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oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts
Initially Posted - 08/09/2016 :  13:09:27  Show Profile
Well, Pualani served her sentence patiently last week, and we went sailing this past Saturday morning, with Number 1 Son as First Mate. Cast off a little after 10, trying to get some time in before the thunderboomers hit, forecast for early that afternoon. Here’s the story (a little fiction, based on fact):

Ole and No. 1 Son stood on the finger dock of Pualani Nui’s marina slip, looking to the South and eying the looming clouds building on the horizon.
“I think we have a few hours before the heavens open, son”; Ole remarked, as he stepped aboard Pualani Nui, his Catalina 25.
No. 1 Son nodded in agreement, but brought up the weather app on his cell phone just in case.
“Aloha E, Skipper! Are we going sailing today?” In his head, Ole heard the soft, liquid voice of his boat speak as he bent down to unlock the companionway hatch.
“Aye, sweetie-boat, that we are, and look who I brought with me. First Mate today, my Number One Son.” Ole chuckled, as his son stepped aboard, lithe as a young panther.
“Oooh, he’s so handsome, Skipper! Will he be, um, handing my lines today?” Ole thought he heard a shy excitement in Pualani’s voice, and figured if a boat could blush, she was doing it in spades.
Ole replied, with a touch of sternness in his voice: “Yes, Pu, he will, and I want you on your best behavior today. This is only his second sail as a crewman, so be patient if he grabs the wrong line here and there.”
“Aye-aye, skipper! This is so exciting!” Pualani’s voice almost squeaked, and Ole thought he felt the deck under his feet shiver.
“Son, stow the hatch boards below, would you, and I’ll rig the outboard.” Ole gestured to his son, as he went aft to lower the outboard on its stern bracket.
“Ok Pu, all set, fuel line attached, choke on, Deadman switch clamp on, here we go … “ Ole spoke to his boat as he reached down, and took a firm grip on the starter rope.
“Umph!” Ole grunted, as he yanked once, twice, and the little Nissan four-stroke sputtered to life, its idle smoothing out as Ole eased the choke in, and adjusted the throttle.
“Alright, son! Standby to cast off! Cast off forward … “, Ole’s son jumped to the dock, hurried forward, and released the two dock lines, then the forward spring line.
“All free forward, Dad” he shouted.
“Good! Free the stern spring line, free the stern dock line, but don’t release it until I shift into reverse. Make sure you have your boat hook handy.” Ole replied, leaning back, and grabbing the shift lever on the outboard.
“Let go all!” Ole shouted, and shifted the little Nissan into reverse. Ole’s son threw the stern dock line onto the finger dock, grabbed his boathook, and went forward to fend off, as Pualani slowly backed out of her slip, turning gracefully as Ole put her rudder hard over.
“Ok, sweetie-boat, here we go”, Ole muttered, as he leaned back again, shifted the outboard forward, centered the rudder, and increased the throttle slightly.
“Aye-aye, skipper!” Pualani said with excitement in her voice. “I can feel the wind in my rigging already! Let’s go!”
Ole, Number One Son and Pualani glided gently out of the marina and into the river proper, Pu’s bow gently rising and falling now to the slight chop kicked up by the steady southerly wind.
For the next two hours, the three sailed blissfully back and forth across the river, with Ole teaching his son the various points of sail, using only the main. Finally, lessons learned for the day, it was time to bow to the incoming foul weather, and return to the marina.
“Ok son, lower the main, and I’ll rig the outboard.” Ole sighed, not really wanting to return, but the storm clouds were building to the South, and becoming increasingly ominous.
Right, Dad, er, aye-aye”, Ole’s son chuckled, as he jumped up on the main deck, and began to lower the mainsail.
Ole lowered the outboard into the water, rigged the Deadman clamp, squeezed the priming bulb a few times, then pulled vigorously on the starter rope.
Nothing.
Ole yanked again, once, twice, three times. Still nothing.
Ole muttered to Pualani, “Drat! Stinking outboard! It figures, incoming foul weather, south wind to blow us right into the dock, and no power! We’ll have to go in under sail, Pu. Get ready!”
“Sail?” Pualani yelped. “Skipper, I have never sailed into my slip! Are you nuts?!! I … I,” She spluttered, and Ole cut her off.
“Hush, lass! It’s been a few years since I last did this, but it is possible, even with the main, since we don’t have time to lower it and rig the jib. We can do this, we have to do this.” Ole set his jaw, eyeing the black clouds still building to the south, with an occasional streak of lightning dancing between the clouds.
Ole shouted to his son, “Son, belay lowering the main. We have an opportunity to excel here. The outboard won’t start. We’re going in with the mainsail. Go forward with your boathook, and standby. We’ll go in nice and slow, with the keel partially raised, to keep from slipping, but clear the marina bottom on the way in. When we turn into the slip, jump off, run forward, and catch the boat before she hits. You’re strong enough, you can do it! Here we go!”
“Got it Dad!” Ole’s son sprang forward, his boathook at the ready, as Ole guided Pualani through the marina entrance, and up the line of boats to her slip.
“Damnit, Pu,” Ole growled, “we’re going to speed up when we turn! The wind will be at our backs! Brace yourself, lass!”
“Oooo, skipper! I’m scared! Somebody, catch meeee!!!” Pualani screamed, as Ole’s son leaped to the dock, dashed forward, and grabbed Pualani’s rapidly approaching bow pulpit.
Number One Son: “AAARRRGH!!!!”
The dock: BAM!
“Ouch… my nose! Skipper, my nose!” Pualani whimpered.
“Son, make fast, fore and aft. I’ll lower the main …“ Ole moved forward as fast as he was able, and lowered the main, went back aft, stood up on the cockpit seats, reached up and fastened the end of the boom to the aft stay pigtail, hauled the mainsheet down tight, then let out a huge sigh of relief.
“Well done, son! We made it! Any damage to the bow?”
Ole’s son bent down, and examined Pualani’s graceful bow. “None, Dad! Only a small divot out of the dock. The boat’s ok.”
Ole smiled, then spoke softly to his boat, “There, see, only a little bump. You’re fine, Pu. No need to cry.”
Pualani sniffed, and Ole could hear a small smile start up in her voice, “O.. o..ok, skipper.” Then she gushed, “Oooh, skipper! Your son is so strong!”

POST-Sail Analysis: in retrospect, we should have lowered the main about 50 feet shy of the slip, and let Pu’s momentum and the wind take us into her slip. I now have another entry on my bucket list: troubleshoot and fix the dratted little stinkpot Outboard that let me down at the worst possible time!!! Grr! There, I feel better now *chuckle*
Hope y’all enjoyed this little mostly-true yarn.

Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Al and Bernadette, "Pualani Nui", '82 C25 SR/SK, homeport MCB Quantico

TCurran
Admiral

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USA
588 Posts
Response Posted - 08/09/2016 :  13:27:10  Show Profile
Great tale....thanks
Tom Curran
1981 Capri 25 Hull #101 "Dirty Debbie"
1988 Watkins 30
PAFB, FL
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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts
Response Posted - 08/09/2016 :  15:52:29  Show Profile
Thanks for the great story, may I say is there ever a convenient time for the motor to not start?
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound


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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts
Response Posted - 08/10/2016 :  07:58:29  Show Profile
My old 2 stroke never failed me underway, but it did frequently die as I turned into the slip. They just know.

Dave B. aboard Pearl
1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399
Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle
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bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1736 Posts
Response Posted - 08/13/2016 :  14:58:37  Show Profile
Great story! A toast to ole Evinrude and his two stroke engines. and God Bless four stoke technology!
Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT
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oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts
Response Posted - 08/15/2016 :  11:59:37  Show Profile
To all y'all,

many thanks for your kind comments. It's still too hot here for me to spend any time on the boat, so all I can do is imagine until the weather gods smile, and the heat abates.

Regards to all on this fine Forum,
Al and Bernadette, "Pualani Nui", '82 C25 SR/SK, homeport MCB Quantico
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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts
Response Posted - 10/17/2016 :  20:14:06  Show Profile
You are a talented writer! Great dialog. We've probably all been there once.
DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN
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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3367 Posts
Response Posted - 10/18/2016 :  03:45:39  Show Profile  Visit OLarryR's Homepage
Well...at least Pualani was not complaining, only sniffled and at least for your son - Had kind words !

Post sail analysis of how good, bad you did and what you could have done better should always be evaluated by 3 factors: Human safety, boat(s) safety and if anyone saw you - The spectator/embarrassment factor ! Sounds like no human injuries, no significant boat related injuries and...if no spectators...Then sounds like a great sailing day ! and you have an outboard improvement project to keep you active in your sport/hobby.
Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html
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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts
Response Posted - 10/18/2016 :  07:58:30  Show Profile
quote:
Originally posted by dmpilc

...We've probably all been there once.
You can probably remove the word "once"! Led to my rule: "Never approach a dock any faster than you're willing to hit it!" Although under sail with the wind astern and one crew, you had little choice in the end. With the main filled, it wouldn't have fallen when you released the halyard, and your crew needed to be ready to scramble.

We had a motor issue once on our delivery cruise in our "brand new" C-25 entering an unfamiliar harbor and marina, so we dropped the main, sailed in under the genny alone, and were able to roll it up as we approached the dock. It still took a hearty dock-hand to catch our bow pulpit!
Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Edited by - Stinkpotter on 10/18/2016 08:05:22
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oldengineer1949
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts
Response Posted - 10/21/2016 :  08:05:00  Show Profile
Dave,

you are correct, an approach with a foresail only would have been easier to control, with the foretriange being loose-footed, releasing the foresheets completely would dump the air out of it (for the most part), and just make for a noisy, sloppy-looking but controllable docking.

Oh by the way, I found the trouble with the outboard; we old military Communicators call it a "short between the headsets". When the engine is warm, the startup procedure is no choke, half-open throttle. I do this, and the little bugger starts on the first pull, every time. *sigh* Hard lesson learned, but ultimately a happy one. The outboard is stone-reliable now.

Fair Winds and Following Seas to all,
Al and Bernadette, "Pualani Nui", '82 C25 SR/SK, homeport MCB Quantico
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TCurran
Admiral

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USA
588 Posts
Response Posted - 10/21/2016 :  19:12:51  Show Profile
Head, space, and timing.
Tom Curran
1981 Capri 25 Hull #101 "Dirty Debbie"
1988 Watkins 30
PAFB, FL
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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