Untitled Document
Great Tips for All Boaters
Getting Your Boat Off a Dock
Sounds easy enough, right? Just push until you are clear of the dock and off you go. But, if your boat is rather large, there is a lot of wind or adverse current, it is not that easy.
If the wind or current is moving parallel to the dock, this is a pretty
easy scenario. Then you simply need to use a spring line and
good fendering.
The spring line should
be used on the opposite end of the oncoming current or wind. For example,
if your bow is into the wind/current, then you would put a spring line from
your aft cleat and go forward on the dock. Just release the bow line and
hit reverse a bit and the bow will swing out. Once clear, motor forward and
retrieve your aft spring line.
(Note, if there is no one on the dock to undue your mooring or spring line, here is a good tip. Have a dock line that
has a clean end – no knots, kinks or unravelings. Then for your spring secure
the line to your cleat, around a piling or cleat on the dock and back to
the original cleat. Once you have sprung the boat off the dock, untie the
clean end and let it go. Then retrieve the line. The clean end will slide
around the dock cleat and back to the boat)
If the wind is perpendicular
to the dock and blowing on to the dock, this is a much more difficult
situation. You best bet is to spring your bow line.
Use hard rudder in the direction that will kick your stern out and away
from the dock. Once the stern is out far enough to clear, reverse rudder
and engines and retrieve your bow spring line.
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Having Great Starts (Part 1)
What if...
You are getting ready for start. What is there to do?
Most sailors just bob around and watch the folks on the RC Boat in most cases.
And in most cases they are guaranteeing themselves a bad start. At least, not
a good one.
A good starter will thoroughly know the starting line inside and
out, backward and forward before the start even begins.
In my Rick
White’s Sailing Seminars and in our videos on Great Starts and Finishes,
I have sailors do homework for each and every start. The homework assignment
is to know the following:
1) The favored end of the line (v. favored side of
the course)
2) Time the line (knowledge of the length of the line)
3) Get a transit (know where the line actually is)
4) Check for current
No matter what, you must do that homework. Without it, you will never be a
good starter. And I must also warn you, you may not use all of the homework
you did. You may not use any of the homework you did. On the other hand, you
may use all of the homework.
Sort of reminds of when I was in school. If I
had homework to do and didn’t do it, sure enough the teacher asked for it to
be handed in. But, when I did the homework, the teacher never really asked
for it.
For you to get consistently good starts, you must do your homework
and be prepared to hand it in.. Perhaps because you knew the favored end and
started there, you would already have a head start over the competition. Even
though you did not utilize the rest of your homework, one of them paid off.
In the following issues we will go over each of the homework items and the
discover the best way to do your homework efficiently.
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Are you tired of throwing money
at your boat, and you still are in mid-fleet or worse at times? Getting sick
of the jib sheet jamming
on every third tack? Upset because every time you tack, you tack onto a header?
WE HAVE SOLVED THIS!
For 20 years the Rick White Sailing Seminars ran
racing/sailing clinics throughout the world. They also had nearly 50 World
Class sailors come in as guest experts. Rick says, "I listened to every thing these guys said. I let it all go in one ear.., then plugged the other one!" Consequently,
there is wealth of racing/sailing knowledge in Rick's Sailing Seminar DVD.List
price is $149.95, but the price has been slashed to only $99.95, a 33% reduction
and a saving of $49.80
Learn 1. Total Boat Handling; 2. the Catamaran Roll Tack; 3. How to have Great Starts and Finishes; 3. How to have Great Mark Roundings; 5. Get Fast Downwind.
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Dear Captain Noah,
Last week my house was burglarized and the jerk stole my mainsail for the F16, and a bunch of stuff I feel sure he had no use for, nor even knew what the stuff was for.
So, I have been researching systems to protect the house. Do you have any suggestions.
Rob Robbed
Dear R&R,
The best one I have heard of is the Redneck Security System. It’s cheap and here is how it works:
REDNECK SECURITY SYSTEM and HOW TO INSTALL IT:
1. Go to a second-hand store and buy a pair of men's used size 14-16 work
boots.
2. Place them on your front porch, along with several empty beer cans,
a copy of Guns & Ammo
magazine and several NRA magazines.
3. Put a few giant dog dishes next to
the boots and magazine.
4. Leave a note on your door that reads:
"Hey Bubba, Big Jim, Duke and Slim,
I went to the gun shop for more ammunition. Back in an hour. Don't mess with
the pit bulls -- they attacked the mailman this morning and messed him up
real bad. I don't think Killer took part in it but it was hard to tell from
all the blood. PS - I locked all four of 'em in the house. Better wait outside".
I have never tried it, but it sure sounds like it would work.
Captain
Noah
Thought of the Month:
It’s always darkest before the dawn. So, if your going to steal your neighbors newspaper, that’s
the time to do it.
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Have problems launching your boat at the beach? Wheels digging into the sand?
Tired of asking others to help you on the beach or the launching ramp? Or even
if not struggling with a boat and you simply want to take the family to the
beach, but there is so much stuff you have to lug down there?
PROBLEM IS SOLVED!
Cat Trax and Wheeleez have
answers to all your launching and beach woes! Click on those hotlink Brand
Names to see all of their great products
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