I've been reading and I guess lurking here for a while. Since I don't
have much/any experience I figured I'd try to learn. In fast the
sailing urge was building since last year - and then last June the
company where I was working on eBook related stuff was shut-down by a
higher Corporate decision, as the bloom fell off the dot, and being
laid-off left me with fewer resources - wasn't much I could do about
an expensive hobby, but I finally took a class locally, with some of
the last bit of money I had left... I had taken a dinghy sailing class
almost 30 years ago at UC Santa Cruz but we never got out of the
harbor on account of wind and swell-size. Again in the same kind of
boat as today:

15-knots of good wind. I shipped some green water but didn't flip it,
and managed to get back to the pier. Got most of the blood out of the
boat.

I guess it qualifies as a mis-rigged boat when the rear line is
dangling over the transom, with it's brass clip-hook in the water
alongside the rudder.

I pushed-off and backed-out using the main, more concerned with the
summer-camp kids next to me, and concerned with the front painter and
jib-lines, even though I didn't unfurl the jib. The accident was
waiting to happen when (one of) my next wild-ass tacks occurred.

With he wind up and gusting, the boom swinging wide to the shroud,
dipping in the water, most of the line paid out from the main sheet,
the line dangles there briefly, then as the boom swings back gets
whipped up and caught around the outside-end "square bit" of
rudder-tiller-fastener, that protruded.

Stupid rudder should be "melted" smooth and with no obstructions to
catch on anything.

The clip-hook on the end of the painter that was dangling in the
water, with a flick as the boat heels wildly, clips over the traveler
and secures the rudder in a highly unsatisfactory (to me) position...
Whoa!! Coming about again (spinning), and the rudder and main-sheet
are secured to each other, and wrapped over the end of the boom.

That's when I hiked the hell OUT.

That's when I shipped the green water, and must also have been when
cut my little toe on one of those circle-clips that goes through and
secures the end of a shackle-pin on the centerboard track.

I'd already flipped it once on the first day of class, at least this
time it wasn't because I didn't let go of the sheet. I didn't flip
but the lines were tangled good, with a rising sweat I managed to undo
them, finally. Most of the bloody footprints were down on the sole,
by the pin on the centerboard track anyhow. I think I got most of the
blood out.

1.) Check everything, skipper, tag you're IT.
2.) Lines with clip-hooks or weighted ends shouldn't dangle over the
transom where they can foul another line.

Sorta ad-hoc de-briefing it with one of the instructors, he said these
boats are really meant for the milder breezes of SoCal and not the
good stuff we get up here (Catalina Capri 14.5 is what they're called
after all), AND they have "a nasty weather helm."

Boy do they ever turn up into the wind fast, and it takes a lot of
counter-tiller to steer straight, I know that to be a fact. You can
practically spin them around like a quad-rider does donuts in a
parking lot- which really MUST be a SoCal thing. ;-) No offense guys,
I ride dirtbikes mostly. Race them sometimes. Quads suck.

He said I should come out Wednesday nights for their mini race-series,
only about a month and a half left. But really... Wednesday's and any
weeknights though, well, my wife and I we're pretty much
stay-at-home-bodies.
But it's a change of pace and a new opportunity. From new things come
new perspectives, and maybe thinking out-of-the-box means a new job.

-keith, mtn. view ca

SJ Zouaves, CRPA & GOA Life, GOC, NRA, Hurrah CMP

Just think of all the fun and excitement you will have on the 4th time
out!!!!! If you put a 3 by 5 card up, at a marina or two stating -Deckhand,
ready, willing, and able.You might be surprized at how many people sail solo
and would love to have you along. .(great way to have fun and learn and make
friends, for free)
"DirtCrashr" wrote in message
...
I've been reading and I guess lurking here for a while. Since I don't
have much/any experience I figured I'd try to learn. In fast the
sailing urge was building since last year - and then last June the
company where I was working on eBook related stuff was shut-down by a
higher Corporate decision, as the bloom fell off the dot, and being
laid-off left me with fewer resources - wasn't much I could do about
an expensive hobby, but I finally took a class locally, with some of
the last bit of money I had left... I had taken a dinghy sailing class
almost 30 years ago at UC Santa Cruz but we never got out of the
harbor on account of wind and swell-size. Again in the same kind of
boat as today:

15-knots of good wind. I shipped some green water but didn't flip it,
and managed to get back to the pier. Got most of the blood out of the
boat.

I guess it qualifies as a mis-rigged boat when the rear line is
dangling over the transom, with it's brass clip-hook in the water
alongside the rudder.

I pushed-off and backed-out using the main, more concerned with the
summer-camp kids next to me, and concerned with the front painter and
jib-lines, even though I didn't unfurl the jib. The accident was
waiting to happen when (one of) my next wild-ass tacks occurred.

With he wind up and gusting, the boom swinging wide to the shroud,
dipping in the water, most of the line paid out from the main sheet,
the line dangles there briefly, then as the boom swings back gets
whipped up and caught around the outside-end "square bit" of
rudder-tiller-fastener, that protruded.

Stupid rudder should be "melted" smooth and with no obstructions to
catch on anything.

The clip-hook on the end of the painter that was dangling in the
water, with a flick as the boat heels wildly, clips over the traveler
and secures the rudder in a highly unsatisfactory (to me) position...
Whoa!! Coming about again (spinning), and the rudder and main-sheet
are secured to each other, and wrapped over the end of the boom.

That's when I hiked the hell OUT.

That's when I shipped the green water, and must also have been when
cut my little toe on one of those circle-clips that goes through and
secures the end of a shackle-pin on the centerboard track.

I'd already flipped it once on the first day of class, at least this
time it wasn't because I didn't let go of the sheet. I didn't flip
but the lines were tangled good, with a rising sweat I managed to undo
them, finally. Most of the bloody footprints were down on the sole,
by the pin on the centerboard track anyhow. I think I got most of the
blood out.

1.) Check everything, skipper, tag you're IT.
2.) Lines with clip-hooks or weighted ends shouldn't dangle over the
transom where they can foul another line.

Sorta ad-hoc de-briefing it with one of the instructors, he said these
boats are really meant for the milder breezes of SoCal and not the
good stuff we get up here (Catalina Capri 14.5 is what they're called
after all), AND they have "a nasty weather helm."

Boy do they ever turn up into the wind fast, and it takes a lot of
counter-tiller to steer straight, I know that to be a fact. You can
practically spin them around like a quad-rider does donuts in a
parking lot- which really MUST be a SoCal thing. ;-) No offense guys,
I ride dirtbikes mostly. Race them sometimes. Quads suck.

He said I should come out Wednesday nights for their mini race-series,
only about a month and a half left. But really... Wednesday's and any
weeknights though, well, my wife and I we're pretty much
stay-at-home-bodies.
But it's a change of pace and a new opportunity. From new things come
new perspectives, and maybe thinking out-of-the-box means a new job.

-keith, mtn. view ca

SJ Zouaves, CRPA & GOA Life, GOC, NRA, Hurrah CMP