When it’s blowing, don’t even try to winch in a big headsail sitting down. Manoeuvre your body ... To access this post, you must purchase The Sea Chest membership (Annual Payment) or 1 Year …
Beating in the dark
Steering a cruiser close-hauled in darkness is largely a matter of feel. As the boat runs off the wind, heel angle may increase, and the boat will slow down when she comes fifteen degrees or more …
Think before lassoing
‘Lassoing’ a mooring buoy by dropping a bight of line over it then heaving in the slack is a useful means of securing temporarily, especially where there is neither mooring ring nor pick-up buoy with …
No misunderstandings
Any possible ambiguity can be cut out of helm orders by making all references in terms of the boat herself. ‘Keep it on the left’, when approaching a buoy could mean the helmsman should sail to the …
Salvage
Always discuss the deal before you accept a tow. If you’ve run out of fuel on a calm evening, a friendly fisherman might pull you in for a bottle of scotch, but if your boat is in undisputed danger …
60-mile rule
By some quirk of mathematics, a one-degree course error delivers a vessel a mile to one side of a destination that is 60 miles distant. Two degrees sets her two miles off and five degrees will result …
