Solo Sailing | Approaching Bermuda
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- čas přidán 2. 10. 2023
- #solosailing #yachting #cruising #trimaran #themariner
After 700Nm I am preparing to land in Bermuda, one of my favourite destinations worldwide, BUT also an island in the centre of an extensive reef, in the middle of the Atlantic. A little care is required.
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Im super happy to see that your making content again. I really miss your seamanship podcast, I've learned so much from it.
Point in case, last week I lost the hydraulic steering on my boat around midnight off the coast of Sweden in exciting conditions. I eventually got myself safely into the nearest harbour, and I can honestly say that your podcasts played a huge part in that! Please keep it up!
This is an extremely meaningful comment to me. I am humbled that you would think I had helped in such a precarious situation. Thank you for that kindness and thank goodness everything worked out so well.
That being said :) now I just really want to hear the tale and assimilate the learning you received from the situation.
Please feel free to add sharks, tornadoes and baby's that needed saving if the ACTUAL situation was at all hum drum...
@@CSMtheMariner haha... actually I posted my story over on cruisersforum as I wanted to get some feedback about how to be better in these situations. I wasnt perfect and I could have easily made the situation worse by moving around clumsily on deck, but there are many little things that you spoke about on the podcast which quickly popped into my head. Simple things like checking for ropes over the side before starting up the engine after all the chaos, and really just trying to slow myself down, to try and think about my next move. I maybe failed in this, and got a little lucky, but your lessons were definitely in my mind.
Here's the text from my post. Of course I'd appreciate some feedback from you too!
"""My scariest moment yet, shouldn't have been that scary...
So last night I had my first actual scare at sea.
I was single handing about 4 miles off the coast of Sweden in my 30ft sailing boat, and just about to gybe when I lost all steering capabilities, both the wheel and the autopilot. Both are hydraulic.
It was blowing about 15 - 20 knots, it was 1:30am and pitch dark, with rough enough seas, but not overly dramatic.
It took me just a couple of minutes of flailing about in the wind and waves to assess the situation and realise what was happening. I think I reacted quite well, as in, I got out the emergency tiller, got it connected, got the main down, and left out just a little bit of foresail to stabalise the boat. I then checked the water for any ropes over the side before I started the engine and headed for the closest harbour, which unfortunately, was about 90 degrees to the waves. It was kind of a struggle as the emergency tiller is not very long, and in a moderate sea it's quite energy sapping to steer with, but I got in eventually following the sector light, and then once safely in the harbour, set about preparing my lines to get into a berth. I think I done ok, but there are two main points of concern for me.
Firstly, I really had to just keep telling myself to stop, slow down, stop, slow down as I was kind of rushing around on deck, tripping over things, and I could have easily turned a perfectly manageable situation into a life threatening one if I had fallen overboard or something. At one point the boom swung, and luckily I was standing directly at the mast, and it didn't take me out, but this was 100% just luck, not any strategy on my part
Secondly, in the end the problem was just a loose pipe connection which I could have easily fixed in a couple of minutes, topped up the oil, and carried on on my journey, but this didn't even cross my mind. As soon as I smelled the hydraulic oil I thought catastrophic failure, and could think of nothing other than heading for the nearest harbour and actually, considering the night time approach and weather, it was maybe not the best idea.
How can I train myself to think more methodically in such situations?"""
Hope you enjoyed this episode- please subscribe- there are more to come very soon!
(Thanks to Justin for lending me a computer to edit on; thanks mate!)
-Many thanks to the crew over on Patreon, your support is helping to make my entry in the Global Solo Challenge in December possible! Updates coming soon we are putting on antifoul this week and finishing up the engine service!
-If you want to learn more about seamanship, look for 'The Mariner Podcast' where ever you normally find your podcasts. If you want to listen to sailing books narrated by the Mariner - head over to 'The Mariner's Library Podcast', again- whever you normally find your podcasts.
-If you want to support the channel please consider visiting www.patreon.com/themariner
I always learn something from your videos
Glad to hear it! And thanks for watching:)!
Glad to see (and hear) you back.
Thx 4 sharing your knowledge.. and love the boat♨
Thank you so much for your videos. I really enjoy the feeling of just getting to hang out, watching you sail the boat. BTW, some fake fur over your microphone will cut the wind noise drastically.
Good stuff.👍⛵️😀
Thanks 👍
Nice🤌
Still on the trimaran. How long was the passage?
Six days from Antigua to Bermuda, another four or five I think up from Bermuda to New England.