 | |
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
Doing the right thing
quickly often makes the difference
between getting off unnoticed or having
the embarrassment, and possibly danger,
of drying out. The easiest way off is
usually by the same route you went on.
On a weather shore:
 | back the jib and
come about immediately |
| if the wind is aft
of the beam, gybe |
On a lee shore:
| drop of luff all
sails at once, to prevent being
driven further on. |
If the tide is rising;
then time is on your side and your main
danger is being driven further ashore.
| Set an anchor at
once. |
If the tide is
falling; you will not have much time
| Set a kedge (see
Fig. 7). Place the anchor first
in the dinghy with the flukes over
the stern. Then flake out the chain
and the warp so it runs out freely
as you row toward deeper water. |
| If the yacht’s
rudder is free, then kedge off stern
first. |
| If the rudder is
jammed, you may need to pivot the
boat. To do this take the kedge line
through a block at the bow and then
to the winch. |
| Heeling the yacht
may reduce the draft enough to free
the boat. Support the boom with the
main halyard, and swing crew weight
outboard. You could even use the
partly swamped dinghy for added
weight. |
| If time allows, set
a second kedge to increase the pull,
or to assist with heeling. Lay out
the second anchor just aft of abeam,
and attach the warp to the halyard. (see
Fig. 8). The spinnaker halyard
is probably best as the main and
headsail halyards are not designed
to take side loads. |
DRYING OUT
If the above actions
are unsuccessful, and it is apparent you
will have to wait for the next high
water, the immediate actions are:
| check the seabed
beside the boat for rocks or other
obstacles |
| close all seacocks |
| seal fuel and water
tanks |
| check whether your
batteries can take the heel without
spilling. If not, chock or move them
so they will be more level |
| secure galley and
locker equipment that might be
damaged |
| pump the bilges
while the boat is still afloat |
| heel the boat
towards high ground - normally the
opposite way to which you have been
trying to kedge off |
| as the water
recedes, protect vulnerable parts of
the hull from damage by obstacles on
the bottom |
| at low water, lay
out your strongest anchor in the
direction of deep water |
|
|
Copyright NZ H28 Yacht Owners'
Association
|
