Ep 15 Sail Solo from Azores: I Failed to Secure My Shackles
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- I continue my 900 nm solo sail from the Azores to Spain. I am astonished to see a dangerous 'fisherman's pot' 200 NM from land. I also admit 'operator error' for not having secured the pins in my shackles. Three came undone during this trip -- fortunately without drama, but it could have been a much different outcome. Lesson learned.
Hey Patrick thanks a lot all these videos are fantastic, and very instructive for a beginner sailor like me. Keep it up please!
Very kind Gonzalo. I'm delighted you enjoyed them. I am far from being a pro so please seek out their guidance as you continue on your sailing journey. It really is a wonderful activity.
Just bought a 2002 Catalina 36, up from Hobie Cat sailing as a teenager. I’m 59 now. Learning a lot from your videos. Looking forward to getting back out on the blue. I have crewed 35,s and 65,s so I’m not going in completely blind. 🥂
Congrats on the recent purchase Alex. Best wishes for many great adventures.
Patrick--I've enjoyed all of your informative videos. They are very well done. Many sailing videos don't explain the basic, day-to-day aspects of sailing, maintenance, navigation, safety and so on. So, as one who used to sail frequently in my youth and is now giving thought to getting back in, I've found your videos to be very encouraging. I wanted to pass along a video that is published by Berthon, in which certain aspects of safety equipment are covered in anticipation of a trans-Atlantic sail. I'm passing it along is because it covers items that you discovered in the course of your solo sail to/from the Azores, and may contain some additional ideas that you might find useful. Here's the link: th-cam.com/video/7iigQs7FGlo/w-d-xo.html. Continued safe sailing!
Many thanks for the link to the excellent video Steve. I actually did use an ARC checklist in my preparations, and spent a couple of months getting my boat ready (new genoa, repaired anchor windlass, new life-raft, anti-chafe material, new LED lights on the mast and bow, changed many turnbuckles/shackles, installed AIS, built-up a stock of spares, all the routine engine maintenance, etc.). I really learned a lot about my boat going through this process. Best wishes to you as you get back into it. Great fun.
Nice videos, I love to watch.
Btw, you have very appropriate name. In Finnish laine means wave :)
And I love playing hockey when I am not sailing..... :-)
Hi Patrick, I suggest using a drop of Loctite 243 on the screw thread of the shakles. I already use that for years and it works fine! And it comes undone very easily using the Leatherman multitool I always carry on board. No unsightly tiewraps or wire needed. Garanteed to work!
Thanks Alex. I must admit I was a bit concerned about using wire to secure them, but I could not think of a realistic scenario where I would not have the time to go below and get my wire cutters to cut them. I was also concerned that they (the wire) might become a source of chafe themselves. I left half of them in plastic, and half with wires to see how things play out over 6-9 months, and check them very regularly. I wasn't sure that Loctite 243 could stand up to the constant vibration/shock of a passage, but you are evidence that there is no need for concern there. Many thanks for the tip. Fair winds.
Can imagine that a bottle of 243 is hard to get in the middle of an ocean. So you can also try a small bit of polimer sealant directly on the thread. And screw it in again. It works like a shockabsorber / friction. Do not use silicon based sealant because there is acid as a solvent which works on your stainless steel causing corrosion.
Hope my english makes sense.
Love your video’s. Altough looking a bit tired here and there, your eyes give away that you love every minute of it! And you should!
Keep the mast up and keel under water!
Regards from the Lowlands
I thought things rotated clockwise in the northern hemisphere...
Only our crazy minds and large bodies of fluids rotate clockwise......not shackle pins!!!!
Hi Patrick - I have only just found your channel and I am hopping about to try and catch up - I stumbled upon the engine failure one first. I love your low key self effacing style.👍 if I could pick up on a few points😉1. The fuel contamination issue - as well as all the other good stuff you have done or are about to do it is also worth withdrawing the pump suction spill pipe from the tank - it has a coarse strainer on the bottom and that can get bunged up either with normal or biological dirt. 2. I would strongly recommend that you use two or three beads of Loctite 242/243 on the shackle threads this will prevent vibration or shock slowly unwinding the pin but will not hinder removal with normal tools. 3. I have noticed on a few of your videos on random points of sail or variable wind conditions that you boom is bouncing around (inducing shock and vibration to the rig - unwinding your shackle pins and maybe worse) - have you considered just rigging a short preventer to tighten the boom up against the working sheet so that the boom is constrained? anyhoo - keep on keeping on and I will enjoy catching up with your published adventures.👍😀
All excellent points Norma. In order: If you have the patience to get to episode 20 you will see that I did a fuel polishing exercise. That said, I had never thought of pulling the suction pipe with its strainer. Will do so tomorrow. Many thanks. Someone else suggested Loctite rather than wire or plastic ties on the shackles. Another great recommendation. Bouncing boom: not guilty. :-) I too noticed on watching the videos that the boom is often banging around. I can't stand that either. Not good for equipment or morale. On reflection, I think it is because I often filmed these sequences just before sunset, or just after sunrise ---- just after having made a sail change, but before readjusting my preventer (which is actually a brake -- brand Wichard, rather than preventer). Tightening the line after a sail change usually makes that aggravating banging go away, and if not, I would throw a bowline over the aft winch and tie a double half hitch to the end of the boom. Excellent recommendations Norman. Thanks for watching.
Exceptional. Couple of points. Only time anyone nearly died aboard Taranto was a shackle. The top topping lift shackle gave away (unwound over a long period but snapped in the end) to a massive haul of the main sheet in calm conditions with 5 crew in the cockpit. The boom came down and missed a bloke by a hairs breath, and it would have killed him and was followed by a stunned silence from the witnesses. No.2 fishing nets and ropes, my sailing mentor told a story of catching a craypot off the French coast at night which wrapped around the shaft and bent it enough to open up a gaping and gushing stern gland. Luckily the bilge pumps were able to keep up. Nice stuff these videos too Patrick.
Thanks Taranto. Your topping lift story is a scary one. I have a fixed boom vang, so it shouldn't fall down too far if I lose the topping lift. That said, it was very embarrassing to have such a rookie mistake on my boat (3 shackles let go within 30 hours -- amazing). I know to do better than that. On fishing nets/pots, I have a very good friend who picked-up a heavy duty fishing net (wire reinforced). The weather was too rough to consider diving to cut if free. He drifted for 24 hours trying to cut it away, before it finally fell off. !! I'm lucky, and have not yet picked up a fishman's net or pot, but I have passed very, very close to them, only spotting them as they brushed past the stern. Ouch. Thanks for watching.
I've enjoyed them all. Very brave of you showing off your docking skills! Simply some of the most terrifying, or at least nerve wracking moments for me, I broke my toe once stepping off onto my marina berth to tie on. BTW I zipped past a couple of unexpected craypots returning up the West Coast NZ earlier this year too, so hopefully you will get to see them a bit later. Ciao for now.
Docking singlehanded is certainly the most difficult thing I do. I wish more channels would show their process -- and not just when the wind is blowing 3 kts. A few people gave my technique a thumbs down --- which I don't mind, but what I would have preferred was a suggestion on how to do it better/different when they are solo. Maybe my film will make one of them angry enough that they will go out and film their own style. That would be great. Looking forward to your future videos. (One minor request --- if possible, when you film the charts showing where you are, it would be fantastic if you could first do a very high level chart before zooming in so that those of us not familiar with your beautiful island(s) can picture exactly where you are. A very minor detail; no problem if not easy to do.)
A good tip. I was so inspired by your kind words yesterday I've been enthusiastically preparing stuff for the next one this morning, about to nose dive into the opening animation later, so good advice given in a timely manner re the bigger picture. I've also recently discovered a zooming in on photos feature which I like, so I have a plan. Cheers. And on TH-cam, opinions are like arseholes, everyones got one :-) I'm kindof of the opinion that any sailing trip you survive is a success. Everything else is a beautiful bonus. You are correct and I concur that offering friendly advice, constructive criticism or showing a better way would be more practical and useful for all concerned. We are all learning all the time out there, as Sailing Uma said the other day, 'practice makes better', thats still making me smile.
.032 stainless safety wire, and a good pair of safety wire pliers. The pliers are the trick to a nice safety wire job.
Yeah Christopher. I remember watching our aviation mechanics (when I was a pilot) use those pliers to get a very clean twist and cut in the wire. My concerns with this on a boat are: 1) the wire may become a source of chafe, and 2) in an emergency, you need to get wire-cutters to undo a shackle. In the big scheme of things, those risks are relatively minor. I am now testing wire and plastic cable ties on my boat. I'll see how they both have aged by the beginning of Summer 2018. Thanks for commenting.
Chafe is always a concern, I use rescue tape, it is self bonding.
love your videos and how clean the inside of your craft is.....but i would like to make a small correction.."some" humans are whales enemies
Going thru your videos again. As an RCN veteran I would recommend that you mouse you shackles. You can use a waxed sailmakers twine if you don't want to use a small wire. This will keep them from backing out. Love your videos and you are living my dream. Fair wind and following seas.
Yeah Clarence. That is a lesson I learned the hard way. I experimented with plastic ties and metal mousing. Both worked just fine. I did not have a single plastic tie wrap fail in 18 months --- and just changed them all as a preventative maintenance measure. Lesson learned. :-)
Those nylon zip ties are nice but they only last about 6 months for me and then I have to replace them. Amazing what junk you will find floating around out there.
I have found that black zip ties fail due to UV (sun) exposure fairly quickly, perhaps 6 months or a year. The translucent nylon zip ties appear to last a lot longer. Any more, I only buy very high quality nylon zip ties from electronics suppliers. GB is one of the best, but rarely available outside the US. Seizing wire is the type of wire you want to use if wiring a shackle, but it's almost impossible to remove without a pair of diagonal cutters. Recently, I've discovered that newer shackles, ones produced in the last several years, have indents on the collar of the fastening pin that will click into place if tightened with pliers or an adjustable wrench. These will probably not back out accidentally if fully tightened. More worrying are the number and variety of off-brand Chinese knock-offs we see for sale at marine chandlers. I really won't buy anything any more that isn't from Lewmar, Harken, Ronstan, Holt, Winchard, or other known brands. We carry a huge amount of replacement shackles, blocks, and various hardware aboard Talisman and it's a rare trip where we don't find a need while on passage. Keep up the good work Patrick!
Thanks Kevin. My topping lift shackle that came apart during the gale on my way to the Azores (and of course went straight to the top of the mast!), was the kind with a dimple notch in it to 'secure' the shaft. It may have been a cheapo brand though. I replaced the shackle. I am a firm believer in paying for quality by using companies such as those you suggest. All in all, a bit embarrassing to have to admit to such a basic error (not securing the shackles --- especially after having spent a lot of time (really) getting my boat ready for the trip). Hopefully at least one person will have learned from my error and not repeat it. Thanks for the great comment.
Don't be embarrassed. Tomorrow I plan to walk the boat to check all of them myself just in case. It's an easy thing to do and an equally easy thing to overlook. We're all one oversight away from disaster, so the more often we hear of someone else's problem, the better we are for it.
In other applications it is the opposite - black zip ties are much more resistant to UV-rays then white.
Mouse those shackles, lol. I lost a new 45lb CQR anchor because I didn't mouse the shackle. Expensive lesson
My opinion exactly: keep wild creatures wary of us for their own safety's sake. It's tempting to try to befriend them, but we must resist.
Hello , it’s nice video again,many thanks.
it's called stainless seizing wire, i believe....
you salty sailor should already know this, ... you are confucius me
..actually it's "mousing" wire to hold a shackle pin in place .." seizing" wire is used on any splice on wire rope (much like seizing line on a soft rope splice) :)
Great videos. Keep em coming!!
Good videos, Patrick. I have to admire your candid admissions of your little mistakes. Long live humble sailors....👍
Thanks David. I think we all benefit by sharing mistakes -- so I swallow my pride..... :-)
Great video Patrick, your channel is great!
Hi Patrick. What has impressed me most about your channel is that you have taken the time to respond to every comment that has been made about each episode. I don’t believe any other TH-camr shows that level of respect and commitment to their followers. That’s not to say that your content is not outstanding. It just means that it takes me a considerable length of time to read every comment and your response. I do this of course because the comments and responses are such a great source of information.
A common thread on the comments in a lot of your videos to date (I’ve only reached Ep 15 so far) is the banging of the boom. I know you have mentioned it is normally as a result of a recent sail adjustment, and that your brake also needs adjusting as a consequence. What I have noticed is that your main sheet traveller appears to stay centred. Have you considered using the traveller as your first adjustment. Because the traveller on our catamaran has significant travel, I use it to initially adjust the mainsail, especially when close hauled. Its use saves having to slacken the main sheet, thereby preventing the banging in light winds or sloppy seas. I wonder if this may be of assistance on your beautiful Isabel.
Thanks for the kind words. If people will take enough time to make a comment, I can find enough time to respond. I can understand Vagabond or Delos not responding.....but I'm going to make an effort if I have internet access. To be truthful, I'm a little lazy on main sheet traveller. It does not have much range, and I only really take the time to adjust it on very long passages -- if I really think about it. I'll take what you suggest into consideration. I'm leaving tonight on a 90 mile passage, and give it a try. Please do believe me when I say I hate that banging. I really do adjust my boom brake as soon as the noise catches my attention. On that Azores passage, in the morning and evening I was concentrating on what I was going to say in the next few minutes on the video (just after a sail change), and really should have put the boom brake back in first. :-)
Have you thought about soft shackles? Can't unscrew, are lighter....
Great comment Michael. The answer is yes and I already use them in 4 or 5 places on the boat. For those who do not know what these are, they are a ring of dyneema (think super strong nylon). There is a knot on one end and a tiny loop on the other. You squeeze the knot through the little loop and the circle is closed and it locks against itself as you pull on it. They can't be used everywhere (or maybe they can!). Much safer than metal in certain places. I'll give some thought as to whether or not they can be used where these came undone. Many thanks Michael.
Hi Patrick. Thank you for filming your sailing adventures. Very informative and entertaining. You're doing exactly what I'd love to do. Sailingcaround the uk. Up to Iceland and back etc... I'm envious . One day I'll be there.
Thanks again
Phantom shipmates
Martin
Many thanks Martin. It will happen! Fair winds.
Love your videos. And I don’t sail anymore! Thanks. Pat.
Very kind of you Pat. Much appreciated.
Why do you have different opinions between whales and dolphins? Ep 2 minute 24, you explain your love for dolphins, but Ep 15 minute 2, you wish to scare whales?
It was 'scare the whales' --- because I love them and don't want them to get too used to humans. ;-)
Really like the information in your vids. Thanks
Many thanks Doom. Much appreciated.
I know it is very late in the day for a comment really, but while my mind is on the subject ;) Did i hear correct that you are an aviator ? I was an aircraft mechanic (radio) in another life. The subject of shackles coming undone, murphy's law :) On aircraft ( you may have mentioned this) we wire lock all sorts of devices to secure them. Ok you can use stainless wire locking. Tie wraps , yes those too. I guess tie wraps would be an ease of use. But the main object is, it is not how tight you decide to screw in a shackle pin. The load bearing comes from the shackle/pin itself. I would tend to leave them finger tight, but use wire locking or tie wrap to secure. Love watching your videos with content most others seem to just ignore or gloss over.
Yes, I was a Navy pilot and remember well that tool that would twist the safety wire very snuggly and neatly for cutting. I've used the plastic ties for the last 3 years on the boat, and have never had one fail. (I change them about every 18 months when I'm bored with nothing to do.) And yes, you are exactly right --- finger tight is good enough. You just make life difficult or yourself by tightening the shackle with with a wrench or plyers. Thanks for watching.
Mao is correct Stainless seizing wire with the ends bent back against themselves(so as not to cut sail, etc) and then wrapped in sailors tape. Should be used on any movable metal connections from masthead to anchor... etc Also helps to prevent rust, last long time...
Yeah Jeffrey --- I agree that mousing wire works great, but you will need to dig out wire cutters to get it off if you need to. I have been running an experiment with 8 plastic ties for 2.5 years now. One of the white ones failed due to UV, but all of the black ones still look great. I'll change them next season before my major passage, but black plastic ties have earned my confidence, and can quickly be removed with a slash of a knife or pair of scissors should need be.
I love your videos.. they're very informative..
We all learn by doing and from making mistakes... And that makes us all better sailors.. and human beings ..
Wichard shackles have a four way detent in them when tightened down, by design. They are considerably better. However, I think I'd still wire them for blue water sailing to be sure.......
Great video love them.... thanks...
Very kind BF. Thanks for stopping by.
Remarkable that you are sailing alone xxxx
Sailing alone is a great experience. Hard to explain --- alone, but not lonely. One spends a great deal of time at sea thinking about others who are, or who have been, a part of their lives.
Have you thought about an asymmetric gennaker for light winds?
Very much need one. I'm seriously looking at buying one of the rolling types that are available now. I have a spinnaker with a sock, but really like the simplicity of those roller sails.
I was of the same thinking as you ... until I sailed with a Code Zero. Much easier to single-hand. And it's a much more versatile sail. Doyle has a new deign that they call 'Cable-less Code Zero - www.doylesails.com/news/2017/09/doyle-introduces-cable-less-code-zeros.html , --- I binged watched all your 'Arozes' series. Great stuff. Thank you.
I have one a Selden roller and it is one of the best additions to my downwind sailing, especially since on my B&R rigged Hunter the far aft spread sidestays prevent the boom opening up to a full 90 degrees, hence I am almost always forced to sail at a deep broad reach.
Highly recommend a code zero for 85-120 degrees TWA. It has transformed light wind sailing for me and gives a good boat speed and is easy to launch and recover.
Amazing set of videos. It shows you that girly men should not be sailors.
The nets that float about they should be pulled on board and the fisherman should be fined thousands the ocean is a mess with all this stuff humans need a wake up call what are we leaving for future children and I think we get reincarnated back on earth hundreds of times so basically we are messing the ocean up for ourselves
The sun with kill the wire ties may last a year at best FYI
Yeah --- I think that due to my latitude they last longer here than, say, in the Caribbean. I change mine every 18 months just as a precaution. Thanks for watching.
Your plastic locks are a good temporary fix but look at mousing the pins with seizing wire to your shackles. The plastic doesn't have the best longevity.
You are absolutely right CJ. I've put about 1500 NM on these plastic ties now, with no failures, but common sense says this isn't a good solution. I've been thinking about wiring them for a while now, so may as well do it now.
I bought the SS wire this morning and changed half of them out (from plastic ties to wire). I'm curious to see how the plastic wears. Will let you know if they make it to the start of next season.
Zip ties are a great quick solution, however the plastic will get brittle with sun exposure. Given they are not under a lot of strain it will take considerable amount of time for them to fail.
do your angker shackle to, there is a great little thing called a line cutter one can put in front of your prop on the shaft , works %90 of the time , saved me a couple of times
Sounds like you have a poltergeist on board
another quality video Patrick, it is very spooky 3 shackles coming loose, like you said on you video, I use to use lock wire on my race bikes and used it on my sailboat, in my emergency locker i kept a wire snips in case i had to remove the lock wire Because as you know a emergency only happen in bad conditions and when you are single handed, FAIR WINDS T.J.
I did the same SC: I put stainless steel wire on about half of them, the rest are in plastic. I want to see how the plastic wears with UV etc. I was a bit concerned about abrasion/corrosion with wire locks, so will see how they wear as well.
Thanks for watching.
Patrick, to secure the shackles I recommend to use "Ormiston Monel Seizing Wire". Shackleswill always come undone
Thanks BM. I tried wire and the plastic tie wraps and both work just fine for seizing. I change the plastic ones every 18 months as a precaution, but have never had one fail. Fair winds to you.
Patrick, you spoke so passionately about securing your shackles with some plastic "things" but never showed any of them up close.
They are just the plastic ties that you buy at the supermarket. Nothing fancy about them. Most people were concerned about how quickly they would degrade due to UV exposure. I've now had mine on more than 15 months and not a single one has failed. Thus, a cheap, and effective means of securing shackle pins. I'll change all of mine every 12 months from now on since they cost next to nothing.
Not a sailor!
When i have your problem with screws that shaking eventually unwind, I use superglue to ensure this doesn't happen. (If you don't need to take it off except to repair) If it is a common nut and bolt, two nuts countertighthened on the screw might also do the job where feasible..(I'm half blind, so please excuse spelling and weird autocorrections not caught)
Good stuff! Thanks. The plastic tie wraps fine too.
Your videos are a lot informative, I will leave Brazil to Azores, via Caribe, this month (hopefully, I need my satphone to arrive), my boat is full keel, and does not go to winward, BUT, I can sail with NO electricity and I do not have a wind pilot, I use bungee cord and the staysail to steer the boat. I do have solar panel and a auto pilot that is useful (while motoring). We have very diferent kind of boats, and, even having a lot of experience, your lessons are invaluable,
. Thank you!!!!,
Thanks for watching Nunolc. It sounds like you have a great adventure ahead of you. Fair winds on that long trip my friend.
Seems it’s a problem with stainless steel threads, they seem to never lock as well as with galvanised steel threads. Ever considered using soft shackles made from Dyneema, Patrick? Strong, light, no pins to unscrew. Also good therapy - the satisfaction of making your own fittings.
I do have 5 soft shackles hard at work on my boat Ian! They probably aren't the best choice for some of the other applications, where a rigid fixture is probably better suited.
In the last 2 years I have had the outhaul shackle pin come away and this year found the mainsail tack about to do the same. Things don’t tighten themselves up under vibration. I used to use Monel mousing wire but it’s sharp and I always cut myself so I use those zip ties as well. They are ok but the uv gets to them so it’s an annual job. Amazing videos, many thanks for creating them
Yeah -- I tried metal mousing too, but it is so easy to use tie wraps, that I have converted all of mine to that now. An annual change is probably best practice, but I tested a couple for two years and they stayed in place. :-)
Hello Patrick. Your channel is excellent. I really enjoy your clips.
Just to give a little background on seizing or mousing as is the historic English term. Any professional rigger or seaman works on the premise that if it can work loose, it will work loose.
On that basis all standing rigging should be moused with wire and if done correctly will give you no more problems. With all due respect to the contribution advising Locktite. Please don't use this. You may well have to clear that rig in an emergency and if it is glued then there is no chance.
Once again, great watching!
Many thanks for the new (for me) nautical term John. I haven't heard that before --- mousing --- I like it. I think the specialist mechanics in aviation just refer to it as safety wire, but I could be wrong. (In aviation, pilots are not allowed (legally) to do anything other than the very most basic servicing of aircraft, so while we know how most things work, we don't know how to fix them!) (I was actually going to test some Loctite on a couple of shackles, but decided not to just for the reason you mentioned --- though there is a formula of Loctite that 'secures' without 'fusing' the metal.) I have two test underway -- 'mousing' on some shackles, and 'plastic ties' on others. I'll see how things work out at the end of the season. Thanks for the great comment.
Speaking of weather forecasts and accuracy. I think over my 45 years of sailing that forecasts lately have been getting less accurate even with the advances in technology. It could be one of the consequences of climate change. How do other's feel about this. Maybe at my age, I just notice bad weather more when I expected good.
An interesting point about climate change Douglas. I don't have the experience you do sailing so can't comment on whether forecasts are getting better or worse. I can say though that aviation weather when I was an active pilot seemed much more precise. That said, aviation wx is usually only used/judged against the next 12-18 hours, so the probability of error is much lower. I do miss its detail and accuracy though. Thanks for commenting.
Prevailing torque nuts be it a nylon insert or metallic combined with a periodic retorquing are all you should need. Thread locking compound works but may be unnecessary, if you go that route make sure it's designed for stainless.
Thanks OTM. I may have a problem with vocabulary, but on these fixtures, there are no 'nuts' with nylon inserts (in fact, no nuts at all). There is just the threaded bolt that screws into the female side of the shackle. Some bolts don't have threads, but have a notch that slides through a groove on the female side and then locks into place with a 90° turn. Sorry if I have misunderstood you. That's why the choice is either plastic (or wire) zip locks to prevent the bolt from turning, or thread locking compound. I hope that is clear. Thanks for commenting.
Locking wire is not the way to solve this because it as well will brake, zip straps are fabulous, I use them always, the force needed to prevent the schakles from unscrewing is almost nothing, and they are resistant to chafing.
Funny you mention that. I have been running an experiment --- and have 4 shackle pins locked with plastic zip ties. They have been there 20 months now, and not one has failed. !! I'm going to replace them before my next long passage (beginning next month), but just as a precaution. (The wire ones haven't failed either, but think I'll stick with the white plastic ones in the future.)) Thanks for watching.
Hi Patrick. I'm not a sailor so this suggestion may not hold any water. But in Kansas, the pins I use to secure my pulleys have a small hole in the end where a clip, somewhat like a suped-up hairpin, is pressed through the hole in the pin to keep it in place. I've never had one to fall out, even after years of sitting up on an antenna mast or securing equipment on farm tractors. Just a thought.
Exactly Fred. Many of the 'clevis pins' on boats have that hole for a G-clip or split hairpin as you describe. These particular ones, however, are the type of pins that screw in, so another method of securing them is required: mousing (or seizing) wire, plastic tie wraps, or even Loctite. I don't think it really matters which method of securing you choose --- as long as you do use one! I am religious about this now ---- and had no problems with pins backing out on a very long and challenging passage this year. Success. Thanks for commenting.
just discovered your channel and enjoying it a lot. I will keep in mind to have lots of cable ties for the shackles and perhaps a bolt cutter for any fish net get caught in propeller.
Ha. Yes -- the cable ties are very helpful. A bolt cutter type device is required by law on French boats (to cut away the shroud lines in an emergency if dismasted). I don't know if it is required in other countries, but a good idea to have one aboard anyway.
I’m an offshore sailor looking forward to solo passages on my new boat. I noted that you have a boom brake. Would love to have you do a video on how well this has worked for you. I have always had preventer lines from the end of the boom. They work well but are also more work
This issue of brake versus preventer is controversial GE, and I certainly won't resolve the debate here! The "risk" of a preventer is that in the event of unintended gybe (in high winds), you simply transfer the point of failure from the boom to another piece of equipment/line that will give way due to stress, and then the boom will crash across anyway. Brakes will very greatly diminish the shock of the unintended gybe in high winds, and probably save any damage to the boom (but it will come across). I have tested my brake in fairly high winds, both intentionally and unintentionally :-) and found that it works very well. The boom crashed across, but not in such a violent manner as to break anything (and it crosses well above head level on my boat). A preventer is more useful than a brake in setting up a wing and wing downwind run, but a brake can do that as well. You can stop the boom banging around due to high seas/low winds with both. I like the simplicity of the brake, and have been very happy with mine (brand Wichard). Others will strongly disagree though.
My experience has been that zip ties (plastic) don't last long in the tropics. Much better to use stainless ring, or monel ss wire to secure them.
Yeah --- I've been running an experiment for the last 11.5 months now --- I have a half dozen in plastic (white), and a half dozen in SS. So far the plastic ones are doing fine, but I do prefer the wire ones --- someone told me the proper name is 'mousing'. Thanks again.
A liitle locktite blue will stop them coming undone perhaps ;)
I'm sure that would do the trick Martin. I now use plastic ties through the locking pin in the shackle --- and can instantly see if the fitting is secured. I check them all visually when at sea every day or two. I haven't had any problems since adopting this practice. Fair winds.
Looking at your flag you appear to be running but your main is centered naturally you are not moving
Not sure I follow you Emmanuel. The mainsail is not hoisted ---- the wind was only 6-9 knots, so I was motoring with the boom centered. On a local day sail, I'll put the sail up when there is only 8 knots or so, but when trying to make a long passage --- my boat will only do 3 knots in that light wind, so I just motor in those conditions. Thanks for watching.
I don’t get how the shackle on your topping lift let go. I have several of those.
I can't explain it either Jeff. It may have been a poor quality shackle (probably the case) ---- but somehow the blade worked its way out of the notch. I now only use the type with screw-through bolt --- and safe it with a plastic tie. Thanks for watching.
Can you not have a propeller guard fitted to prevent getting snagged by a fishing net?
Exactly Peter. Actually, it's not a 'guard' --- rather a 'rope cutter'. A disc with sharpened teeth is mounted on the shaft just in front of the propellor, and it (theoretically) shreds the line before it tangles/jams in the prop. I say 'theoretically' because there are several types of cutters on the market. Tests show that all except a quite expensive model have limited effectiveness……. I haven't mounted one, but I really should. It's on a long list of priorities. :-) Thanks for commenting.
could you use Lock tight?
Yes -- absolutely (the blue one). It's even easier to use plastic ties though, and you can easily see them to know they are still in place. People say they don't last long, but I changed mine after two years just because I wanted fresh ones in place. None had failed.
@@patricklaine6958 this such a dream for me.always wanted to sail
❤
Thanks for the kind feedback MS. Much appreciated.
Hey, awesome video!!! Do you mind checking out my video I made at the Azores and telling me what you think?
Nice drone footage. Hope you can add some sailing/boat segments next time.
Leweeg Productions
Nichrome safety wire is prone to corrosion in saltwater.
Whatever the material I bought is (not sure) has not rusted at all in 2.5 years. I also use plastic ties on some shackles, and they last a surprisingly long time.
Excellent videos!!! I watch sailing videos to relax before bed. I have no experience with sailing. I'm retired Air Force, what kind of fighters did you fly? Be safe brother.
Thanks Peter. I flew Skyhawks and Corsairs in the US Navy, and the Super Etendard in the French Navy. Great memories. Wish I could do it again.
I just came across this. Not sure what or if any value it may have for you. get.swiftknot.com/ordernow-main
Thank you Mr. Laine for another great video
Too kind Victor. Thanks
Hello Patrick. You have a Finnish surname? Are you From finland or have you somekind of ninnish origins? Anyway, I have exactly the same boat as you have. Bavaria 40 C from 2008. I wanted to ask you: you have somekind of bowsprit on your vessel? I am going to buy somekind of gennager to my boat and I'am interested of how the bowsprit works.
Hello Antti. I'm aware that my name is quite common in Finland -- but no roots there for me that I know of. There is currently an (apparently) famous Finnish hockey player who plays in Canada who has the same first and last name as me. If you google my name, you will see page after page after page of him! I can stay under the radar. :-) Yeah Bavaria 40 C. Mine is 2008 also. Band of brothers! We must stick together.I do have a bow sprit. It is made by Seldon. It's just a tube that can be cut to any length, that is slides up and down two rings. There is a little clip that locks into the deck in the 'retracted' position, and another clip that locks into the deck when 'extended'. Very simple. Works well. Next year I'll try to film how I deploy my asymmetric spinnaker when solo using it. One of my friends just installed one, but I don't know how much it cost.
Thanks Patrick. I must install bowsprit to mine when i buy the gennager. First on the list are the house batteries (they are original). I must get 5 gel batteries before I splash next spiring. You know my boat has been on the hard almost a month already. Sailing season is so short In Finland. The hockey players passport says Patrik. Americans have added the additional c. He has build a big name for himself only one season in the NHL. If you didn't know your name means wave in finnish so it's fit for a sailor.
Ahh batteries. I changed my house batteries this year too. I looked at all different technologies, read many 'testimonials' on the internet, spoke to many boat owning friends, and then tossed a coin up in the air to decide which technology to go with. :-) I bought two Varta LFD 140 ah batteries. They are not gel or agm, they are "Enhanced Flooded Battery" --- in other words, it is a classic flooded battery with improved technology. They are sealed, so maintenance free (no water to add). One of the key drivers in the choice of battery was actually the physical dimension of the batteries. I couldn't fit some of the 'new' technology (AGM/Gel) batteries under the seat where they are now located. The new batteries have performed just fine until now, but it has only been about 7 months. Good luck on your choice. My batteries cost €210 each. Thanks for the information on my name in Finnish. I did not know that. Wave. Cool.
Dear Mr Patrick, thank you for share these videos, amazing. As you've told, due to the terrible weather, you've stayed inside the cabin for longs periods. Did you have seasickness?
Hello Wander N . Thanks for the kind word. No, I am one of the lucky ones who do not suffer from seasickness. (I was a pilot for many years, so am perhaps 'immune' because of that past history.) The Bavaria is quite stable anyway, and if you stay near the center, and down low, you minimize the movement anyway. So, if you can't stay in the cockpit staring at the horizon (very helpful), the center of the cabin is quite 'friendly'. Thanks for watching. Much appreciated.
Patrick, thank you a lot! Please continue posting your videos. Next time if you can show us more details about eletronics navigation, for example the auto pilot and the route on GPS could be a good idea! If you decide to come to Brazil, let me know!
Good idea Wander N. On my next major passage, I'll do one episode with a focus on navigation from start to finish. I'm hoping to return to Brazil one day --- by sail this time. I'll give a shout when I do. Thanks for watching.
Great informative video again Patrick. Thanks.
The many mistakes I made during that first sailing adventure made the adventures to come, which were much more challenging, "drama free." I hope you will avoid some of the errors I made!
@@patricklaine6958 what’s life without learning Patrick haha.
thank you, very nice series of videos
Many thanks for the kind support Sandro. I'm delighted you got something from them.
Thanks for sharing an interesting point raised in your 'confessional' re: loose shackle pins. And Yep, I've been there, only in my case I was sailing an Enterprise dinghy with no crew, 2 or 3 miles from shore returning from a great trip to the Manacles, Cornwall when I just happened to notice my 'lee' shroud cotter pin drop on to the deck in a F5, gusting F6 on a reach. The shroud immediately slipped off the deck fixing as it was not under tension and blown leeward over the sea, effectively completely detached from the deck. This meant that the mast was only held in place at 3 points by the forestay, backstay and 'weather' shroud. Had I tacked, I would have immediately lost the mast and sails, with all the ensuing problems that action would create. The problem I had, was that I had to sit out on the 'weather' side to keep the boat stable, so I could not reach across to recover the loose and swinging shroud. Miraculously the pin remained on the deck but was rolling about against a small low rail and in immediate danger of dropping over side. So I had to think hard and fast how to fix the problem. I held the boat on course, easing the mainsheet and steered with one hand on the tiller with mainsheet between fingers, whilst reaching across with my boathook in the other hand and attempted to flick the pin into the centre of the boat. I was 'scared stiff' with the knowledge that I was about to get dismasted in a rising sea and moments later very relieved to get the pin off the deck into the relative safety of the boat. To cut a long story short and 'against the odds', I did manage to drop the sail, recover the shroud and refit the pin without loosing the mast or capsizing the boat. I got back into Falmouth harbour 2 hours later very relieved and rather chastised by the experience.
Wow. What a nightmare (that could have been much worse). My shrouds are all connected to turnbuckles that have cotter pins securing them as well. I do try to look at them (cotter pins) once a week. Your cotter pin must have sheared in the heavy vibrations, allowing the turnbuckle pin to fall on the deck. I bet the beer at the pub tasted good that night. ;-)
The Shroud was securely connected to a turnbuckle and cotter pin through the deck fixing, normally held in place by a split ring that had somehow become loose and detached, probably during my downwind run earlier in the day and held under tension until it lost strain on the 'lee' side. That's when the pin dropped out. The lesson I learned was to 'tape split rings' on all cotter pins to prevent them from vibrating under stresses of sail. I also then learned that 'in sailing, its the 'little things' that can mean alot'
Great lesson! I like the aviation safety wire idea. You’ll never have that problem again. You might want to deburr the wire where you trim it so that’s it’s not a cut hazard
That's exactly what I did Dan. I cut them and bent them in such a way as to reduce any risk of fraying anything. I'm watching them closely though, and have a set of wire cutters in my Navigation table in case I need to lose them in a hurry.
use zip tie on your shackles mate
Yep Boat Dude. I have been running an experiment of the last 7 months ---- some shackles with plastic zip ties, some with stainless steel wire, and some with Loctite. All seem to be doing well so far. My concern with the plastic ties is UV deterioration (and my inability to measure this) ---- and the problem with Loctite is that I won't really know if it isn't working unless it fails. On the other hand, stainless steel can be a source of chafe, and in an emergency, I'd have to get the wire cutters to remove them --- but the likelihood of that kind of emergency is quite low. I'm testing all for a year, and then will decide which is best for me. Thanks for commenting.
@@patricklaine6958 , Use Black Zip ties. They last longer in harsh UV and grey before going brittle.
I really enjoy your videos. Thank you.
Many thanks for watching and commenting My House. Much appreciated.
Patrick Laine Thank you Sir, for responding. You have my respect and my subscription. Your friend Chris Langfield from Chicago IL
Well thank you Chris in the Windy City.
Sabotage?
I’m surprised you hadn’t heard of seizing wire on shackle pins. Cruising 101
Yep, live and learn. In my (weak) defense, a couple of the shackle pins were the 'self-locking' type (with a notch) that were not supposed to need mousing. I have since changed them out --- and all now have either wire or lock-ties on them. (Very surprizingly, I have two done-up with plastic lock-ties that have not been changed in 18 months now --- and still show no signs of weakness. ! ) I check those two weekly --- the experiment is just to see how long they will last at my latitude before UV destroys them.
Was the boat new or new to you, aka used, when purchased?
The boat is a German-built Bavaria 40 Cruiser from 2008. I was the third owner when I bought it in 2016.
@@patricklaine6958 was she part of a Mediterranean charter fleet under her first owner?
@@spankmeairlines Ha! No. One of the very few criteria I had when buying a boat was that it could not have previously used on charter. While there are exceptions, as a general rule, charter boats are poorly treated, and maintained at the minimum level.