Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

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Part 2: The Basics of Operation
All Aboard!
Getting aboard the boat is usually pretty straightforward, but it’s not quite as simple as
stepping into your car. There is a delicate moment when going aboard that invites disaster.
Getting into a small boat requires a positive but not hurried motion. He who hesitates
with one foot on the bank and one in the boat is assuredly lost—the boat moves seaward
due to the push from the foot, and the boarder falls between boat and dock. I know this
to be true because I have done it in moments of inattention, several times. Avoid doing as
I have done, and do as I say.
With a small boat, step as nearly amidships as possible, near the center rather than on the
gunnels. Stepping on the gunnels of small, light boats leads to rather spectacular reverse
flips. You may earn a 9.9 from the judges, but you won’t be happy.
A small sailboat with no keel—known as a dinghy—operates on the same principle. Step
in the center of the boat (don’t hesitate!) and keep your weight low. On a larger sailboat
with a keel, while it’s more stable, you may have to step over cables strung along the topsides.
These are called “lifelines” and while they’re designed to keep you on the boat
when it’s underway, they can be tricky to step over. The best way to board a sailboat with
lifelines is to step up onto the edge of the boat while
Boat Bytes
Tired of hearing kids complain
about those life jackets?
They won’t complain if
they see all the grownups
wearing them, too. You
may not like it either, but it’s not
nearly as bad as a whiney kid.
Look Out!
Particularly early in the
morning, all walking surfaces
aboard a boat are likely to be
covered with dew. Be very cautious
when stepping onto a wet
surface—it can be as slippery as
ice.
hanging on to part of the rig, and then step over the lifelines,
one foot at time.
Small children often find it easier to duck under the lifelines
as they climb aboard, especially if the boat is tied so
that it is very close to the dock. It is often worth adjusting
the dock lines to make this possible. Apprehensive
kids will have a lot more confidence from the start if
they can climb on and off the boat by themselves.
But be very attentive to children on the dock. Once
underway, it is very unlikely that anyone will fall overboard
without being noticed, and if a small child goes in,
a parent is almost guaranteed to follow within a fraction
of a second. But on the dock, it’s very easy for children
to run out of sight, and if they fall in, it could be a while
before anyone realizes that they are missing. For this
reason it is very important for kids to wear PFDs (personal
flotation devices) from the first moment they set
foot on the dock. If the life jackets are stored on the
boat, keep a very, very careful watch on the kids until
they have their flotation gear properly fitted.