Most Embarrassing Sailing Moment

   OK I'll go first.  Once upon a time when I was new to sailing I had a Scorpion.  It was way too fast for me and a bit of a handfull.  The Commodore had launched his brand new, hand built Signet that day.  I remember remarking on its beauty in the dinghy park.  Lovely striped sepele decks with a nice laminated gunwhale of beech or sycamore capped with mahogany so that you had a contrasting strip of light wood in amongst the red of the dark mahogany.  It gleamed with varnish so shiney it was hard to believe.  Apparently he had varnished it upside down, hanging in his garage so that no dust could settle on it.
I don't think we were even racing and as my bow went up a wave I collided with him.  My bow being higher splintered his gunwhale and rode up over his foredeck pushing a deep groove across it and puncturing it in places.  I felt bad but was convinced I was on starboard (the boom being on the starboard side)!  When I got ashore he, (very gracefully considering) pointed out that he was on starboard and I was on port.  If I could have melted through the floor I would have.
Still every cloud has a silver lining - my boat wasn't damaged!

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redback Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: Tunbridge Wells Online Status: Offline Posts: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote redback Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Most Embarrassing Sailing Moment Posted: 05 Feb 05 at 4:33pm
	OK I'll go first. Once upon a time when I was new to sailing I had a Scorpion. It was way too fast for me and a bit of a handfull. The Commodore had launched his brand new, hand built Signet that day. I remember remarking on its beauty in the dinghy park. Lovely striped sepele decks with a nice laminated gunwhale of beech or sycamore capped with mahogany so that you had a contrasting strip of light wood in amongst the red of the dark mahogany. It gleamed with varnish so shiney it was hard to believe. Apparently he had varnished it upside down, hanging in his garage so that no dust could settle on it. I don't think we were even racing and as my bow went up a wave I collided with him. My bow being higher splintered his gunwhale and rode up over his foredeck pushing a deep groove across it and puncturing it in places. I felt bad but was convinced I was on starboard (the boom being on the starboard side)! When I got ashore he, (very gracefully considering) pointed out that he was on starboard and I was on port. If I could have melted through the floor I would have. Still every cloud has a silver lining - my boat wasn't damaged!

sailor girl Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 13 Jun 04 Location: Spain Online Status: Offline Posts: 1031	Post Options Post Reply Quote sailor girl Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Feb 05 at 5:00pm
	oh dear!!!! ok, mine probably has to be at the start of the optimist area Championships, i sheeted in and put my feet under the toe straps (or so i thought!) only to backwards roll out of my boat...splash! and i just had to be at the comitee end where they managed to take a photo
	Sailor Girl, Queen Of The Forum!

sailor.jon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 02 Nov 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 361	Post Options Post Reply Quote sailor.jon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Feb 05 at 5:06pm
	i was teaching a group of adults in a wayfarer, my dry suit was only up af far as my waist so that i could stay dry whilst launching. we were about halfway down the lake when i saw a gust coming so i eased the sheet abit n sat further out only to fall backwards over the side of the boat, my drysuit then decided to fill up with water making it impossible 4 me to swim let alone bearly stay afloat. luckily a student i had been teaching the week b4 was out in a topper, remembering his manover board what i had taught him he picked me up and took me to the wayfarer, that was now down the other end of the lake.
	Jon Vortex 1169 Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

terraslazer Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Groupie Joined: 19 Jan 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 50	Post Options Post Reply Quote terraslazer Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Feb 05 at 5:09pm
	ooooo both sound quite bad. luckly i havent had many very embarrassing moments apart from the ussual capsizing on the last tack of the race and lossing all the ground you have been working to gain. have you still got that photo cus that could be quite funny.
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Wave Rider Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 27 Oct 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 909	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wave Rider Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Feb 05 at 7:28pm
	Mine was when i was out on a windy day in a fireball and i slipped on the wire so kicked the helm out the back and i had to try and do a man over board helming form the wire ! And i only weigh 9 stone
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Chris Noble Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Nov 04 Location: Scotland Online Status: Offline Posts: 710	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris Noble Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Feb 05 at 7:38pm
	scottish scout regatta, double handers final, in first place, nice steady F4 with two of us in a wayfarer world, so we're both hiking out and all of a sudden...... the toe strap snaps and all i can see is my legs above me and the gunwal before a fine salty mouthful. Now it didnt end there, my crew looks over and sees im not there, so as he should have, he takes the helm and starts sheeting in again to get control, only im caught by the ankle to the end of the mainsheet being dragged along by the boat. By now of course there much laughter and cheers from the boats lying close second and third. As embarresing as it was though, got back in and even better, still finished first. Just goes to show you should always check the boat over quickly. lol
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Lazorsharp Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 08 Jan 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lazorsharp Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Feb 05 at 10:52am
	Mine was much like sailor girls... thinking my feet were under the toe straps and hiking out, unfortunately i had already heeled quite a bit and so fell into the water with a big splash. the boat carried on sailign for a bit unmanned, but luckily i had kept hold of the main and tiller, and it capsized after a few metres so i could climb back in. i wasnt racing so no one saw, but i have had it where i capsize right at the last moment of a race, when ive been at thetop, and lose about 5 positions. not so great or funny!

Phil eltringham Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: England/Hitchin Online Status: Offline Posts: 1105	Post Options Post Reply Quote Phil eltringham Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Feb 05 at 5:09pm
	I've got too many to remember or bore you all with, but moment include, breaking three sets of laser 2 toestraps in as many weeks from hiking too hard. Missing toestraps on a topper at the NSSA team racing finals and costing us the race, bouncing out of the trapeeze hook going upwing right next to the committee boat at the 29er inlands, capsizing onto rocks in the tyne and savalging the only my crew, the hull, foils and kite, and nothing else! The list goes on but if i say anymore i doubt i'll be allowed to sail out of any club in the country again!
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Blobby Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 May 04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 779	Post Options Post Reply Quote Blobby Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 Feb 05 at 3:53am
	Tasar Nationals in '98 - winner of the Plonker award for sailing the whole race with the dagger board in back to front...

Brian Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 27 Sep 04 Location: Ireland Online Status: Offline Posts: 503	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 Feb 05 at 5:14pm
	umm, well i dont have one but i know someone that was on their first time trapezeing and they were holding onto the handle and when they let go they hadnt hooked and and so fell off backwards and the boat capsized. im sure that has happened to alot of people!