In the "Sailors confess" series, we confess our stupidest sailing mistakes. But we are also looking forward to your confession. Send us your text, if possible with pictures, to mail@yacht.dekeyword "sailor's confession". If desired, publication will be anonymised.
Lucky as a sailor
I'm not a sailor, just a co-sailor and usually drive a motorboat. However, as a guest on my neighbour's sailing boat, I have also experienced the odd stressful situation. For example, we ran aground together on the tidal part of the Rio Guadiana or had problems with the diesel during a transfer trip on the Kiel Canal. Fortunately, we survived everything well and didn't cause any real damage. It was a different story on a few test voyages ...
Expensive technology does not float
No motorboat test is complete without taking measurements, including fuel consumption. If this is not displayed via the engine's own instrument, we use our Flowtronic device, which consists of a transducer and computer (display unit). Normally, everything is housed in a case so that it can be easily carried on and off board. Normally...
"Give me the things quickly, I'll pack them up on land," my test colleague says to me. How nice of him! I want to hand him the computer, slam my arm against the railing, the good piece of electronics just about falls onto the jetty, but then decides to head for the harbour basin. At least it stays close to the shore and can be salvaged, but I have to pay 1,000 euros to resuscitate it. At least I've given my boss a running joke. Before every trip, he now says: "... but don't break anything expensive".
There are tonnes for a reason
We often go to the Rhine for testing. A few years ago, I drove a fast, open sports boat there and wanted to present it in the best possible light for the photographer. So I travelled up and down the Rhine at high speed. Afterwards, I test drive the boat and then it happens: suddenly there's a bang on the drive and the boat brakes on its own.
In a panic, I pull the throttle lever to neutral, take a deep breath... and push the lever forwards again. The boat moves slowly forwards, but with more throttle the speed barely increases. I chug towards the slipway. When the boat is on the trailer on land, the mishap is visible: I have "clipped" the propeller's blades and touched the spur a little. With a grin, I am asked whether I paid attention to the buoys, as some of the groynes protrude far into the river. Then I realise: I probably didn't quite stick to the buoy line during my test run...
