Well-prepared boats have dealt with half the battle when it comes to emergencies and challenges at sea. But beyond the boat and equipment, the mindset, experience and knowledge of skipper and crew play a huge part in making a successful outcome from a potential disaster.
So what makes a good bar story out of a bad situation? What problems and challenges are we likely to face on the picture-perfect voyage and what does it take to cope and succeed?
The trick with both planning for and dealing with problems at sea is to prioritize. Incidents such as fi re, fl ooding and man overboard are fortunately rare if they have been considered. It is the problems more likely to occur that also need careful consideration.”.
Below are some of the problems well-prepared boats on a bluewater ocean crossing may encounter, based on incidents reported on the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) between 2017 and 2019. Rig, steering and equipment issues are among the most noteworthy.
STEERING AND RUDDER PROBLEMS
These can be some of the most challenging issues and often happen without much warning. Downwind sailing in the trades can put huge strains on steering systems, especially during squalls or in acceleration zones, and particularly if a heavily laden yacht rounds up and broaches. The good news is that most of the potential problems can be prevented with checks, regular maintenance and a decent set of spares.
Choose wisely a system that will stand up to the miles, be easy to maintain, replace and check. I have appreciated yachts on which there was good access to steering systems and space to carry out repairs without dangling through a cockpit locker like a lemur. My bluewater choice (OK, wishlist!) would feature a system of solid rods linked through a gearbox although I have done most of my bluewater miles with the traditional cable and quadrant type systems. Sometimes it’s better the devil you know, so long as the system is robust.
A cable steering system spares list would include a big bag of bulldog clamps, spare cables and/or Spectra backup, head torch and prop-up lamp, steering lubricants, double sets of spanners/sockets, and old toothbrushes for cleaning.
Consider whether your overall steering system has sufficient redundancy and how it interacts with your autopilots, which can operate off various parts of the system. A more costly but good arrangement for longdistance or round the world voyaging is to have two separate and switchable linear drive systems to the quadrant so that one can take over immediately if the other fails.
Typically, a handful of boats each year report steering problems during the ARC. This can be quite dramatic. Depending on your autopilot set-up and the failure, the autopilot may be able to keep control of the steering. If not, then you need to use an emergency tiller. While it can be used to steer the boat they’re only intended for short-term use to hold the rudder steady as you carry out repairs, sparing your fingers or worse.
On one occasion while using an emergency tiller to steer mid-ocean, the roll of the boat sent me flying, tiller in hand, across the back of the cockpit. I quickly secured a lanyard to the tiller and would encourage a crew to attach a lanyard in advance.
See the column (right) for some examples of emergency tillers and how they have been adapted.
RUDDER DAMAGE
Collisions with underwater objects can cause serious rudder problems and are more common than being holed. Hitting sizeable flotsam and jetsam is the kind of thing that keeps sailors awake at night but it is actually a relatively rare occurrence — though on my last transatlantic, I encountered a floating fridge freezer.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
Albatross Mission
Skip Novak’s final adventure on pelagic Australis was a mission to save the Albatross
The J Way
This fast, but civilised, cruiser has a timeless appeal that will resonate with J/boats’ many long standing devotees
To the Edge
Taking a luxury cruiser to the margins of arctic ice, photographer Mike Jones experienced true wilderness sailing
The Wall of Sharks
Joshua Shankle explores French Polynesia’s ‘dangerous archipelago’ above and below the surface
5 Expert Tips
Shirley Robertson on offshore preparation
Atlantic Divide
This year’s Atlantic Rally for Cruisers proved a reminder that no ocean crossing is ever straightforward. Rachael Sprot and Helen Fretter report
Remaking of a Classic
Crosbie Lorimer reports on a dramatic Rolex Sydney Hobart race
Special Report: Helen Fretter on Sailing With Young Children
Would you take your preschooler cruising? Or are toddlers and yachts a recipe for stress, sleep deprivation and restricted sailing?
Taken by the Wind
Memoirs of a 1970s Pacific voyage reveals a time when sailors had to rely on their own pilotage skills for safe passage
Taking on Big Weather
Heavy weather is not always avoidable. Andy Schell has expert advice on how to prepare for and handle the big stuff
Be a Constant Learner
Sheila Stanley spent years as a schoolteacher. Now she runs a boating franchise. What do the two have in common? A love of learning.
Evaluating Modern Catamarans
A multihull voyager examines the of key elements offshore cruising cats.
The Art Of Becoming Fishermen
A voyaging couple's halting efforts learning to gather food from the sea.
Surveying Boat Security
Important considerations to keep in mind when comparing security systems
All-Electric Tugs And Pilot Boats: Are They Ready For Prime Time?
There are electric ferries and tour boats, along with proposals for fully electric containerships, bunker tankers, and barges. But how will all-electric vessels measure up to the extreme power demands of harbor tugs, or the distance and speed requirements of pilot boats?
Enabling Your Boat To Talk
A concerned seller who could not attend the survey and sea trial of his trawler called me, his voice laden with concern: “Jeff, I keep getting text messages that the bilge pump is going off. Are you guys sinking?”
Benefits Of A Pilothouse Boat
A Very good choice for multiyear circumnavigation
Like The Odyssey, But For Drones
A startup’s robot sailboat just returned from Antarctica with some troubling climate clues.
Trout Fishing Tips From An Expert
When trout are feeding happily, you can catch a few or a boatload. Here's how to have an epic day
The Yacht Guide
The yacht space is getting bigger and better with time and with waterways being a safer way of commute amidst the pandemic, here’s a list of what is new for you or what has been updated or what a totally new segment has to offer.