Sailboat Cruising Secrets - Sailing Tips From a 2000 Year Old Sailor

Are you sure that your small cruising boat has what it takes to handle the unexpected? Do you know the #1 most vital thing you can do to insure your sailing safety--and that of your sailing crew. A young sailor from over 2000 years ago made a single statement that defines what it means for all of us to follow every time we set sail.

Long ago, the master historian Xenophon was walking near the wharves in ancient Greece. He came across a young Phoenician seaman. out on deck of his tiny ship with all the stores, tools, sailing gear, ropes, and blocks strewn about.

Xenophon asked the sailor what he was doing and the young man replied..."I am looking to see whether anything is out of order. There will be no time to look for what is missing or out of place when a storm comes up at sea." A storm on your boat doesn't need to be one of blustery sailing weather...

It could be...

an engine that fails as you enter a marina. Are your sails ready for instant hoisting (and not just a roller-furling headsail--you need the mainsail in case you need to sail upwind to stay clear of dangers in your path).

It could be...

an anchor that drags in the middle of the night. Where's that second anchor you've forgotten about? Still buried in the spare cockpit sail locker beneath piles of sailing gear?

It could be...

your mainsail that needed an inspection a while back. Did you notice the broken stitching near the foot? All of a sudden, it rips across the seam from luff to leech as you're sailing down the channel in a brisk wind.

It could be...

your electronic chart plotter goes on the blink after a power surge when you're threading your way through a shoal infested lagoon. Are your nautical charts pre-plotted with courses, emergency anchorages, and highlighted dangers? (you do carry and use nautical charts, right?)

How can we sailors best prepare ourselves to meet these challenges "...when a storm comes up at sea"?
Sailing seamanship begins at the dock--before you cast off that last line. Just like an airplane pilot, you need to go through a "pre-sail check-sheet" before you go sailing.

Make sure these top 10 are on your check-sheet...

1. Check your engine and its most important components.

2. Conduct a standing and running rigging inspection.

3. Reeve all tack and clew reef-point lines (1st, 2nd, 3rd reef points).

4. Inspect each part of your ground tackle from end to end.

5. Plot courses onto nautical charts. Highlight dangers and major aids.

6. Determine how wind and current will affect your undocking.

7. Know the expected weather forecast for the next 24 hours.

8. Uncover the mainsail, bend on the halyard, loosen all sail ties.

9. Strap on a knife with a lanyard at your waist for instant use.

10. Test your engine in neutral, forward, and reverse gear.

Add these vital elements to your sailing checkoff sheet. This will give you the confidence and peace-of-mind you need to become the true master and commander over your small cruising sailboat.


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