Lessons Learned for Advanced Sailors

Let’s go sail the York River where couples enjoy a serene 3 hours. Take one of 6 sailing adventures near the Chesapeake Bay for your best vacation excursion: Adventure, Event, Appreciation, History, Lessons, Boat Buying. Sit in the catbird seat or up on the bow.

People ask, “Can you repair the boat yourself?” Out of necessity, you have to. Over the course of decades, Let’s Go Sail has owned six sailboats to navigate the waters of the James River, York River, Mobjack Bay and Chesapeake Bay. Many wonderful days have been aggravated by just a few days of minor problems. For those buying a sailboat or otherwise getting into the sport seriously, one humbly offers Lessons Learned to become advanced DIY sailors.

The best Williamsburg boat tour offers safe “social distance sailing” daily for up to 6 people. It’s an extraordinary experience for couples. Leave your worries behind. Enjoy the thrill of moving with the wind without a care in the world. Put life back on an even keel with a romantic experience for a birthday or anniversary. 3-hour sailboat cruise as a semi-private yachting charter lets you exhale and relax as you enjoy comfort, stability & speed.

ENGINE

1. Avoid buying a boat with a gasoline engine. They are obsolete and dangerous because fumes sink to the bilge and can explode. Stick with diesel.

2. Run diesels at 85% of the RPM capacity to keep the mixing elbow clear. Diesels are built to run hot, so don’t baby it. Find the sweet spot for the RPM and you’ll hear it singing.

3. When choking the engine off after raising the sails, be sure to push the kill choke back down. Otherwise it won’t start later and you’ll wonder what’s wrong with the engine.

4. Check the oil level monthly while cold. Diesels burn oil, it’s fine.

5. Newer and bigger diesels (2010/36 feet) have glow plugs to help start a cold engine. Older diesels are hard to start cold. When the air temperature is under 50, use a hairdryer to warm up the engine. Tuck it underneath, in front of the transmission for 2o minutes. This is the best advice you will ever get.

6. At the fuel dock, don’t fill gasoline into the diesel tank. Think. Someone at our marina makes this mistake every year. One year it was a US Navy patrol boat.

7. Don’t overfill the fuel tank as it makes an environmental mess.

8. Develop a list of First of Month preventative maintenance steps.

9. Carry box of spare parts for the engine, and the rigging as well.

10. Develop a troubleshooting list for the engine overheating. After checking the easy stuff of raw water intake and impeller, remove the exhaust hose and look up the snout of the heat exchange using a small dental mirror. If clogged, replace the heat exchanger. Finally, check the cooling rods for clogging (see video above).

PROP

1. Don’t go in reverse while dragging the dinghy. You’ll foul the line, even if it’s polypropelene that floats.

2. Secure other lines on board so they don’t slip into the water and foul the prop. Tie off ends with stop knots. Remember: Murphy was a mariner.

3. Apply barnacle barrier paint exclusively designed for props. Apply primer immediately after wire-brushing the blades clean.

4. Check stuffing box for leaks. Replace stuffing while on the hards.

5. Hire a diver to clean the prop (and hull) monthly or quarterly. As few as a half-dozen barnacles can throw the prop off-kilter and make the engine blow black smoke.

CLEANING 

1. The ammonia in Windex crazes smoked plastic windows. Don’t use it.

2. Discourage guests with black soles from moving around.

3. Wash blood off the deck quickly, to avoid staining. Red wine too.

4. 409 works well on fiberglass, but first wax it.

5. Woody Wax works best on non-skid surfaces for protection.

6. Old or worn fiberglass requires compounding first to get the chalky surface out. Then apply wax. See video below.

HEAD 

1. Re-pipe to a gallon jug to flush with fresh water because seawater cooks in the lines during the week and smells awful.

2. Wrap aluminum foil around suspect hoses to smell if they’re permeating waste. Wait a few days to remove and sniff.

3. Post a note to crew on what can and cannot go down the toilet. In short, nothing other than what went through you.

4. Use standard blue disinfectant by dropping 3 oz. before departing.

ELECTRICAL 

1. Open the interior panel to look for a build-up of corrosion. Clean off white residue completely. This is how electrical fires start.

2. Tighten screws inside the panel to prevent arcing and corrosion. They occasionally get loose from the boat bouncing around on the water.

3. Check both ends of the shore cord as tight, without corrosion. This is a leading source of boat fires.

4. Shut down DC & AC before leaving.

5. Unplug shore power cord before leaving the dock. 

6. Recharge overnight once a week, moreso in winter.

DOCKING 

1. Look at nearby boats to observe proper ties and lengths in the slip.

2. Resist the idea of guests fending off the piers. That’s how they fall in the water.

3. Learn to back into a slip, in case of an emergency. It’s good practice and good discipline.

4. Learn the “waterman’s wrap” to back in from a windy right angle.

5. When docking, attach the spring line first so you don’t crash.

6. Never let anyone jump off while boat is still moving.

7. Don’t drape the dock lines over the life lines.

SAFETY 

1. Never walk backward on dock while holding the hose. 

2. Remove all car keys, cell phones and jewelry to the cabin.

3. Don’t let the crew lean against the lifelines.

4. Teach the Collision Course to avoid side-slipping toward buoys.

5. Never grab a mooring ball pennant by hand. Use a boathook, which is easier to replace if yanked than an arm.

6. Practice MOB drill by tossing a cushion for hove-to.

7. Learn the classic Figure 8 rescue of MOB.

8. Cut excess length off lines to reduce the danger of tripping.

9. When practical, pass port-to-port and hold your course.

10. Raise tugboats on Channel 13 to report your heading. They appreciate it.

11. When sailing solo, always wear a PFD and harness/tether.

12. Regularly test the batteries of hand-held electronics.

13. Beware POOF! when lighting propane stove or grill.

14. Do not drive a boat drunk, or let anyone else.

15. Don’t fall asleep while on autopilot.

16. Learn to pull the thru-hulls quickly, without sinking the boat.

17. Don’t go out in the fog. It’s for professionals only.

18. Don’t pee over the side, but leeward if you must.

SAIL PLAN 

1. Strive for Close Reach 90% of the time. It’s faster.

2. In the event of gust, turn quickly to Beam Reach. It’s safer.

3. Reef early. If it’s already windy, reef at the dock. It’s easier.

4. Preset both spinnaker sheets and the tack line for quick access. It’s more efficient.

5. Scrub slime from the bottom every month to restore hull speed. If you can’t afford a diver, use a raft to scrb 18 inches down from the waterline.

PROTOCOL

1. Record the names of boat and owners of folks you meet. Dogs too.

2. Wave politely to all neighbors and passing boats.

3. Don’t hand an air horn to drunk-wannabe-funny guy. Or the helm.

4. Don’t stare at bikini girls who are in view of your wife.

5. Always thank the crew for a job well done. 

COMFORT

1. Use camping mattresses for sleeping. They’re better for your back.

2. Have plenty of water on board to keep the crew hydrated.

3. When in doubt, buy a bigger and newer sailboat.

SEASICK 

1. As a precaution, ask guests if they want ginger gum or therapeutic wrist bands.

2. Avoid greasy foods and alcohol before sailing.

3. Take ginger snap cookies and real ginger ale, not soda pop.

4. Keep your eye on the horizon, which remains steady and will balance your interior gyroscope.

5. Keep everyone up on deck and away from the salon. Have a vomit bag handy just in case. Encourage hurling over the low side, so the acids don’t mar the waxed finish.

Advanced Boater

Every now and then a motorboat devotee gets religion and comes over to the other side. “I’ve had seven or eight boats over the years,” said John Rager of Maidens VA, “but sailing seems like a real challenge.” I put him on the helm and later sent him a link to rent sailboats in Deltaville and Annapolis.

“I worked at two marinas growing up, one wet and one dry. The dry marina was inland away from water, where we did extensive repairs and fiberglass. I learned how to lay up and just recently repaired a jet ski that was burned in a marina fire. The first marina where I worked, the guy interviewed eight people and hired them all to see who showed up the next day. Just me and another guy showed up. He worked us 12 hours a day. The job interview consisted of tying a bowline know behind my back while running down the dock to throw the line to an incoming boat.”

John has seen his share of mishaps. “It was fun to watch people launch their boats on a ramp. The best was a guy who set the boat in with the trailer still attached. Once he realized that the trailer was supposed to stay on land, they fired up the boat and drove it forward up the ramp until he could reattach the tongue. 

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Find happiness and health outdoors near Williamsburg with exciting fun on an anniversary or birthday. Great memories! Learn navigation to become a sailor. See birds, dolphins, maybe a Navy submarine. Bring your dog too.

 

Let’s Go on a Romantic Sail. Sit up on the bow for privacy. First-timers or skilled mariners can learn to sail fast on a cruise Near Williamsburg VA. They get to sail a modern 32-foot sailboat in a unique setting of wildlife and Spring foliage. Professional photos for free. Enjoy a romantic getaway. Sail the warm breezes of Spring and Summer. A unique and intriguing event, as well as an extraordinary anniversary idea. Take one of 6 sailing adventures near the Chesapeake Bay for your best vacation excursion: Adventure, Event, Appreciation, History, Lessons, Boat Buying. Sit in the catbird seat or up on the bow.

The best Williamsburg boat tour offers safe sailing daily for up to 6 people. It’s an extraordinary experience for couples. Leave your worries behind. Enjoy the thrill of moving with the wind without a care in the world. Put life back on an even keel with a romantic experience for a birthday or anniversary. 3-hour sailboat cruise as a semi-private yachting charter lets you exhale and relax as you enjoy comfort, stability and speed.

Ideal for Couples

Our York River sailboat tour offers an unforgettable boat adventure that is ideal for couples. Choose from five unique sailing charters: Adventure, Lessons, History, Boat Buying, Real Estate. We provide sailing for everyone. Couples enjoy the romance, and families enjoy the adventure. See openings at williamsburgchartersails.com under Book A Cruise.

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