Back in my cafe racing days I saw a bike go down in front of me at high speed. He was wearing a parka. It looked like he ran into a chicken truck. Luckily he only got some minor road rash.

I'm glad I never got into road racing. I did plenty of track days, but racing and practice are two different things. Superbike used to stop in Brainerd Mn, turn one is huge. The pro's came into the corner at 180mph+. I think all that would be left of my skinny butt would be a red smear. Physics isn't working in your favour at those velocities.

When I was developing my 430, after building the mast I thought it might be fun to try it on another boat I had at the time. On the way to the club I did a 'U' turn near the Boat Shop, caught the mast on a branch of a big tree overhanging the road and borke it at the hounds. Brand new mast never been wet. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

You must have hit the tar at a good angle though........start cartwheeling and it could be a different story.

Biggest bone head move- sailing with wife for the first time on the new boat. She was excited to get into it and even wanted to race. We just bought her a harness and jacket. Went out uni rigged (working up to full bore slowly). Did well but I hadn't adjusted the mainsheet cleat yet and it was too low. Made the BIG MISTAKE of letting her hold onto the mainsheet when we were on a bit of a reach. By the time I realized the main had cleated it was too late. I went behind the main and my wife went forward and hit her arm really good on the forestay. That is pretty much the end of her sailing. Probably was going to happen anyway but would have been nice if it lasted a little longer.
She is scared sh--less of the boat now.

Correct analysis. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yea Patrick, I have found out if you scare them the first time you are screwed. that is why with grand kids and newbies I ALWAYS take it easy the first few times.

Doug

Same here..

Yeah.. screwed it up big time... but it was going to happen eventually I think. I am just mad at myself for being so stupid at the time. There were any number of things I could have done differently (aside from clearly just not giving her the sheet).
oh well, I have been sailing solo alot. Ordered a new main and spin... the jib I have will get so little use, whats the point of getting a new one?!

Didn't you just get the Blade. Sails already toast?
I have 5 years on my Pentex.

Doug

Bonehead moment no.2;

My first away three day regatta, 3.5 hrs from home, venue new to me.

Arrived late Saturday morning. Most of the guys were already launching with the start due in 45mins. After a record rig time I realise I've left the rollers at home. I borrow a set and try launching. Problem. Unknown to me the part of the shoreline I chose was behind a massive sand bank with deep water about 200m out. I drag the boat on the borrowed, badly fitting rollers the 200m to deep water. Return the rollers[200m], return to the boat [200] and pushed off. Now I realise that for the trip I've tightened the rudder pivot bolts and I cant get the rudders down, Back to the shore [200m], grab a shifter, back to the boat [200m].................................

Most of my bone head issues are a result of an interuption of the set-up break-down sequence.

Pushing off from the beach sheeting in and seeing the blocks floating in mid air from the main, I guess I should have connected them to the traveler or main sheet is good and you notice the rudders/tiller bar are on top of the sailbox <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />.

Take off from the beach, tack and realize the jib sheets are behind the mast.

Sail into the beach, jump off the boat and find the 8 foot hole, never let go of the boat.

I tow my boat backward & now know why the call that wing on the trunk a spoiler. The shrouds and trap lines hooking under it when raising the mast can make the mast feel very heavy <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />.

Ok, somewhere in september last year I had a race in the neigbourhood of my girlfriends parents. I decided to store the trailer with cat at their farm to reduce travelling. I arrived at friday-evening at sunset. It was also the first time I was going to meet her parents.
In front of their barn I uncoupled the trailer from the car and wanted to place the trailer neatly next to the frontside of the barn to take as little space as needed and off course to impress the spectating in-laws.
With I pushed the trailer backwards to its position and I resolutely pushed the mast-tip through a enormous window shattering it to pieces
.
So much for the first impression......
Hope y'all understand I'm skipping the birthdays celebrations of my girlfriends family for the next 5 years.

I LOVE watching the face of the fellow who jumps too early into that 8 foot hole! That really cheers me up....yes I have done it and it is precisely that reason that makes it SOOOoooofunny.
Yes, every time I have left rudders, mainsheet or whatever at home it has been interucption (phone or nagger) that upsets my critical path.
These days everything is in bags...1, 2, 3 ......if I can't count to three I can't leave the premises.

How about sailing the big boat (Stiletto) toward the beach only to stop on a sand bar about 10m out... no problem... hop off the front of the boat with line in hand to tie off (figured the water only .3m dp) and find the edge of the sandbar. Water not too deep but it was an early spring regatta and it was dang cold!!!!
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Clayton

Where I regularly race, we do four laps of a short-ish figure eight river course. I'm the scratch boat so counting the laps is critical.
Need I say more................... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Sailing the Key Largo steeplechase this past year with Frank on the N20, it was nuking the first day and we spent most of the day going downwind without the spinnaker because the breeze was so strong. As we neared the finish and the weather was getting a little lighter and Team Accelerated Chaos just ahead we decided to hoist the kite...we charged forward and Chaos quickly responded with their spinnaker. We jibed in but quickly realized that I had routed the spinnaker sheet incorrectly under the jib uphaul. Frank did all he could to keep the spinnaker drawing a little until we needed to gybe to clear a rocky break. The inproper routing of the spinnaker sheet resulted in a capsize within 1/2 mile of the finish of a crazy day as our hope of staying close to Chaos evaporated.

Jake
i don't seem to be able to get better at rigging a spinny, just better at sorting the thing on the water when its done wrong.

There are so many.. Bringing the wife out for her first sail ever, on a Tornado, joining a distance race and end up in wild conditions double trapped upwind, max downhaul and main travelled out 15cm.. Bringing her close to tears. Then decide to abort the race and save the relationship, head home, end up in lee of some hills and pop the chute as it is so quiet now and we want to get home. Need I say it wasn't quiet for long.. No more beachcats for her, but we did marry.

First cat (Tornado), homebuildt heavy and leaking hulls just two partial bulkheads/frames under the beams. Go out in a blow and have fun for a whole day. Then discover just how bad the hulls are leaking when you stuff the bows in and 15-20 liters of water in each hull rush down to the bows. Sound the klaxxons and seal hatches, we are going DOWN!

I thought that it would be a good idea for my new wife to crew for me on prindle 18. Why is it always double trap and cold when we try this?
Went of off the start [Oh yes we had to race didn't we!] and then noticed the leeward shroud had come undone. so she ends up helming from the wire with me down to leeward with the mainsheet in one hand putting the chainplate back together with the other. Why did I say to her "steer in a straight line or the mast will come down"?
she did fine and we got round.
she also used to say "Can we go in now?", my stock reply was "Just one more lap"

Same as Rolf ; No more cat sailing for her, but still married!