Sorry I am reading this so late, but Glad I’ve read it; well written.
hand over hand in true She-Hulk fashion retrieving the almost 30 foot of chain and anchor that has fallen into the water. I swear it felt like nothing at that moment. I even had a slight panic thought that the anchor itself had fallen off the chain with how light it felt.
Amazing what Adrenalin does.
he may need to rely on his own hands for a while as mine recover...
So we hope this finds you recovered from your hand injuries as well as your family healthy and happy after a fun filled summer season.
We’re you able to get back out sailing again?
The Galveston Bay Area can be an interesting place to sail as can the coast out past the island.
What a great story! It all turned out OK so you will be able to laugh about it in the years ahead. Thanks for sharing it.
It reminds me of my own embarrassing incident a few years ago.
First launch of the season.
Boat ramp was at the far end of a long narrow channel lined with moored boats that I would have to pass before exiting the harbour to open water.
Moderate wind blowing directly down the channel towards the open water.
Launch the boat and tie up at the launch dock. Leave the motor running to warm up as I go and park the trailer.
Back in the boat I cast off. I need to turn 180 degrees in a very tight area before proceeding down the channel so I put the centerboard down but leave the rudders up and steer with the motor only. (Bad idea!) Half way around the motor quits. Crank frantically. It won’t start.
I am now drifting sideways with the wind towards a long line of moored boats.
No time or space to drop the anchor.
In a mad scramble, I drop the rudders, unfurl a bit of headsail and get pointed down the channel without hitting anything.
Now drifting down the channel getting my madly beating heart under control, I pass a nice Beneteau. The owner is watching me from his cockpit so I give him a confident smile and an oh-so-casual wave. He stares back at me in horror.
That’s when I look at my waving hand and realize that it and most of my shirtfront are covered in blood. I look like the victim in a slasher movie!
Turns out in the mad scramble to lower the rudders, unfurl some headsail, and crank the wheel around, I cut my hand on something. It wasn’t that bad but it bled like crazy and I was too busy looking at the boats I was about to hit to even notice.
I drifted out into the open water, dropped the anchor, bandaged up the cut, and eventually determined that I had hooked the fuel line up backwards, so the engine died as soon as it used up the gas in the primer bulb.
Its number 327 in the Encyclopedia of Dumb Boating Mistakes. It’s just before Forgetting to Secure the Anchor and just after Wrapping 10 feet of Mooring Line Around The Prop.
There is also a rule that more embarrassing your mistake, the more people there will be watching.
There is also a rule that more embarrassing your mistake, the more people there will be watching.
That is why I remind my family when they are crew, we are not here to entertain the peanut gallery. Think before you say or do something on the dock. It can come back to haunt you
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