Becky's Basic Cruising Blog

Crew Overboard - A walk through

2007-07-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a description of the activities of each person during the crew overboard drill. The actors in this drill are:

Pointer: The person responsible for pointing to the crew overboard. This person must keep the overboard crew member in view at all times.
Crew: This is one or two additional people. The crew are responsible for managing the sails.
Helm: The helmsman is responsible for driving the boat.

This is a walk-through of the triangular method of crew overboard recovery, as described by Gillian West in Basic Cruising Skills (provided as part of your Basic Cruising course material).

Crew falls overboard

Pointer: Yells crew overboard and points to the overboard crew member (COB). Pointer shouts: "Are you OK?"
Crew: Throws a buoyant object (life jacket, kisbey ring, etc) at the COB.
Helm: Immediate turn the boat to a beam reach, without tacking or gybing. This means either bearing away (if you are close hauled or close reaching -- shout: bearing away to a beam reach) or heading up (if you are broad reaching or running -- shout: heading up to a beam reach). It is important that the helmsman drives the boat is a straight line. The helmsman should NOT look at the COB, as that will cause the helm to turn.
Crew: Adjust the sails appropriately. Prepares the jib for a tack (knowing this is coming later).
Pointer: Call out the number of boat-lengths the COB is (for example: 4 boat-lengths, 5 boat-lengths).

At 6-8 boat lengths
When the COB is 6-8 boat lengths away, the boat must be tacked. The distance is determined by the type of boat. Some boats are OK at 6, others really need the 8 to ensure they have enough time to slow down. When in doubt error on the side of too far.

Helm: Shouts - "Prepare to come about"
Crew: If the jib is not prepared, the crew prepares the jib. The main is left as is (set for beam reach). The tack will be from a beam reach, to a beam reach, so there is no need to bring in the main. Shouts - Ready.
Pointer: Keeps pointing at the COB and positions themselves to permit pointing during the tack. Shouts - Ready.
Helm: Shouts - Helms-a-lee and sharply turns the boat (helm all the way over). You want to perform the tack as quickly as possible, so as not to loose any speed. The boat is tacked from a beam reach to a beam reach. Once the tack is complete (the sails are on the other side), the helm shouts - Bearing away to a broad reach. The helm continues turning until the boat is at a broad reach. This entire 235 degree turn should be performed in one smooth motion.
Crew: Adjust the jib for the tack (that is, bring it to the other side). Do not bring it in too tight, as you will be bearing away immediately. Adjust the main sail for a broad reach (let it out), and re-adjust the jib for a broad reach (let it out).

On the broad reach

Helm: Ensure you are driving the boat in a straight line on a broad reach (not a run or a beam reach). Avoid the temptation to look at the COB.
Pointer: Provide a warning as the COB approaches perpendicular (directly abeam).

When the COB is perpendicular

Pointer: Shout - COB is perpendicular (or COB is abeam).
Helm: Shout - Heading up. Point the boat at the COB. Let the pointer know you have the COB in view.
Crew: Adjust the sails for close reach (adjust the main first, then the jib).
Pointer: For the drill, once the helm has seen the COB, you should prepare the boat hook to pick-up the COB. In real life, you would remain pointer unless the boat is short on crew. In which case, once the helm has the COB in view, the pointer can prepare the reboarding device.

When the COB is 1-3 boat lengths from the boat
You will need to lose speed in order to pick up the COB. When you start losing speed, depends upon your boat speed and the strength of the wind.

Helm: Keep pointing directly at the COB. You will alter course when the COB is about 1/2 a boat-length away to bring the COB onto your windward side.
Helm: When the boat is 1-3 boat lengths, start losing speed. First let loose the jib: shout - Blow the jib (or release the jib).
Crew: Upon the command release the jib sheets. Let the jib luff.
Helm: When ready, let loose the main. Note that the main is your "engine". It is what will control your speed the most. Shout - Blow the main (or release the main).
Crew: Release the main sheets. Let the main luff.
Helm: Steer the boat such that the COB is on the windward side for pickup.
Pointer: Recover the COB.

Crew Overboard Procedure

2007-07-12T08:50:00.001-07:00

CYA Basic Cruising standard requires that students learn the triangle method of crew overboard recovery procedures.

The general procedure is as follows:

Raise the alert "Crew Overboard". Typically, the person who notices the COB becomes the pointer.
Pointer - Points to the COB (remains in this role throughout the procedure).
A crew member throws a buoyant object at the COB (we don't do this during drills, but in real life this is an important step not to forget).
Helm - Immediately heads up or bears away to a beam reach.
After 6-8 boat lengths, helm tacks and immediately bears away to a broad reach. This is a 225 degree turn!
When the COB is perpendicular to the boat, helm heads up and points the boat at the COB (close reach).
The COB is retrieved from the windward side of the boat.

Notes on the procedure:

Helmsman needs to concentrate on steering the boat (don't worry about the sails). Steering the course is a priority over sail trim.
The distance to go away depends on the boat. You will want to go further away in a heavier boat, as you'll need more time/distance to slow down when you approach the COB.

For a flash based picture, click here.

Maneauving under power

2007-07-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

Theory

Reference: Chapter 13 pages 80 - 83

P-Effect

Majority of boats will turn towards port because they have right hand propellers
Port - Right (clockwise)
Starboard - Left (counter clockwise)
Right - pushes stern out right, causing boat to go left
negligible with small outboard, notices more with inboard engines

Wake

Make note of your wake at various speeds
why?

so you are not causing damage to other boats when going into/out of harbour
so when you pass canoes / kayaks you don't swamp them
You are responsible for your wake!

Discuss effects of wind and current

Activity

Two complete circles port and starboard, forward and reverse (low speed, tiller only)

Make note of wakes
Make note of turning radius (both forward and reverse)
Make note of which way to turn the tiller (banana theory)
Notice which circle is tighter (clockwise indicates left)
Try forward circles at full speed, notice greater diameter an heel

Stopping distance, get boat to full speed then stop engine

Note how long it takes for boat to come to a complete stop
How can we make the boat stop faster (try using reverse to stop boat)

Reverse in straight line
Approaching mark - approach mark with no speed when mark is abeam

safe way to practice coming along side

Safe boating acts

2007-07-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

The safe boating acts refers to the various legal regulations in place to help ensure safer boating practices. Knowledge of the safe boating acts is required for your pleasure craft operator card test.

The Acts

Canada Shipping Act
Contravention Act
Boating Restriction Regulations
Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations
Collision Regulations
Small Vessel Regulations
Criminal Code of Canada

Canada Shipping Act

every pleasure craft operator must render assistance in so far as they are able safely, to every person on the water who is in danger

Contravention Act

allows for on-the-spot ticketing of boating offences (for example, fines for not having safety equipment)
payment of fine means a guilty plea and removes the need to appear in court

Boating Restriction Regulations

impose speed limits
shoreline speed zones
horsepower limits and other operating restrictions on specified waterways

Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations

all operators must have on board the latest edition of the largest scale chart (vessel under 100 tons may be exempt)

Collision Regulations

specify right-of-way
require:

every operator of a vessel to proceed at a safe speed
maintaining a constant lookout
using every available means to avoid a collision

defines sailing vessel and power driven vessel

Small Vessel Regulations

Outlines:

the minimum safety equipment required to be carried on a boat
safety precautions to follow before and while boating
construction standards for building a recreational boat

all safety equipment is required to be well maintained

defines requirements for licensing of pleasure craft and defines how the vessel licence number must be presented

defines requirement for load capacity plate

Criminal Code of Canada

the following are criminal offences

operating a vessel dangerously (for example, unsafe speed)
operating a vessel when impaired (note, you can loose your drivers licence and have your boat impounded)
towing water skiers improperly
failing to stop at the scene of an accident
operating an unseaworthy vessel

The Basic Cruising Standard

2007-07-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

The 28-hour Basic Cruise course offered by the Ottawa Sailing School provides you with the instruction necessary to achieve the Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) Basic Cruising Standard. If you are not comfortable taking on the role of skipper, you may chose to complete the Compentent Crew Standard, rather than the Basic Cruising Standard.

Both of the standards are described on the CYA website.

DOT Requirements for our boats

2007-07-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

The safety items listed are required by law. The skipper of the vessel can be fined for each offense, so fines add up quickly. A $200.00 fine per offense, can be issued by city or provincial police.

The boats used by the Ottawa Sailing School for Basic Cruising are either 23' Sonars, 22' Tanzers, or 24' Sharks. In all cases, they qualify as "Pleasure craft greater than 6 m in length but no greater than 8 m in length".

There are 10 items requires for our boats. I've listed them using an mnemonic to help you remember the 10 items (FFFLLLARES, pronounced flares):

F - Flares - 6 Canadian approved flares that have not expired! Must be type A, B, or C. Not required when

F - Flash light - 1 Flash light that works.

F - Fire extinguisher - Type 5BC fire extinguisher must be carried if you have an engine. In addition, if you have a fuel burning appliance (stove, heater, BBQ, etc), you must carry a second 5BC fire extinguisher.

L - Life jackets - One approved life jacket for each person. This life jacket must be in good condition and must fit!

L - Line - 15 m of bouyant heaving line.

L - Lights - Navigation lights if the boat is to be opperated between dusk and dawn.

A - Anchor - An anchor with at least 15 m of cable or rope, or a manual propelling device (paddle)

R - Reboarding device

E - Extract - A device to extract water -- that is, a bailer, a bucket, or water pump.

S - Sound signal - A device to make a sound signal.

Another way to remember the list is based upon types of things that could go wrong.

ACK, we're sinking

Lifejacket
Flares

ACK, someone fell overboard:

Bouyant heaving line
Reboarding device

Boy it's foggy out:

Flashlight
Sound signal
Navigation lights

Fire, fire, fire:

fire extinguisher

My engine stopped and the rapids are fast approaching:

Anchor or paddle

Note: For the test you need to both list the items and DESCRIBE them. For example, you can not just say lifejackets. You must also say that the lifejackets must be APPROVED, must FIT, and there must be ONE FOR EACH PERSON on board.

Another note on weather ...

2007-06-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

When we were out sailing yesterday, we were reminded just how quickly things can change. One important note on the weather is to always keep a watch on the weather around you!

When we left the harbour, the weather was beautiful. It was sunny but not hot (about 19 deg C), and the winds were about 10 knots. Nice and steady but not strong enough for chop. The weather was perfect for sailing the Sonar under full sail.

The first hour of our trip progressed nicely. We tacked our way up river, enjoying the peacefulness that you can only experience when the engine is off and you are traveling under wind power alone.

The "hourly" forecast did call for a short bout of rain at about 7pm. It was to last less than half an hour, so we figured we would just sail through it. In looking up river, you could see a horrible black area over Kanata, but to the right (over the river and Quebec shore) you could see the sun through a small amount of rain. When you looked downriver (towards Ottawa), it was a beautiful sunny day with only a few small spotted clouds. The contrast was commented upon many times during the early part of the sailing trip.

The weather in Lac Deschenes typically comes from up-river. When you see a squall up-river you have 15-30 minutes before the squall hits. We were up near Aylmer Yacht Club and the weather was pretty calm (probably about 5-7 knot winds). The river turn to the East a little just passed the yacht club. We were planning on heading up past Aylmer Island and hopefully miss most of the rain, before turning back towards Nepean Sailing Club to conclude our evening sail.

Getting a little close to Aylmer, I tacked the boat to head into deeper waters. The wind very quickly started to pick up. After about a minute, it went from flat (about 5 knot winds) to a more steady 15 knot wind. The boat started to heal over, but not uncomfortably so. I believe my comment to our guests was "this is what I love about sailing!". It as truly a wonderful feeling ... then ... the wind kept picking up. Next thing I new the boat was starting to heal too much. I loosed the traveler all the way. That provided temporary relief, but soon the heal was again too much. I loosed the main. It became clear very quickly that the wind was too strong for the amount of sail we had up. We needed to reduce sail area. I immediately hove to.

Unfortunately, the waves had picked up and the wind was still blowing. We started to take down the main sail, but were having difficultly because the winds were too strong. When you are hove to, you sit 60 deg off the waves, which is pretty close to broad side. One big wave hit with an accompanying gust of wind and the boat started to heal and take in water over the side. It was time to run with the storm. I turned down wind, and things calmed down for a few moments. We tried to get the main down, but from that position, it wasn't going to happen. We needed to head into the wind (to remove the tension from the main) in order to get the sail down. I turned the boat up briefly, we pulled the sail down, and then ran with the wind under Jib only. Fortunately, this was not a long lived storm, and we were far enough up-river that we had lots of river downwind of us.

Upon returning, I took a look at the wind report. The wind had spiked from a sustained 10 knots to a sustained 28 knots, with peak just around 42 knots. Good thing we were in the Ottawa river and not a larger body of water.

There were several lessons learned in this experience:

Always keep an eye on the current weather.
Black clouds are not a good thing!
The weather can change VERY quickly.
When heavy winds hit suddenly, keep a cool head and remember your training.

Here is a picture of the beautiful rainbows we saw on our way downwind. At one point, you could seen the entire rainbow from end-to-end. Unfortunately, the camera on my phone couldn't capture it.

The Weather

2007-06-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

There are many different source of weather including:

local newspapers
radio stations
TV
Internet weather sites
phone weather services
weather fax
VHF weather station

Before your trip, one of the easiest places to look for weather pertaining to your sailing adventure are websites from the yacht clubs in the areas local to your sailing trip.

Ottawa Sailing School Basic Cruising classes are typically taught out of either Nepean Sailing Club or the Britannia Yacht Club.

Before sailing, always check the weather!

Nepean Sailing Club has a pretty reliable wind indicator that tells you what the current winds are doing. You should view the weather graph several times (at least once an hour for 2-3 hours) prior to sailing. This will give you an indication of what the winds are currently doing, and help you make a pre-sail sail selection decision.
The local forecast gives you a high level overview of what is expected from a wind and weather perspective. Typically, you check this site to see if the winds will be calm or if there are any thunder storms expected.
The weather radar will show you the location of any thunderstorms in the area. The play back will show you the motion of the clouds and give you a sense of what you need to look out for.
AccuWeather.com provides an hourly forecast of the wind.

Welcome

2007-06-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Becky's Basic Cruising Blog. I created this blog to capture information regarding the Canadian Yachting Association, Basic Cruising courses that I teach for the Ottawa Sailing School.

This blog will contain:

Entries for my specific classes
Generic entries on content for basic cruising
Tips and tricks for teaching basic cruising

Comments and questions are welcome.