COMMUNICATION IS KEY
As a newcomer to sailing, I've discovered that effective communication is crucial for ensuring everything runs smoothly. Without proper communication, it can be detrimental to your survival while sailing. Marcus, who learned to sail Hobie Cats on a lake in Idaho and has been sailing them for years, had never raced them before. So, on this particular weekend, we decided to race our friend's Hobie Cat 16 in the Good Times Regatta @ Juana's Pagodas in Navarre, FL. With my lack of experience and his sailing background, we quickly realized on the first day how vital communication is, not just for racing success but also for survival. Unfortunately, our lack of communication led to frustration, stress, shutting down, stalling, and we nearly damaged the boat by hitting a green sign marker. This experience taught us the vital importance of clear communication to prevent problems and accidents. In this situation, it could have been avoided if specific instructions were given, like pulling the right or left rope, instead of just saying "pull the rope." This miscommunication led to stress, anger, shutting down, stalling, and nearly hitting the Pilings. After some silence and finishing last, we discussed what should have been done, which resulted in a smoother and more effective race the following day.
The following day, despite the wild winds, we communicated effectively and worked together to secure 13th place, placing us 16th overall. After the race, we decided to sail to celebrate not finishing last and to practice our skills. However, I didn't sit back far enough, and the wind caused the Hobie to pitchpole. We managed to climb onto one of the pontoons and pull it up out of the water, but the wind flipped it back over. Exhausted and sore, I struggled to help. The safety boat threw us a line, and Marcus successfully tied it off, allowing us to right the boat. Once upright, the wind caught it, and we sped off into the sunset. Marcus got back on the boat, while I held onto the rope tied to the stern, getting pulled through the water—a thrilling but potentially dangerous experience. Eventually, I let go and climbed onto the safety boat, leaving Marcus to handle the boat alone. He safely guided it to the beach and skillfully sailed back to Juanas.
This experience taught me several lessons: First, when pitchpoling, loosen all sails. Second, turn the boat into the wind before righting it to stall. Third, never hold onto the ropes when the boat is upright and speeding across the water, as it's dangerous and can lead to accidents like drowning or ingesting too much water. I realized I should have let go, allowed Marcus to stabilize the boat, and then reboarded once it was safe to do so.
