwable PFD (life ring or seat cushion) and instruct them that if anyone goes overboard, even when wearing a PFD, throw the life ring or additional PFDs toward the person in the water. They will provide additional buoyancy for the person, and having several items in the water makes it easier to find the area if you’re under sail and it takes a minute or two to return.
2. Show everyone how to stop the boat.
Assume, in the worst case scenario, that you are in the water or having a medical or other emergency. Sailing crew can likely stop the boat or return to you, but guests may not know what to do. Under sail, show them at least how to release the mainsheet and jib sheet immediately to spill the wind and stop the boat. Under power, show them how to shut down the engine—it’s not good enough to think you have the boat in neutral if a person may come anywhere near the prop. Once you’re underway, you can talk more about how to run the boat back to a person overboard under either sail or power—but before starting out, guests should at least know how to stop the boat.
3. Show everyone where fire extinguishers are located.
If a fire were to break out, you might be too busy doing other things to fetch a fire extinguisher. Show people where they are and how to release them from a mounting bracket.
4. Show the boat’s radio and how to use it.
Several kinds of emergencies might result in you being incapacitated and needing help. In this day of universal cell phones, guests may assume they can simply call 911. Off the coast they may lack a signal, and even if they have a signal, using a VHF radio is better. The Coast Guard will hear a radio distress call virtually anywhere in US waters, and other boaters nearby monitoring channel 16 may also hear and arrive to give help long before the Coast Guard does. With a phone call, these boaters obviously will not know you are in distress.
Unless you are very near land where crew and guests can easily identify shore features to describe the boat’s position in a distress call, you should have your GPS unit on. Make sure at least one guest knows how to read longitude and latitude to be able to give your location in an emergency call.
5. Explain the plan if someone falls overboard.
Falling overboard is the most common boating emergency, a situation that requires immediate action from others in addition to the captain. Tell them what to do if you yourself end up in the water. (If your guests are not sailors or boaters, the best they may be able to do is stop the boat so that you can swim to it.) But explain that you need their help if one of them falls overboard. As noted earlier, throw the life ring and other floating objects immediately. Assign one person to watch the person in the water at all times, pointing with an outstretched arm. Others should stand by for your orders, such as controlling the sails or preparing a retrieval system such as a LifeSling. It takes a coordinated team effort to return the boat to someone in the water and assist the person back on board.
In addition to these five guidelines, if you are the only one aboard who knows how to sail, it can be critical for someone else to know how to handle the boat if you become incapacitated or are knocked overboard. Here are the essentials to teach your sailing partner or crew.
Then head out and have fun!
Your safety “show and tell” doesn’t have to be scary—that’s not the point. It takes only a few minutes to cover these basics, but should an emergency occur, this will have been time very well spent.
seasickness prevention and cure
Prevention Is Always Better Than Cure
Seasickness caused by boat motion can be a serious problem for sailors. Not only does the sick person feel terrible and become incapacitated, and therefore a problem too for others on a shorthanded boat, but the dehydration that may result from repeated vomiting can become a medical issue. Therefore it's important to know how to prevent seasickness.
About 90% of people will experience seasickness or motion sickness at some point in their lives. If you're new to sailing, or have ever experienced nausea or dizziness on a boat, it's worthwhile to take steps early to prevent seasickness. Once seasickness occurs, it's too late to do much more than cope with it as best you can.
Even with many medical studies and hundreds of years of experimenting with how to prevent seasickness, no one method or medication has been developed that works for everyone. But various methods do work for different people, so it's mostly an issue of taking the problem seriously and trying to determine what will work best for you.
Prevention, Not Cure Seasickness prevention remedies fall into four general categories: medications, food and drink prescriptions, wrist bands, and behavior tips:
Medications
Food and Drink
Wrist Bands
Behavior Tips
Remember to Start Early! In most cases you should begin the remedy well before beginning to experience any signs or symptoms of seasickness. Usually that means before getting on the boat. But if you start out on a calm day and boat motion later starts to pick up, it's better late than never. Seasickness often begins with general feelings of drowsiness-the first sign may be yawning. Don't wait!
(Information retrieved from About.com)
Seasickness caused by boat motion can be a serious problem for sailors. Not only does the sick person feel terrible and become incapacitated, and therefore a problem too for others on a shorthanded boat, but the dehydration that may result from repeated vomiting can become a medical issue. Therefore it's important to know how to prevent seasickness.
About 90% of people will experience seasickness or motion sickness at some point in their lives. If you're new to sailing, or have ever experienced nausea or dizziness on a boat, it's worthwhile to take steps early to prevent seasickness. Once seasickness occurs, it's too late to do much more than cope with it as best you can.
Even with many medical studies and hundreds of years of experimenting with how to prevent seasickness, no one method or medication has been developed that works for everyone. But various methods do work for different people, so it's mostly an issue of taking the problem seriously and trying to determine what will work best for you.
Prevention, Not Cure Seasickness prevention remedies fall into four general categories: medications, food and drink prescriptions, wrist bands, and behavior tips:
Medications
- Nonprescription medications include Dramamine and Bonine, both essentially antihistamines. Their primary side effect is drowsiness, possibly even in their "non-drowsy" versions. Both must be started 1 to 2 hours before getting on the boat. These work for many people.
- Prescription Sturgeron is available in the UK and Australia but has not been approved in the US (yet is available through international web pharmacies). Sturgeron is claimed by many sailors to be more effective than Dramamine or Bonine. The pill must be taken well before needed, and side effects also include drowsiness.
- Prescription Scopolamine skin patches, positioned behind the ear, are generally considered the most powerful and most effective anti-seasickness medication. One patch lasts up to 72 hours. Side effects are also more significant, including vision disturbances that may make it difficult or impossible to read-a potential problem for anyone who must be able to read a chart or plotter. Talk to your doctor if you have experienced seasickness in the past and have found other remedies ineffective.
- While not exactly a medication, Motion Eaze is a blend of natural oils that is dabbed behind the ear and is claimed by some to work well as an anti-seasickness remedy.
Food and Drink
- Ginger in any form has been widely praised as a preventive remedy. Sailors chew crystalized ginger, nibble on ginger snaps, drink ginger ale or ginger tea, and swallow ginger capsules. Although medical research does not strongly support the use of ginger, many swear by its effectiveness.
- Soft drinks such as Coke and Pepsi are also said by some to help prevent feelings of queasiness and mild seasickness.
- Food and drink to avoid include alcohol, heavy and greasy foods, and strong spices. Plain crackers may be best if you begin to feel queasy.
Wrist Bands
- Wrist bands, such as Sea Bands, are a wrist band with a small plastic bubble that puts pressure on a certain point at the wrist, said to be an acupressure point to prevent seasickness. Some have found these very effective.
- Electric wrist bands, such as the adjustable Relief Band, are similar but are said to work by providing a small electrical stimulation to the wrist.
Behavior Tips
- Stay on deck. Keep in the fresh air and watch the horizon. Usually the worst possible thing is to go belowships. Then your brain can't reconcile what your inner ear is feeling (motion) with what you're seeing (lack of motion below).
- Minimize motion by taking a position amidships where the movements of roll, pitch, and yaw are less than at the bow, stern, or rails.
- Avoid reading or other near-focus observation. Similarly, avoid staring too long through binoculars.
- Concentrate on something else. Take the helm or engage in some boat work, rather than dwelling on thoughts of starting to feel queasy.
- If you do feel sick, take a position near the rail on the leeward (downwind) side of the boat. Vomiting may occur suddenly, and no one wants it in the boat (where its smell may make you or others feel sicker). Once sick, it may help to lie on your back with your eyes closed, still preferably out in the fresh air. From that point, it's often a matter of waiting it out.
Remember to Start Early! In most cases you should begin the remedy well before beginning to experience any signs or symptoms of seasickness. Usually that means before getting on the boat. But if you start out on a calm day and boat motion later starts to pick up, it's better late than never. Seasickness often begins with general feelings of drowsiness-the first sign may be yawning. Don't wait!
(Information retrieved from About.com)
the bowline knot
The most common of all knots is commonly
used in sailing small craft, for example to fasten a halyard to the head of a
sail or to tie a jib sheet to a clew of a jib. The bowline is well known as a
rescue knot for such purposes as rescuing people who might have fallen down a
hole, or off a cliff onto a ledge. They would put it around themselves and sit
on the loop. This makes it easy to heft them up away from danger.
the clove hitch knot
The clove hitch knot can be
used as a binding knot, but is not particularly secure in that role. It is commonly used on sailing boats to secure and adjust the height of protective fenders alongside of the boat.
the cleat knot
The Cleat Hitch is the best way to tie a boat to a dock. It is a quick and easy method of tying a rope to a cleat on a dock or boat that is also easy to untie. Learn the Cleat Hitch if you own a boat or even if you don’t. This knot ties and unties quickly and neatly.
the square (reef) knot
The Square Knot or Reef Knot is quick and easy to tie. It is a good knot for securing non-critical items. Not to be trusted to join two ropes together.. It is important that this knot should not be used as a bend (for tying two ropes together). It is unsafe and can come apart. Be sure to form the square knot and avoid tying a granny knot, by making sure that both parts of the rope, the standing line and the free end, exit the knot together.
the stop knot (or figure of eight knot)
A stopper knot is a knot that stops the rope going through a cleat.