Posted by Grant Headifen on July 6, 2010 under Bareboat Charter, Coastal Navigation, Crew, Skipper, Storm Tactics | 
As you learn to sail, you should be also learning about anchoring. There is more to tossing the hook so to speak.
After doing some research on the internet and looking at some of the tests performed on holding power, I’ve made a quick summary of what I learned.
Anchor types are selected based on the bottom conditions. These are rock, mud, clay, sand, grass, coral and shoal.
Charts will usually tell you what the bottom conditions are, as will local sailors from whom you should never be afraid to ask.
The following shows the type of anchor and the associated bottom that the anchor is best suited for.
Danforth: Works best in sand and mud
Danforth Anchor
Hinged Plough CQR: Works Best in sand, rock and mud.
Hinged Plough CQR Anchor
Non Hinged Plough Delta Anchor: Works best in sand rock clay and mud.
Delta plough anchor
Non Hinged Plough Roll bar anchor: Best for all types of bottoms – sand, rock, mud,clay, grass
Rollbar plough anchor
Bruce Anchor: Best for sand, rock, mud.
Bruce anchor
The Roll Bar Plough type anchor is a new type of anchor and therefore is not that common yet. However, tests show that it is certainly one of the winners when it comes to selecting an anchor.
Posted by Grant Headifen on May 15, 2010 under About NauticEd, Bareboat Charter, Celestial Navigation, Coastal Navigation, Crew, Maneuvering Under Power, Rules of Right of Way, Sail Trim, Skipper, Storm Tactics, weather |
This is day 4 of 6 in your introduction to NauticEd
Today we’re discussing the list of courses and clinics that NauticEd offers for your education.
One of the first course we believe that all sailors should complete no mater what their experience level is the FREE NauticEd Rules of Right of Way Clinic.
If you’re an experienced sailor you’ll see the value in a quick refresher course.
If you’re new to sailing then you’ll learn some vital nautical rules.
In either case – this course is free and thus you’ll be able to see how taking a NauticEd clinic and the associated test will work. This is a graphical and fun 20 minute course.
Take the Rules of Right of Way Clinic now!
For your convenience, we’ve created a chart of recommended courses depending on your skill level.
Go to http://www.nauticed.org/recommended_sailing_lessons
Ranks and courses
In email #2 we discussed the ranks Skipper, Bareboat Charter Master and Captain
Gaining the Skipper Rank
The first lessons to begin your sailing certification is the Skipper course and the Maneuvering Under Power clinic.;
The SKIPPER SAILING COURSE is a beginner to intermediate sailing course. It is a prerequisite to any certification and covers the fundamentals that every one must know. The total time needed to complete this course will be about 20 hours. Cost $67.00
The MANEUVERING UNDER POWER CLINIC: This is our most popular course. An absolutely essential maneuvering and docking course that will save you thousands in dents, bumps and scratches at the marina. Want to dock your boat like a pro every time? Want to impress? Take the most popular NauticEd Sailing School Course now. Estimated time: 3 hours total. Cost: $39.
Gaining the Bareboat Charter Master Rank
BAREBOAT CHARTER CLINIC: Taking a sailing vacation? All hands on deck – this is the yacht charter sailing course for you and ALL of your crew. Make your charter sailing trip more enjoyable by getting ALL the bareboat charter tips you’ll need. Estimated time: 5 hours total. Cost: $39.
COASTAL NAVIGATION CLINIC: Learn to navigate your sailboat. If you plan on sailing away from your home base or are taking a sailing vacation, you need this course. NauticEd Sailing School makes navigating a sailboat – a breeze. Estimated time: 10 hours total. Cost: $39.
Gaining the Captain’s Rank
WEATHER CLINIC: If you’re a real sailor then you need to understand and read the weather. It’s as simple as that! Written by the professionals at Clear Point Weather, this is the best weather sailing course available. Estimated time: 7 hours total. Cost: $39.
SAIL TRIM CLINIC: Learn the true art and finesse of trimming the sails. When to adjust the fairleads, the traveler, the downhaul, the outhaul, the Cunningham, the boom vang. When leaning to sail properly, you should know what all these fine adjustments do. Estimated time: 4 hours total. Cost: $39.
STORM TACTICS CLINIC: Even when day sailing, a storm can be upon us in minutes. Are you prepared with the knowledge now? This storm tactics sailing course will teach the essentials to keep you and your crew alive. Estimated time: 4 hours total. Cost: $39.
SAFETY AT SEA CLINIC: This course is still under construction by Captain Ed Mapes. Captain Mapes has logged tens of thousands of miles on the sailboats around the world. He knows how to be safe and is passing on his hard learned information to you. Coming soon.
In addition to the above courses and clinics, we offer the following:
CATAMARAN SAILING CONFIDENCE CLINIC: Converting over to a catamaran or chartering a catamaran for the first/second time? Learn the essential differences between sailing a monohull and a catamaran. This clinic will give you the confidence. It includes an interactive experiential online game to practice maneuvering in a marina. Estimated time: 3 hours total. Cost: $39.
INTRODUCTORY CELESTIAL NAVIGATION CLINIC: If you’re in any way intrigued with Celestial Navigation, this is the best and simplest celestial sailing course available. You’ll be able to do an actual noon shot and determine your position. Estimated time: 5 hours total. Cost: $39.
QUALIFIED CREW MEMBER COURSE: Learn to sail and contribute as a crew member on a modern cruising sailboat. Learn the lines, sailing terminology, sail trim and rules of the road. Estimated time: 7 hours total. Cost: $37.50.
Tomorrow we’ll discuss practical sailing schools and how you can get a verified proficiency stamp added to your sailing certificate.
Until then – fair winds,
Grant Headifen
Educational Director
NauticEd
Posted by Grant Headifen on May 10, 2010 under Bareboat Charter, Coastal Navigation, Crew, Sail Trim, Skipper, Storm Tactics |
Some tips are long and some are short – This short one will save your life or one of your crew.
As you know – sailing downwind has the dangerous potential of the accidental gybe. This can be quite a common occurrence if you have an inexperienced crew at the helm or perhaps with a major wind shift when sailing close to an island and … well… with the added distractions of being on a sailing vacation, an accidental gybe is probably going to happen.
Please teach your crew to only walk to the front of the boat on the boom side of the boat when sailing down wind. In this manner, the boom is only traveling at a bruising 20 miles per hour when slamming across instead of the fatal 100 miles per hour when it reaches the other side.
Could be dangerous
It’s particularly important to emphasize this when heading out on a bareboat charter vacation where you’re often taking along some land lubbers. So, NauticEd has put together a quick briefing list for the crew prior to departure which includes tips like this.
Download the PDF at the bottom of the page at http://www.nauticed.org/courses/view/bareboat-charter
Posted by admin on June 9, 2009 under Bareboat Charter, Crew, Skipper, Storm Tactics |
Last week we made a pretty good point about using the engine as your first method of pick up when you have a man overboard while under sail. And it was quite well received by followers – thanks. Many sailing schools teach the figure 8 recovery method whilst under sail and this is correct we believe so long as it is used as the second method for recovery.
But it may need to be the first if someone has the engine keys in their pocket. Durh!
The problem is that it’s usually the captain who turns off the engine and puts the keys away secure in his/her pocket. And it’s many times the captain who is the most competent sailor and worse yet if the only competent sailor aboard or not aboard as in the case of COB.
The scenario is now pretty easy to realize. Captain goes overboard with keys in pocket and a non experienced crew left on board to sail the boat to a recovery pick up.
Leave the keys in an accessible place. Have a second set of keys available in the chart table and ensure every one knows the COB (captain overboard) recovery plan.
Sailing schools in particular should take notice here because many times you have novice students who are just learning to sail loaded on the boat. Make COB part of your initial briefing.
When on a bareboat charter make a keys talk part of your initial briefing to everyone.
Stormy conditions? Remind everyone about MOB and COB during the batten down the hatches phase.
Posted by Grant Headifen on April 23, 2009 under Bareboat Charter, Skipper, Storm Tactics, weather |
While it is generally accepted that mooring is safer than anchoring, there are still some considerations. The following photo from Waiake beach in Auckland, New Zealand is proof of this.
Whilst visiting New Zealand for the purpose of spreading the NauticEd word, we came across this early in the morning after an overnight mild storm.
After talking with the locals, the mooring chains on all the moorings in the bay had recently been replaced about 6 months ago, and so that was not likely the culprit. Upon closer inspection of the boat, the cleat and bollard had broken off the boat due to age and lack of maintenance on the tie off points on the foredeck.
The storm was caused by high winds produced from a low combined with a high as in the following map.
High winds from two weather systems
In the southern hemisphere, lows spin in a clockwise direction and highs spin anticlockwise. The two systems then combined here produced 35 knot to 40 knot north easterly winds. This direction is completely open to Waiake beach (on the north east coast of New Zealand) and thus the moored boats in the bay are vulnerable to these high winds.
What should be done?
- Check tie off points on your boat for rot.
- Check for leakage of water under fittings. Often times water leakage under the fiberglass can rot out the plywood. Creating hidden rot and weak points.
- Tie off onto stronger points on the boat rather than weaker points.
- Use multiple tie off points to spread the load
- Dive the anchor point on the bottom
- Check all chain and rode connections
- Ensure rode is not able to be chaffed
- Use stainless steel wire to lock closed any d-rings
- Check chain for rust. Don’t buy cheap chain for a permanent mooring. You get what you pay for.
Feel free to add to this blog regarding mooring safety.
Posted by Grant Headifen on February 8, 2009 under Storm Tactics |
1. Reduce sail to the appropriate sail plan early.
2. Make storm sails ready.
3. Secure all deck gear
4. Fill fuel tanks from jerry jugs if necessary
5. Secure companionway slides and hatch closed and sealed from the deck.
6. There should also be a mechanism ready to secure the hatch from below.
7. Batten down hatches and ports.
8. Don and clip on harness/tethers at all times while on deck, wear PFD, overboard alarm, personal strobe light, whistle.
9. Lee cloths positioned
10. All latches are secured below decks to prevent spillage.
11. Passageways cleared.
12. Prepare a warm meal, put warm drinks in thermoses.
13. Obtain position fix, communicate position and situation to land base(s).
14. Charge batteries
15. Remove bimini and secure all loose objects on the decks.
16. Ensure that a furled genoa cannot deploy or remove it from forestay
17. Determine and review storm tactics
18. Begin heavy weather watch schedule.
19. Close all unnecessary through hulls and seacocks
20. Perform the entire routine maintenance and monitoring protocol.
These were bought to you by the NauticEd Storm Tactics Clinic and by the author Captain Ed Mapes.
Storm Tactics
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Posted by Grant Headifen on January 16, 2009 under Skipper, Storm Tactics, weather |
We’ve received a few questions on clarification of the mechanics of determining the direction of the center of a weather system either a high or a low. So we added it to Module 4 of the weather clinic and we’re also describing it here.
The graphic below shows a weather map in the northern pacific last week. You can see two systems, a giant low system at 173 degrees west and 45 degrees north and a giant high system to the east at 127 degrees west and 47 degrees north. You’ll also notice the large cold front heading east and a warm front heading north. If your vessel was located at 150 degrees west and 45 degrees north, you’ll notice that the wind will be directly out of the south. This direction is created from the rotation of both systems in the opposite direction. Thus if you face the wind, the low will be on your right and the high will be on your left. This is a general rule that you can use in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere it is opposite – with your face to the wind the low will be on your right and the high will be on your left. It’s always best to simply draw the circles in your mind or on paper. Then draw the direction of rotation. Then place yourself anywhere on the circle with your face to the wind. Extend your arms and viola!
Weather systems
Here then is an example of application of the rule of “put the wind on your starboard side in the northern hemisphere”. If your vessel was at 172 degrees west and 40 degrees north with the wind on your starboard side, you’d be heading away from the storm system (south), and towards Hawaii which wouldn’t be bad anyway.
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Posted by Eric Perlinger on December 9, 2008 under Crew, Skipper, Storm Tactics |
In the past 2 months I have done both the Qualified Crew and Skipper Courses. Both were very thorough and presented in a manner that is easy to complete for someone who has a busy schedule. Information is given in bite size morsels that are immediately tested. The courses are very user friendly for those who have absolutely no experience in the field.
Eric P.
Canada
Posted by admin on November 13, 2008 under Storm Tactics |
Storm
Welcome to the first blog post on Storm Tactics. Please feel free to add to the blog on anything related to storms.
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