How much experience is enough?

[Shawn T W.]

You will alway find new adventures, no matter what, some are costly unhappy learning experiences, some are the opposite!

"Knowing when to go" is a personally question, I may go before I'm experienced enough, but . . . I look at life a bit differently than most . . . If it is my boat, my time, my supplies, my life . . . it's my loss if things don't go well, I don't EXPECT someone else to bail me out (I'm not saying that you are thinking this way) I don't believe that others should pay for the mistakes of one person, wether it is welfare, heath care, or swimming lessons! Having a little button to call for help, is not my way of taking care of myself. (wether a cell phone, radio or EPIRB) It should not be a tool in the tool box for maintenance.

[thistlecap]

This is the subject of a speel I have given students the last night of class for the last 29 years.  First, I'd recommend taking advantage of formal instructiion.  U.S.C.G. Aux courses are good.  I may be prejudiced, but I'd say U.S. Power and Sail Squadrons are best--everything from basics through two advanced courses in celestial, weather, engine maintenance, cruise planning, etc.  (Go to USPS.org. to find classes near you.) I emphasize that having completed a formal course of instruction only lays a foundation upon which to build more instruction and experience.  Experience is indeed cumulative.  I cautioned against thinking that sailing in their local waters will teach them much. Repeating 1 year's experience for 20 years is still only 1 year's experience, and limited at that. What I recommend is constantly pushing the envelope, but in reasonable steps.  This builds confidence in yourself, your knowledge, and your boat and its systems.  Once you feel comfortable in your local waters, plan on getting back a few hours after dark.  Then plan a few night sails, then an overnighter.  Rather than staying home on windy, storm days, get out in open water and experiment with reefing, different sail combinations, required changes in sheeting locations or tack pennant lengths, etc.  In all these training trips, use basic pilotage and navigation---no GPS.  It's a great toy, and a convenience, but you must be able to rely on your own abilities, not the gizmo's ability.  In the Chesapeake area, I'd recommend them making a weekender, then a week-long trip.  Study and experiment with different anchoring bottoms, anchor types, locations.  Anchoring smarts are your boat's ultimate insurance policy.  Then circumnavigate the Delmarva peninsula.  After plenty of practice (a couple hundred plotted sights) with celestial on the beach comparing LOP's with the known position, the next trip is 70-100 miles offshore and up the coast to at least Block Island.  Use the celestial only and get comfortable in fog.  By the time you've been to Maine and back, the next trip is Bermuda and back.  The next is the USVI and back.  Check sails and rigging often, thru-hull fittings and seacocks.  Make sure you have stop collars on anything than can leave a hole in the boat, like prop shaft or rudder shaft.  By this time you will know your skill, your confidence, and your boat and can go wherever the sun shines and water depth exceeds your draft.  The secret to success is self-reliance.  Stick with basics.  More gadgets increase dependence more than safety.  Don't rely on others to come to your aid.  If you know you can get back on your own and plan for the worst case scenario, you always will come through without risking others who might have to bail you out.

[AdriftAtSea]

Check sails and rigging often, thru-hull fittings and seacocks.  Make sure you have stop collars on anything than can leave a hole in the boat, like prop shaft or rudder shaft.  By this time you will know your skill, your confidence, and your boat and can go wherever the sun shines and water depth exceeds your draft.  The secret to success is self-reliance.  Stick with basics.  More gadgets increase dependence more than safety.  Don't rely on others to come to your aid.  If you know you can get back on your own and plan for the worst case scenario, you always will come through without risking others who might have to bail you out.

Very well said. :)

[tdsail]

Hi there,

Well if you haven't got a yacht then obtain one...the unfortunate credit crunch gives you an opportunity to potentially pick up a bargain.  As you have already seen from the posts the opinions vary, but I would just say go for it....youre not getting any younger and whilst its not an age thing, I believe the longer you leave it the more difficult it will be.  I am doing a similar thing on a 24footer (i intend to single hand cross the atlantic in the jesper challenge 2010 from uk to us) and a lot of people say its a bit mad.  You will also hear all the experts on safety etc but the reality is you are the person that can determine alone if you can do it or not...
So if no boat, then get one..if you have one, then make it offshore ready, include all the safety aspects, get some more sails (and plenty of extra bits) and then just take off!!!

[Frank]

I forget if it was Blondie Hasler(sp?) or Frances Chichester that when asked what they would do if their boat was sinking replied..."drown like a gentleman"

[CharlieJ]

Hasler, aboard the original Jester

[Tim]

I forget if it was Blondie Hasler(sp?) or Frances Chichester that when asked what they would do if their boat was sinking replied..."drown like a gentleman"

Now that I like  :)

The sea giveth the sea taketh away

[Frank]

the actual quote..again by failing memory was "I have resolved to drown like a gentleman"...CJ, is that it?

[CharlieJ]

Something like that. I no longer have the book so can't look it up exactly.

The meaning behind it of course, was that he had chosen to be out there, for his own satisfaction, and saw no need to involve others should something go wrong.

And ironically, the original Jester was lost due to a rescue attempt ( of the second owner) when the ship rammed Jester and damaged her beyond salvage. Hasler was dead by that time of other causes.

[s/v Faith]

Jim,

  Excellent post.  WRT;

In all these training trips, use basic pilotage and navigation---no GPS.  It's a great toy, and a convenience, but you must be able to rely on your own abilities, not the gizmo's ability.

  The chart plotter is a perfect example of the problem with reliance on technology.  The first rule of electronics is that they will fail when you need them.  I have been aboard boats with folks who were more focused on that little boat on the screen then on the big boat on the water..... what a recipe for disaster!  Sitting at a table in Georgetown, Rose and I were amazed to learn that there were folks who not only admitted they had no paper charts aboard, they were PROUD of it.  Amazingly dumb. 

The secret to success is self-reliance.  Stick with basics.  More gadgets increase dependence more than safety.

Don't rely on others to come to your aid.  If you know you can get back on your own and plan for the worst case scenario, you always will come through without risking others who might have to bail you out.

  Hear, Hear!

Glad to have you aboard.   ;D  This grog is on me.

[Lynx]

My memory must be failing but I thought that the original Jester was lost to a bad mast step leaking and wobbling that was not looked at before the race. A jet pilot assisted in the recovery of crewmember.

Is this the right boat or another?

[nowell]

When are you and your boat ready to cut the dock lines and cruise?

This old salt once said "Make sure you have a sound hull, a rig you trust, enough food to the next port, and continue to stay curious about learning everyday to figure it all out because eventually you will; and beware of bogging yourself down with a hundred projects only, thus losing sight about why you bought a sailboat in the first place".

[Captain Smollett]

For some reason, I was thinking about this thread today.  Some of what got me to thinking about this was the Mac26 capsize in San Diego this past week (with 2 dead) and the subsequent online discussions.  This lead me to further start thinking about Skipper's responsibilities and what experience level constitutes "prepared."

This has come up with discussions I've had with a friend here at the marina, too.  He likes to define the difference between someone who has owned a boat and "fair weather sailed" for 20 years and someone with real sailing experience.

So, 'get experience' is a good idea, for someone just starting out, what does this actually mean?  Can we be more specific?

Maybe some of these apply more to ocean passagemaking than to coastal (or inland) cruising, but I think some apply there, too and at least to island hopping.

Consider the following as a list a new cruising sailor might ask himself.  I'm not saying a person has to answer "yes" to each of these to be "ready," but I do think these are things that should be considered and skills to be honed.

** Have you ever sailed in the rain, including working at the mast or on the foredeck?

** Have you ever sailed at night?  In unfamiliar waters?

** Have you ever sailed in fog?

** Have you ever sailed (ie, not dropped all sail and motored) in 25+ knots?  Have you ever hove-to your boat in 25+ knots?

** Have you ever stayed in port due to unfavorable tides?

** Have you ever sailed in unfamiliar waters without a GPS?

** Have you ever sailed in weather significantly different than the forecast you had when you got underway?

** Have you ever had to alter course or immediate plans to avoid a container ship (or similar vessel)?

** Have you ever engaged in Bridge-to-Bridge communications with a commercial ship (or any other vessel)?

** Have you ever been aboard your boat at anchor in a blow greater than say 35 knots?

** Have you ever emergency anchored due to engine or rig failure, to buy time to make repairs?

** Have you ever had to sail under a jury rig or contend with any rig failure while underway?

** Have you ever docked or anchored under sail?

** Have you ever had to maneuver, under sail, to pick up a Crew Overboard (or other object), even if just for practice?

** Have you ever dealt with a knock-down or roll over?

** Have you ever had to receive a tow or give one?

** Have you ever been aground and gotten off by your own efforts (or patience)?

** Have you ever had to contend with the boat taking on water from damage below the waterline?

** Have you ever run an inlet from seaward at a time other than slack water?  With wind and tide opposed?

** Have you ever operated your boat sleep deprived (say less than 4 hours of sleep per day over a period of at least 2 days)?  In pilot waters with other vessels and shipping?

** Have you ever operated your vessel when you have not eaten for more than 16 hours?  Cold and wet?

** Have you ever had to deal with incompetent crew who represented themselves as "good sailors with blue water experience?"

** Has everyone aboard who will stand a watch single handed the boat for a duration of at least one watch cycle?

** Have you ever had to sail an unfamiliar boat, perhaps in an emergency? In adverse weather?

** Can you operate your vessel long enough to get to safe port with no mechanical propulsion and no electricity?  Are either of these required to keep the boat and crew safe (including well fed)?

[jotruk]

The questions you asked are all right on the mark.  I think there is another question that each and every sailor should ask themself and that is do I trust my self to make a good decision based on my knowledge and ability, and can I ask my crew to do what I want done with confidence in my ability to do the same job myself.

[tomwatt]

Captain Smollett, it seems to me your last musings there ought to be a sticky of some sort.
At least I consider those to be reasonable, sobering questions a would-be voyager ought to ponder before casting off.

[Chattcatdaddy]

I will take a stab at the questions!

** Have you ever sailed in the rain, including working at the mast or on the foredeck? Yes

** Have you ever sailed at night? Yes  In unfamiliar waters? No

** Have you ever sailed in fog?No

** Have you ever sailed (ie, not dropped all sail and motored) in 25+ knots? Yes  Have you ever hove-to your boat in 25+ knots? No

** Have you ever stayed in port due to unfavorable tides?No

** Have you ever sailed in unfamiliar waters without a GPS?No

** Have you ever sailed in weather significantly different than the forecast you had when you got underway? Yes

** Have you ever had to alter course or immediate plans to avoid a container ship (or similar vessel)? Yes

** Have you ever engaged in Bridge-to-Bridge communications with a commercial ship (or any other vessel)? Yes

** Have you ever been aboard your boat at anchor in a blow greater than say 35 knots? Yes

** Have you ever emergency anchored due to engine or rig failure, to buy time to make repairs? No

** Have you ever had to sail under a jury rig or contend with any rig failure while underway? No

** Have you ever docked or anchored under sail? No

** Have you ever had to maneuver, under sail, to pick up a Crew Overboard (or other object), even if just for practice? Yes

** Have you ever dealt with a knock-down or roll over? No

** Have you ever had to receive a tow or give one? No

** Have you ever been aground and gotten off by your own efforts (or patience)? Yes

** Have you ever had to contend with the boat taking on water from damage below the waterline? No

** Have you ever run an inlet from seaward at a time other than slack water?  With wind and tide opposed? No

** Have you ever operate Nod your boat sleep deprived (say less than 4 hours of sleep per day over a period of at least 2 days)?  In pilot waters with other vessels and shipping? No

** Have you ever operated your vessel when you have not eaten for more than 16 hours? No  Cold and wet? No

** Have you ever had to deal with incompetent crew who represented themselves as "good sailors with blue water experience?" No

** Has everyone aboard who will stand a watch single handed the boat for a duration of at least one watch cycle? Not encountered that situation

** Have you ever had to sail an unfamiliar boat, perhaps in an emergency? In adverse weather? No

** Can you operate your vessel long enough to get to safe port with no mechanical propulsion and no electricity?No as I do not have a vessel, but I believe I could have on my Cal29...  Are either of these required to keep the boat and crew safe (including well fed)?

Seems like I have some work to do! ??? I look foward to the challenge and adventure!

[Jeremy]

Great list of questions! 

** Have you ever sailed in the rain, including working at the mast or on the foredeck? Yes
** Have you ever sailed at night?  Yes  In unfamiliar waters? No
** Have you ever sailed in fog? Yes
** Have you ever sailed (ie, not dropped all sail and motored) in 25+ knots?  Yes  Have you ever hove-to your boat in 25+ knots?  No
** Have you ever stayed in port due to unfavorable tides?  No
** Have you ever sailed in unfamiliar waters without a GPS?  Yes
** Have you ever sailed in weather significantly different than the forecast you had when you got underway?  Yes
** Have you ever had to alter course or immediate plans to avoid a container ship (or similar vessel)?  Yes
** Have you ever engaged in Bridge-to-Bridge communications with a commercial ship (or any other vessel)?  No
** Have you ever been aboard your boat at anchor in a blow greater than say 35 knots?  No
** Have you ever emergency anchored due to engine or rig failure, to buy time to make repairs?  Yes
** Have you ever had to sail under a jury rig or contend with any rig failure while underway?  Yes
** Have you ever docked or anchored under sail?  Both
** Have you ever had to maneuver, under sail, to pick up a Crew Overboard (or other object), even if just for practice?  Yes (practice)
** Have you ever dealt with a knock-down or roll over?  No
** Have you ever had to receive a tow or give one?  Yes
** Have you ever been aground and gotten off by your own efforts (or patience)?  Yes
** Have you ever had to contend with the boat taking on water from damage below the waterline?  No
** Have you ever run an inlet from seaward at a time other than slack water?  No  With wind and tide opposed?  No
** Have you ever operated your boat sleep deprived (say less than 4 hours of sleep per day over a period of at least 2 days)?  Yes.  In pilot waters with other vessels and shipping?  No
** Have you ever operated your vessel when you have not eaten for more than 16 hours?  No.  Cold and wet?  Yes
** Have you ever had to deal with incompetent crew who represented themselves as "good sailors with blue water experience?"  No
** Has everyone aboard who will stand a watch single handed the boat for a duration of at least one watch cycle?  Not been in that situation
** Have you ever had to sail an unfamiliar boat, perhaps in an emergency? No.  In adverse weather?  No.
** Can you operate your vessel long enough to get to safe port with no mechanical propulsion and no electricity?  Yes.  Are either of these required to keep the boat and crew safe (including well fed)?  No.

[Auspicious]

Good list of questions John. Follow are my answers and then some thoughts.

** Have you ever sailed in the rain, including working at the mast or on the foredeck? Yes/Yes/Yes

** Have you ever sailed at night?  In unfamiliar waters? Yes/Yes

** Have you ever sailed in fog? Yes

** Have you ever sailed (ie, not dropped all sail and motored) in 25+ knots?  Have you ever hove-to your boat in 25+ knots? Yes/Yes

** Have you ever stayed in port due to unfavorable tides? Yes

** Have you ever sailed in unfamiliar waters without a GPS? Yes

** Have you ever sailed in weather significantly different than the forecast you had when you got underway? Yes

** Have you ever had to alter course or immediate plans to avoid a container ship (or similar vessel)? Yes

** Have you ever engaged in Bridge-to-Bridge communications with a commercial ship (or any other vessel)? Yes

** Have you ever been aboard your boat at anchor in a blow greater than say 35 knots? Yes *sigh*

** Have you ever emergency anchored due to engine or rig failure, to buy time to make repairs? No

** Have you ever had to sail under a jury rig or contend with any rig failure while underway? Yes

** Have you ever docked or anchored under sail? Yes

** Have you ever had to maneuver, under sail, to pick up a Crew Overboard (or other object), even if just for practice? Yes

** Have you ever dealt with a knock-down or roll over? Yes/No

** Have you ever had to receive a tow or give one? Yes/Yes

** Have you ever been aground and gotten off by your own efforts (or patience)? Yes

** Have you ever had to contend with the boat taking on water from damage below the waterline? Yes - twice *sigh again*

** Have you ever run an inlet from seaward at a time other than slack water?  With wind and tide opposed? Yes/Yes

** Have you ever operated your boat sleep deprived (say less than 4 hours of sleep per day over a period of at least 2 days)?  In pilot waters with other vessels and shipping? Yes/Yes

** Have you ever operated your vessel when you have not eaten for more than 16 hours?  Cold and wet? No/Yes

** Have you ever had to deal with incompetent crew who represented themselves as "good sailors with blue water experience?" Yes

** Has everyone aboard who will stand a watch single handed the boat for a duration of at least one watch cycle? Usually but not always - challenge of a delivery skipper putting crew together

** Have you ever had to sail an unfamiliar boat, perhaps in an emergency? In adverse weather? Yes/No/Yes

** Can you operate your vessel long enough to get to safe port with no mechanical propulsion and no electricity?  Are either of these required to keep the boat and crew safe (including well fed)? Yes/Yes

This has come up with discussions I've had with a friend here at the marina, too.  He likes to define the difference between someone who has owned a boat and "fair weather sailed" for 20 years and someone with real sailing experience.

I consider this difference between 20 years of experience and one year of experience repeated 20 times.

The challenge is how one develops experience with an acceptable level of risk. Formal or informal instruction as noted by Thistlecap is one way. Practice in controlled conditions is another.

I reflect on a few of John's excellent questions:

** Have you ever sailed (ie, not dropped all sail and motored) in 25+ knots? Have you ever hove-to your boat in 25+ knots?

This is one of the easier experiences to develop. Go sailing in 10-15 and practice shortening sail and heaving to. When the forecast is for 18-20 go do it again. Work your way up. You'll find with time that fear and uncertainty are bigger factors than wind and seas. Smaller boats are actually easier in some ways - the forces are lower although the boat motion can make operation a challenge.

** Have you ever had to alter course or immediate plans to avoid a container ship (or similar vessel)?

I'm on record as recommending racing as good preparation for cruising. Here is another area where racing helps develop good skills. Your ability to manage the boat in close conditions and to accurately estimate course and speed are well developed by racing.

Incidentally, often a speed change on a constant course can make a potential collision course into a non-event. Can you "shift gears" under sail and slow down while retaining the ability to accelerate and change course if need be.

** Have you ever engaged in Bridge-to-Bridge communications with a commercial ship (or any other vessel)?

This is really easy - sit at anchor near any port with active commercial shipping and listen to Channel 13. Even better, listen to 13 and watch an AIS display (see http://aprs.fi/ if you don't have AIS). Oh - get AIS - the big guys respond more reliably if you call them by name, particularly if there are language issues. Having an AIS transponder is becoming increasingly useful.

** Have you ever docked or anchored under sail?

Just do it.

** Have you ever run an inlet from seaward at a time other than slack water?  With wind and tide opposed?

Again, try it in more settled conditions. Once your other boat-handling skills are developed in other areas you'll find that a lot of conventional wisdom is just cut and paste out of context. I recently sailed the Gulf Stream in NNE to ENE winds of 10-15. It was a little bumpy, but not the disaster predicted by people who haven't done it. The extra SOG was well worth the little bumps.

Similarly, conventional wisdom is to avoid wind over tide. The reality in the Exumas is that if you want to sail you end up with wind with tide at one end of the day and wind against tide at the other end. I've run the North inlet into Elizabeth Harbor with 20kts wind against tide. It was sporty but controllable.

I'm certainly not recommending crossing an inlet in a rage -- we don't need a repeat of the Rule 62 misfortune. There are lots of big, open inlets and channels to develop some experience that is relevant.

Always however remember that "when in doubt, go out." Janet, Adam, and I fore-reached outside Marsh Harbour in the Abacos for three hours waiting for good light, which was more important than state of tide.

Finally, since it came up in a number of questions, think about food preparation and eating well ahead of time. I've been through some nasty stuff but we've never missed more than one meal in the process and even then there was lots of hand-food available.

Provisioning, prep, cooking, and eating at sea is an entirely different subject ...

[Captain Smollett]

Thanks for the discussion, guys.  This is great stuff.

Couple of points:  I hope my list is not taken to mean either

(1) That I think one needs to answer YES to all of those else be labeled "too inexperienced," or

(2) That that list is exhaustive...that's "all it takes."

As I thought of it, it's really just a set of questions to show they kinds of things one can easily get surprised or blind-sided with underway.  I think surprises, especially scary ones, lead to 'tunnel vision' and perhaps unclear thinking. 

I think it's both very dangerous and very easy to get lulled into thinking we are 'better prepared' than we really are, until we have encountered a certain degree of "mishaps" underway.  I think this is the essence of the sea-time requirement for licensing - spend enough time underway to have encountered enough 'problems' to show (even if just to yourself) that you can think on your feet and solve problems.

It bugs me that there is a culture of "lying about seatime" to get the six-pack ticket.  I know people that talk about taking the course, saying "yes" to the sea time questions and getting the ticket, when they clearly DO fall into the "1 year done 20 times" category because they've never pushed their own envelope one single bit.  "Fair weather sailors" don't learn much in terms of what they may encounter "out there."

Some specific thoughts on my thinking behind the questions (where it may not be obvious):

** Have you ever stayed in port due to unfavorable tides?

This one has multiple meanings (to me, at least).  First, yes, I prefer to stay in port than to fight  an adverse tidal current.  But perhaps the more important focus is the attention spent to just knowing what the tides ARE at a given time...the connectedness to the environment.  Too many times, I've mentioned 'looking at the tide chart' to folks and they look at me like I'm speaking Klingon or something. 

I have a similar idea behind the running of the inlets against the tide (or sailing the Gulf Stream).  Much of the conventional wisdom is to 'head for port' if offshore and things get more dicey than one would like.  But running a rough inlet CAN be more dangerous than staying out...either way, if you've never DONE it, and you are just following the online/textbook advice, you may not be making the best decision for you, your boat and your crew.

The point, again, was just to suggest BEING THERE is different than reading about it.  I hope that's clear.

So, while I don't think this list is a "must do" that magically makes one a "proper seaman," I do think TOO MANY "no's" should give one pause.  That MIGHT indicate one has not handled enough real world situations to confidently operate the boat.

Thanks for the thoughts on ways to turn some No's into Yes's.  As easy it is get the experience for most of these, it's a wonder so many don't bother.  You don't really have to put yourself (and crew) in "danger" to get the experience necessary to handle situations that CAN be dangerous.

I learn something EVERY time I leave the shore...whether in the dinghy, the canoe, the Optimist, the Skipper's Mate, the Alberg 30 or any other boat.  It's humbling just how much the sea (or river), or weather, has to teach.  So, while I strive for a bunch of Yes's to these and other questions of experience, I try to tell myself every day that it only takes one No to be the biggie - the one I REALLY needed to know.

[Godot]

While I hardly consider myself to be an exceptionally experienced sailor, I find that I can answer yes to most of these questions.  Part might be that I tend to go out in conditions beyond my comfort zone, just to see what will happen.  I know a lot of sailors who never push their personal envelope, which is their choice.  I make a lot of mistakes, of course; but nothing has killed me yet.  Someday I'll get out of the Bay and then we'll really see...

** Have you ever sailed in the rain, including working at the mast or on the foredeck? Yes.  It sucks to be wet and cold, and there is a certain dread when an ice cold wave of water crashes over me on the foredeck; but in general it isn't all that much different.

** Have you ever sailed at night?  I often sail at night.  In unfamiliar waters?  Here and there.

** Have you ever sailed in fog? Yes, but it wasn't my boat and I wasn't in charge.  I remember being in fog so think on the way to block island that I couldn't see the foredeck from the cockpit.  It made me quite uneasy.

** Have you ever sailed (ie, not dropped all sail and motored) in 25+ knots? The first time I sailed Godot it was better than 25 knots, and I periodically go out in that kind of weather just because.  Have you ever hove-to your boat in 25+ knots? Yup; but more out of a desire to learn how to do it than a genuine need.

** Have you ever stayed in port due to unfavorable tides? I used to sail an engineless little boat out of the Taunton River in Massachusetts.  Tides were very important to understand, even later when I eventually bought an outboard

** Have you ever sailed in unfamiliar waters without a GPS?  Yes.  Got lost, too.

** Have you ever sailed in weather significantly different than the forecast you had when you got underway?  Yes.

** Have you ever had to alter course or immediate plans to avoid a container ship (or similar vessel)? Yes.

** Have you ever engaged in Bridge-to-Bridge communications with a commercial ship (or any other vessel)? No.  I'll admit to being a little radio averse.

** Have you ever been aboard your boat at anchor in a blow greater than say 35 knots?  Yes.  And dragged almost to shore.  Learned a lot about anchoring that day.

** Have you ever emergency anchored due to engine or rig failure, to buy time to make repairs?  Define emergency?  I once anchored when I ran out of gas while moving against the tide when the wind died.  I was only a couple hundred yards from the ramp (small trailerable).  Ended up waiting several hours for the tide to change.  I also once (first sail on Godot) anchored in a rather exposed area of the Chesapeake during unpleasant weather when I just got too tired to think straight after failing to battle into a protected area.

** Have you ever had to sail under a jury rig or contend with any rig failure while underway?  No.

** Have you ever docked or anchored under sail? I anchor all the time under sail.  I used to occasional dock my little Weekender under sail when conditions were favorable.

** Have you ever had to maneuver, under sail, to pick up a Crew Overboard (or other object), even if just for practice?  Plenty of experience picking up lost hats.

** Have you ever dealt with a knock-down or roll over?  Not unless you count a sunfish  ::)

** Have you ever had to receive a tow or give one?  I took a short tow once while sailing my little weekender on a lake after the wind died (no motor).  I didn't need to.  I had oars and would have made it back eventually.

** Have you ever been aground and gotten off by your own efforts (or patience)? Embarrassingly often. :-[

** Have you ever had to contend with the boat taking on water from damage below the waterline?  Yes.  My first (rather eventful) sail on Godot and the bilge pump was  back siphoning. It wasn't life threatening; but when I looked below and saw a significant amount of water in the boat it did get the adrenalin pumping even harder.

** Have you ever run an inlet from seaward at a time other than slack water? No.  With wind and tide opposed? No.

** Have you ever operated your boat sleep deprived (say less than 4 hours of sleep per day over a period of at least 2 days)?  In pilot waters with other vessels and shipping? No and No.  Due to my job I do spend a significant amount of my life in a sleep deprived state, though. I'm well aware of the adverse mental and physical affects that result.

** Have you ever operated your vessel when you have not eaten for more than 16 hours? I've gone that long without a meal; but not without at least snacks.  Cold and wet? Oh, yes.

** Have you ever had to deal with incompetent crew who represented themselves as "good sailors with blue water experience?" Not unless you count me.  A benefit of single handing.

** Has everyone aboard who will stand a watch single handed the boat for a duration of at least one watch cycle? I mostly single hand my own boat.

** Have you ever had to sail an unfamiliar boat, perhaps in an emergency? In adverse weather? Not so much in an emergency; but certainly in bad (meaning uncomfortable, not life threatening) weather .

** Can you operate your vessel long enough to get to safe port with no mechanical propulsion and no electricity? I can probably operate my boat indefinitely without mechanical propulsion or electricity. Are either of these required to keep the boat and crew safe (including well fed)? Not at all.