So I embarrassed myself by ....

[Greene]

It is fun to post about our successes and accomplishments, but when we screw up -  not so much.  This Memorial Day weekend we sailed on Lake Mendota Friday through Monday.  We learned a lot about sailing the 23 as compared to the 16 and 19 we've had before.  We did some good things and looked like we knew what we were doing most of the time although we seemed to have a lot less sail out than everyone else on the lake.  This was partly due to the strong gusty winds and the fact that Wrinkles has some pretty tired old sails on her.  We sailed on and off the anchor, didn't miss any tacks, no round-ups this time and looked like pros at the ramp. 

Our son Matt came out to spend some time on the water with us and we picked him up in 3' of water with a nice sandy bottom.  We sailed a bit in the increasingly windy/gusty conditions until we were all the way down to a double reefed main.  He needed to get back to shore (after eating most of the food we had packed for the rest of our weekend) so we (and by we I mean Skipper Mike) decided that with a lee shore and strong winds that it would be better if we dropped Matt off at the nearby boat ramp with a well executed touch-n-go.  The guy at the tiller (again Mike) expertly guided Wrinkles dead center between the the red and green bouys which mark the 50' wide channel.  Just as the stern proudly passed the two bouys our little shoal draft sailboat with just 27" of draft came to a very quiet and gentle stop.  Yup, Mr. Skipper of the day just grounded the boat in the middle of a channel with about 5 other boats watching and waiting their turn at the busy ramp. 

Everyone quickly to the bow and motor in full reverse.  Nope! Still stuck.  So into the water goes the formerly proud skipper who helps walk the boat out to the channel.  We quickly exited the area to end the episode.

So I wounded my sailor's pride a bit, but I will get over it.  No one will remember it except the couple hundred people who read this and a few readers of our blog. Just another lesson learned. 

Mike

[mrtoad]

isn't it true that only two sailors never run aground

1. those who lie
and
2. those who do not sail

mr toad

[Billy]

I run aground almost every time I go out. Of coarse it gets really skinny here on the west coast of FL where a shoal draft is necessary. Especially with the tides going in and out. I'm just curious how you ran aground in the middle of the channel. That shouldn't hurt your pride too much.

[JTMeissner]

Mike, thanks for starting it off, I was wanting to post about the fun (and embarrassment) we had this past weekend at the boat; and I had a similar scenario.

I don't often get a chance to single hand, but I had some work to do (compression post rot and installing bow lights) so the wife and daughter went to the beach for the season opening Beach Bash.  Plan was to work, then go to the new dock by the beach and pick them up in a few hours since the wind was supposed to pick up in the afternoon.  I did the work at anchor near the cabin, then headed out to get them.  I was able to get right in along the swimming area, with hundreds of people in the water, on the beach, and up at the pavilion.  I wanted to get close, but maintain maneuver room, and came in close enough to have a loud conversation with the wife (who took the pictures).

However, when coming about to head to the dock, I found a nice rocky outcropping off the side of the swim area, cleanly sticking me near the beach (with associated onlookers).  It's right about here while I have a backwinded jib and other issues that I had to hop out, push off the shoal, and sheepishly maneuver to the nearby dock (no steerage while stuck to the bottom :-), probably about 50 ft away from my daughter in the previous photo):


Due to varying water levels, I generally have to keep a wary eye on places to sail and anchor near the shores of the reservoir.  No damage done, thankfully, and new hazard added to the chart...  This happens a few hours before we are anchored to do some wading and swimming, with the main folded nicely on the boom when I hear "plink, plunk, splash," as the sail stop falls off the mast and into the water, followed by the sail spilling out of the slot.  Onlookers were much further away for this one, but raising the sail in the now much windier conditions along a shoreline dotted with stumps was unexpected adventure.  I found an extra stop in my boat gear, but for their price I think I'll look to a homemade option in the future.

We've been under normal water levels for so long, there are islands that are within the marked river channel that have hazard markers sticking in the air.  I'm one three sailboats at this particular marina, and the only one who trailers in to launch, so I guess I'll be that guy for a while.

-Justin

[Greene]

I run aground almost every time I go out. Of coarse it gets really skinny here on the west coast of FL where a shoal draft is necessary. Especially with the tides going in and out. I'm just curious how you ran aground in the middle of the channel. That shouldn't hurt your pride too much.

Yes I was in the dead center of the channel, but I was unfamiliar with the inlet and ramp.  An intelligent skipper would of had his newly installed Hawkeye depth sensor on and someone at the bow to watch the depth.  I can't believe they have a marked channel without any depth warnings.  Especially since we don't have to deal with tides.

Jumping in the water to maneuver my boat is embarrassing no matter where I am.


JT - thanks for sharing.  I figured I was the only one goofy enough to take my boat for a walk.
Mike

[crazycarl]

Been there done that...more than once.  Here's my episode.

I launched ocean side from Key Largo and had motored about 50 yards through a very narrow channel when the boat gently came to a stop.  The employees at the marina were waving their arms and yelling something in their native tongue that sounded like "congratulations Columbus, you've discovered the sunken continent of Atlantis"!

Actually I was stuck on sea grass, and being one not to destroy it, I decided to push the boat off.  Climbing into the water and sinking into the muck, I was able to nudge her free.  Free to blow to the other side of the channel where she again became motionless.  This time she was stuck for good.  No pushing or pulling was going to move her.  Climbing back aboard, I placed a 5 gallon gas container, 2-7 gallon water jugs, and a bin containing 60 days of canned goods on the port side deck. Reentering the water, I "African Queened" her back into the channel.  Only to have her blow back out by the time I could re-board.  So, I decided to start the O/B, place it in gear, and pull until she was free.  Then I pulled myself onto the deck via a lifeline stanchion and raced to the tiller to steer her clear and finally out into Hawk channel.  

3 days later I would run onto a sandy shoal bay side.  This time I dropped the hook, made lunch, and sat in the shallow water enjoying the sun until the tide came back.

carl

[Davo]

Been there too, in my case it was near a strip of restaurants along the lake shore and then out of nowhere a group of 50+ kayakers came paddling across my bow while I was sitting there motionless.  I had fishing poles out so I played it off like I was just anchored and fishing (ha, in like 3 feet of water) until the kayakers were gone and then I had to hop in and drag the boat out of the muck...

[Billy]

Good one, Davo!

[HideAway]

And with experience comes wisdom

[skip1930]

Everybody runs aground.
No big deal :~}

skip.

[Salty19]

You ain't been around if you ain't been aground---Eric Stone

[Bob23]

   If I could say I've only run aground, I'd be happy. Actually, I have not grounded my 23 yet...well, sorta not really, kinda. There's a channel in Barnegat Bay call Limestone Channel. Don't know why- there's no limestone around here. Anyway, at the north end, there are 5 small submerged islands which are kinda on the charts. Well, they used to be islands but have been eroded away.
   I was sailing with the wind from my starboard quarter doing about 6 knots, and depth reading 4 feet when the tiller began to vibrate. Just then, she halted, leaned about 45 degrees and rounded up all at about the same time. Being heeled over that much, she skipped sideways off the island and picking up the wind again, continued on our way- to the next submerged island. Repeat- halt, heel and roundup. No damage but sure got my attention.
   So far, I've found 4 out of the 5. I'm gonna find that last one this summer or my name ain't
   Thanks for your report, MG. And for your honesty. Those embarassing moments are good for us...keeps us humble.
Bob23

[Greene]

Aww schucks, the way I sail this was one of my shining moments. 

Mike

[Tim Gardner]

When I was a Cadet at NYS Maritime College, the training vessel grounded herself on Stepping Stone Lighthouse Shoal in Long island Sound.  Put a mighty big gash along the Port side double bottoms. She leaked a lot of Bunker "C" into the sound, and still made the crossing to Med.

TG

[brackish]

Missed the skippers meeting at BEER last year where they gave you the landmarks to line up to approach Sailboat Cove and fetched up on a sand bar east of the anchorage area.   No big deal, hopped off and towed the boat out of skinny water.  I did learn one thing worth noting about the 23.  With the rudder all the way down or all the way up there is no prop interference, however partially up and the rudder can get in the prop.  A little Marine Tex, good as new.

Never been aground in my home lake, very deep water and steep banks.  However, spent about half my sailing life aground or on the wrong side of a sand bar when I lived on the Gulf.  always kept a tide chart aboard so I could assess the risk of making an approach and getting stuck on the wrong side of a sand bar.  NIce to know how long I would have to stay there waiting for a tide change.