I'm not 100% pure when it comes to making sure no lines are trailing over the side. But really learned my lesson coaching aboard SHENANDOAH and demonstrating tailing the main halyard from just aft of the mast. The halyard tail went through my legs....and, unobserved, over the side. Presently, the main halyard tail was yanked out of my hands and the mainsail was quickly hoisted with lightening speed. When the headboard hit the top of the mast, the boat's engine unexpectedly stopped.
I knew immediately that we'd wrapped the main halyard tail around the propeller. No one else had yet noticed the bar taut main halyard leading over the rail, aft, and underwater.
I politely suggested to the skipper that we immediately luff and pick up a nearby mooring, which we did. As SHENANDOAH lost way, I dove over the side and was quickly able to unwrap the halyard from the propeller, saving face and the afternoon of practice.
Something similar happened yesterday. I've been driving Howard's electric ZENN ("Zero Emissions No Noise) Low Speed Vehicle. Max legal speed for a LSV is 25 mph. And after being plugged to the charger all night, the "BLUE BOX" will cruise across town and return before going into limp home mode.
Yesterday while driving the Blue Box, I had several passing drivers honk, wave, and point. At first I thought they were saluting my small environmental friendly vehicle. Then I glanced in the mirror and realized I was towing 50 feet of orange extension cord.
As Chick Hearn used to say, " No Harm, No Foul." But a reminder, just like on SHENANDOAH, of being mindful, especially with a halyard tail or extension cord.
The top photo is in the '79 Fastnet Race on IMP. We were technically in the Irish Sea. The swells were the biggest I've experienced: 30-60 feet. The swell in the top photo looks close, but is actually several hundred yards astern. Instructions to the driver from the "spotter" were "don't look back!" We all wore double harnesses, two crew on deck and six below.. Sail combo was double-reefed main only in 40 knots true wind, with AWA of ~ 150 degrees and boat speed manageable (for an IOR design) at 7-10 knots. Many boats were rolled. 15 died.
The bottom photo is from WILDFLOWER off Pt. Pinos, Oct. 28, 1978. We had five crew aboard returning from Stillwater Cove. I requested, due to the swell conditions, that everyone hang out below until we got closer to Monterey and into less of a chance of a breaker coming aboard. There is a red bell buoy anchored 1/4 mile off Pt. Pinos. With alarming frequency in winter swells the buoy is bodily picked up by a breaking wave and deposited ashore. There is a surf spot just around the corner from Pt. Pinos called "Ghost Tree." When Ghost Tree is breaking, it is the one of the biggest waves in the world, bigger than Mavericks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amomWrTkWik
The top photo is in the '79 Fastnet Race on IMP. We were technically in the Irish Sea. The swells were the biggest I've experienced: 30-60 feet. The swell in the top photo looks close, but is actually several hundred yards astern.
Sail Magazine special issue, October 1979.
The cover description:
Determination and fatigue mask the faces of the crew of the 77-foot Kialoa as she charges down a monster sea during the Fastnet Race. Photograph by Louis Kruk.
From the article “The Storm Force Fastnet”, by Jack Knights, at p. 108 of the issue:
Aboard Imp, the top scoring US [Admiral’s] Cup boat, skipper Dave Allen and his crew cleared Land’s End Sunday night and, after setting a spinnaker early Monday morning, found themselves close-reaching through pleasant southwesterlies that afternoon. They estimated that Imp was about 1 ½ hours ahead of Jeremy Rogers’ Eclipse at that point. By dinnertime, however, the wind had gone into the west and was building in intensity. Imp changed to a #3 genoa and a triple-reefed mainsail and later on that night went to a working staysail set on an intermediate stay. Just before 0200 the staysail came down of its own accord after the masthead halyard chafed through.
Allen recalled later that the wind was then blowing about 35-to40 knots. At 0225, Imp went around the Rock sailing in close company with the Irish Admiral’s Cupper Regardless. Allen had decided not to attempt to set a headsail after the staysail came down, and Imp successfully turned the corner with only the triple-reefed mainsail.
Once around, they set the #4 genoa but at 0400 it was lowered in the heavy going and Imp sailed for many hours with the triple-reefed main and a storm jib. At 1200 Tuesday, with the wind decreasing slightly, the #4 genoa was set again to complement the triple-reefed main. Two men were always on deck aboard Imp and both were always in harness gear.