Why Do They Do It?

[JennyMorgan]

A few years ago a motor cruiser was stuck in a reed bed at Oulton Broad. Nothing unusual in that, far from it infact, but this one called upon a mere sailing boat for help! Well, no one else was available but me. What made me laugh was that the lady onboard turned to the man and demanded to know why that Drascombe, mine, could sail so well and their's couldn't. I don't know the answer to that one but it made me smile to think that had become the issue rather than why who ever was steering had gone into the reeds. Anyway, I picked their line up, joined it to my anchor warp and sailed across to a nearby quay heading where I tied up. Using my anchor winch I pulled the stern of the boat round so she was at right angles to the bank. Got the crew to rock her and eventually she slid out of the reeds, easy! Nice thing about the Broads, most people are happy to help. after all it can happen to anyone of us, even me! 

[Mowjo]

Depending on the Reed bed it dosn't actualy take a lot of speed to get that far up the bank, don't judge them just yet it may simply be their steering went, it happened to me many years ago in a 25ft Seamaster doing 4mph and all that was showing of my boat was the last three foot of the stern, and it was pretty scary as I was new to boating, if it proves to be an error on their part then then back to normal and we can all laugh at them,,

[Gretzky]

Guess thats one way to see over the reeds!

 

[BrundallNavy]

That reminded me of an incident that happened many years ago when I worked at. Herbert Woods.

A sailing yacht had just come through the bridge and after raising the mast and sails set of towards Thurne. After 3 or 4 tacks he had made no progress up river, the Sailing section Foreman who was watching called out " Excuse me sir, if you ease the maim and tighten the Jib it will sail up there a treat." After about 3 or 4 more tacks the foreman repeated his message but still no response from the yacht.  The Foreman then shout "Oi Sir if you ease the main and tighten the jib she will sail up there a treat", this time it sparked the reply " who's sailing this yacht" to which the foreman replied " Neither of us at the moment, if you ease your main and tighten the jib she will sail up there a treat" 

We had a right chuckle at that one.

Doug.

[JennyMorgan]

Doug, perhaps the bloke didn't know what a main was nor how one should ease one, simple terms that we take for granted.

For some strange and inexplicable reason your posting reminds me of a paragraph in the Art of Coarse Sailing where a boat was sailing with a free wind and the wife calls out to hubby, 'but darling, we tacked up here last year'. I often wonder if my father related that, and other stores, to the writer, unless it's a regular occurrence.