USGG 100-Ton Master Captain Jeff Vegas

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If You Don’t Know the Right-of-Way Rules for Sailing, Here’s How You Can Still Stay Safe.

When you operate a sailboat, just like when you drive a car, it’s important to know who has the right-of-way under different circumstances. There are way more rules than I am going to cover here because this blog is geared toward the casual boater, but I will go through some of the basics, so you can be safe until you learn all of the rules.

First of all, try to remember that reasonably speaking the vessel with the least maneuverability in any situation, pretty much has the right-of-way, and the vessel with the most maneuverability should avoid the other because it can.

A boat being powered by sail almost always has the right of way over a boat being propelled by an engine (including if the boat being propelled by an engine has sails). The logic is simple; wind direction and speed limit how a sail-powered boat can maneuver, and a boat being pushed by a motor does not have those same restrictions. There are a couple of notable exceptions. Really large power boats do not have the same ability to maneuver as smaller power boats. I have sailed many enjoyable hours in San Diego Harbor, where large Naval and commercial ships are a part of every day boating life. Those large ships are not going to be able to alter course or speed in time to avoid a small sailboat, so always stay out of their way.

Photo Credit: Me

If any boat is honking a horn at you, there is a very good chance they don’t believe they can safely avoid you… maybe they are a large ship, or maybe they are similar to your size, but their engine died or their steering is not operating properly. If you hear a horn, instead of yelling at the other boat, assess the situations to see if they may be directing the horn at you, and if so, take evasive action immediately to avoid a collision.

Next, anytime you are overtaking (passing from behind) another boat, the boat overtaking must stay clear of the boat they are passing. Clearly you have (or are using) more power than them, so you should stay a safe distance.

If two powerboats are about to meet in a head-on (or near head-on situation), both boats are required to adjust their coarse to starboard (for you casual boaters who are not clear on these terms yet port and left both have a ‘t’ at the end and are both four letters, so they are the same), however, if two sailboats are about to meet head-on, the boat with the wind coming over her starboard (right) side should not alter course or speed; it is the stand-on vessel and the other boat should give way (making it the give-way vessel). To help you remember this, think “right is right” so that if the wind is on the right side of your sailboat, you have the right-of-way. See this is a case where both vessels theoretically could be evenly matched in maneuverability, so someone had to be the winner, like when two cars arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time.

Your sails sometimes reduce the vision of the person at the helm (wheel or tiller). Keep this in mind as well when determining whether you will give-way or stand-on. It does not change who actually has the right of way, but it could save you from having a problem. If you are operating a sailboat and the boat has blind spots because of sails, make sure you have someone responsible in a location on the boat where they will help you see what might be hiding there and remember that if you are in their blind spot, even if you have the right-of-way, you may need to adjust because they might not see you.

Keep a portable airhorn handy because you, alone, may not be able to avoid a collision, and you may need to alert the other vessel of this.

There may be times when you could barely change course and still feel confident that you will avoid the stand-on vessel, but they may not notice a small course change, so for the comfort of the other skipper and all on board that boat, make a substantial course change; one that makes it obvious to them that you are doing they right thing, so that they can relax and enjoy more of their day out on the water.

Of course, whether in a car or on the water, never insist on the right of way to your detriment. It is everyone’s responsibility to avoid a collision and if there is a collision on the water, the insurance companies usually state that all vessels involved had at least some share of the blame. Plus if the other guy is an idiot, it shouldn’t ruin your whole day (or several weeks waiting for your vessel to be repaired). Finally, I implore you to please really know the rules before you take the helm of any sailboat.
Fair Winds
Captain Jeff Vegas

What are Some of the Best Foods to Take on a Long Sailing Trip of 7-10 Days?

Today I’m packing my duffel bag with toiletries and foulies* to go deliver a 42′ sailboat from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to San Diego, CA. This time of year, that northbound trip is often referred to as the “Baja Bash”, because it can be rough. Once there, we will provision the boat for the trip. We expect to be away from land for 6-7 days between Cabo and Ensenada. I sometimes get asked what kind of foods should go on such a trip, so I thought I would share here.

Firstly, you’ll want to consider the three S’s: storage space, shelf-life, and sustenance. Dried fruits and nuts are a great choice as they’re packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and won’t take up much space. Plus, they last longer than a mermaid’s singing voice.

Speaking of nuts, peanut butter is another great option, as it’s full of protein and healthy fats, and can be used in many dishes from sandwiches to smoothies.

Image by Rigby40 from Pixabay

Next up, canned goods like fruits, veggies, and beans can be your trusty first mate on this journey. They’re easy to store and can be used in many dishes, whether you’re feeling like a hearty stew or a simple bean salad.

Feeling a bit jerky? Beef, turkey, or salmon jerky will give you that protein boost you need to keep you going on those long days at sea. You can snack on them, or even add them to your meals to give them an extra oomph.

Crackers and rice cakes are perfect for when you need a snack that won’t weigh you down. You can use them as a base for toppings or even eat them on their own. And, if anyone is feeling woozy from the waves, these might be the only items they can keep down.

Image by Rigby40 from Pixabay

Now, what about milk? Shelf-stable milk alternatives like soy, almond, or coconut milk are your best bet. They won’t go bad quickly and can be used in cereal or smoothies to keep you energized and ready to take on the waves.

If you’re in the mood for a warm breakfast, instant oatmeal packets are easy to store and prepare. Just add some hot water and you’re good to go.

Pasta and rice are great staples that won’t take up too much room in your pantry. Plus, you can pack various sauce packets or spices to add some flavor to your meals. (Just make sure the spices truly stay dry.)

Don’t forget to pack some fresh fruits and veggies. While they won’t last as long as some of the other items, they’ll provide a much-needed boost of nutrients and variety, at least to your early meals. Just make sure to choose produce that can last a few days without refrigeration, like apples, oranges, carrots, and bell peppers.


Image by ❄️♡💛♡❄️ Julita ❄️♡💛♡❄️ from Pixabay

Last but not least, for everything you buy, consider how you will store the empty packaging until you arrive at a port where you can dispose of it properly. This includes beverages. The stores make it easy for you to get multiple glass and plastic bottles, but, not only is throwing it overboard illegal, it makes you a bad steward of our planet. IMO glass is a bad idea on a boat anyway because one broken glass will find its way into bare feet for years to come, but now I’m on a tangent and I am going to get back on track now. Aluminum cans for soda, etc, will compact nicely, so that’s not a terrible plan, and you can bring a variety of mixes like powdered Gatorade or Mio so that you flavor water a variety of ways.

There you have it, sailors! With these foods on board, you’ll be ready to take on any challenge the sea throws your way. Now I just have 2 questions! Where are you going next and am I invited?

Fair Winds
Captain Jeff Vegas

* Foulies – A slang term for foul-weather clothing worn by sailors.

The Love Language of Sailing

A few days ago I was giving private lessons aboard someone’s brand-new sailboat. Their insurance company required more training for both owners before they would allow them to take it out without a licensed captain. One of the owners, John was there with his girlfriend Susan, and she said to him, “Why don’t you tell Captain Jeff about our love language?”. Of course, my immediate thought was “is this going to be TMI?” (Too Much Information)

Photo by Jonathan Borba

The Problem:

So he started off by telling me that they have been together for about 10 years and they have been sailing together from the beginning. For many years, she would mention potential collisions with something like, “There’s a sailboat off the starboard bow at 1 o’clock” and he would often snap at her with some retort like “I KNOW” or “DO YOU THINK I’M BLIND?”.

This went on for awhile, and not surprisingly, one day he almost collided with another vessel and he snapped at her again “DID YOU SEE THAT BOAT COMING?”. She replied calmly, “yes, I saw it”, and he yelled “WELL THEN, WHY DIDN’T YOU WARN ME ABOUT IT?” and she calmly said, “you’re not blind”. IT was at that moment he realized how his demeanor was not only a poor way to stay safe on his vessel, but it was not helping his relationship either, so he came up with a new plan.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

 

The First Part of the Solution:

Whenever she would point out a buoy, boat or other obstacle he might want to notice, his response would be “Roger that”. If you don’t know, “copy” or “copy that” is a term used in business and military settings to indicate that the speaker has heard and understood the previous statement. “Roger” or “Roger that” is also a term used in business and military settings, but it is supposed to indicate that the speaker agrees with the previous statement.

The semantics aren’t important, what is important is that since implementing their new communication protocol, not only are they safer, but sailing has returned to the wonderful experience it always had been, and they say their relationship is stronger than ever, because it is not strained when they are relaxing while sailing. After realizing how it changed the dynamic of their relationship while sailing, they dubbed it their “love language of sailing”.

The Second Part of the Solution:

Then they decided to take their “love language” one step further. They bought walkie-talkie headsets to use when they are too far to speak to each other without yelling. Let’s say they are trying to dock; she is on the bow and he is at the helm; the only way to communicate without the headsets is to yell. They decided that there is no nice way to yell. Even if you are trying to be helpful, but the other person is so far away they can’t hear your normal volume, the yelling could be misconstrued, so now they talk calmly into their headsets, at a normal voice, and their relationship is not strained during that process.

Image by AllClear55

If you have read my statement on the home page with the heading “You’ve heard the term ‘salty’ as it refers to someone’s demeanor, right?” then you know that their old way of being is something I experience all too often with skippers and I have never liked it. When I am at the helm of a boat, I share with everyone on board, “unlike many skippers, I will never get upset if you point out an obstacle of any sort that you think there is any chance I have not seen. I would rather have you tell me about something I already saw, than have you assume I didn’t see it”, and I have always replied with two words as well, “thank you”.

The Truth

Accidents happen on the water for all kinds of reasons, and too often, it boils down to the skipper did not see the obstacle early enough to avoid it. If you’re the salty skipper that yells at people who are trying to keep you and your vessel out of harm’s way, I suggest you adopt the “love language of sailing”.
Roger that?

Fair Winds
Captain Jeff Vegas

You Thought That Hole Was for Your Finger?

You’re about to check your oil and coolant levels before you fire up your engine for the day’s voyage because you always do that (you do always do that, right… during your pre-departure checks?). You slide the small latches to the unlocked position, and there is a little swinging door, sort of a teardrop, that covers the hole that you put your finger in to take to engine cover off. You put your finger in there and pull the cover off and set it aside. That was so smart of them to put that hole there, it makes it easy to get the cover off… but why is that swinging door over the hole?

That hole was not put there for your finger, it was put there for the fire extinguisher. Mind blown? Mine was when I first learned about it several years ago and I recently was reminded how many people don’t know it’s safe purpose. It’s rather simple actually… as you know, adding oxygen to a fire feeds that fire, and you never want to feed a fire on board your vessel, so if your engine compartment is on fire, take the extinguisher nozzle and put it in that hole and discharge it into the engine compartment. It’s much safer than taking the door off… and now you know!
Fair Winds
Captain Jeff Vegas

 

After I posted this to my blog, it told me there were not enough words to be relevant to the search engines. Is it cheesy for me to add these extra words just to get to a word count over 300?
Probably, but why does a good idea have to have a minimum number of words to be worth finding? Confucius didn’t use a lot of words, so why should I? Alright, this is 301 words exactly.

40 Conversation Starters for Any Voyage, Short or Long.

I love sailing with people that I have just met, and, of course, I want them to have a great experience and I, selfishly, also want to have a great experience.

Sometimes there are lulls in the conversation, and if you want to get a nice small group to chat, here are (I think) some great questions to ask… starting with the one I ask almost everyone who boards a boat with me:
What is your favorite boat name, and why? (for clarity, this is not necessarily the name of a boat you own) Boat names seem to have some important meaning to their owners and almost always have a nautical theme, so I ask my passengers to come up with the name that they want to bestow on a boat… it tells me something about their personality. I also always give them one boat name I really like. For example, I spent many years as a real estate agent, and when I set out with 2 of my real estate agent friends to buy a boat, we discussed calling it Reeltor (Realtor, but like a fishing reel)

Here are a few others:

  • Tell me about your best day on the water.
  • If you could have a superhero or cartoon caracter for a best friend, who would it be?
  • If you could have any real animal as a pet (so not a unicorn or bigfoot), which would you choose and why?
  • Where is one place you’d love to travel to again?
  • What’s your favorite comfort food?
  • What was the best meal you ever enjoyed?
  • What do you love most about your home?
  • What gives you goosebumps?
  • Tell me about your childhood best friend.

  • What’s one habit you want to improve on, one habit you want to get rid of, and one habit you want to keep “as-is”?
  • If you were to sing a duet with a famous singer, living or dead, who would it be and why?
  • Who do you most admire, living or dead?
  • What was the first big ticket item you pruchased as an adult?
  • Have you kept any meaningful memorabilia from when you were a kid?
  • What instrument that you don’t play, do you most wish you did?
  • If you could travel back in time, specifically to your life, when would you go back to and why?
  • What is the compliment you hear most often?
  • What’s your earliest memory?
  • What are some of your best memories about your parents or whoever raised you?
  • What is something you have accomplished so far that your younger self would be very proud of?
  • What did you like most about school? (and don’t say nothing… even if you did not like school much, there was something you liked)
  • What superpower do you wish you had?

  • What superpower do you have? (your best real trait, like negotiating or ??)
  • What accomplishments are you most proud of?
  • What is the best thing about your house?
  • What do you want to be when you grow up?
  • If you could live in any other country for 1 year (money is no object), where would you go?
  • What’s one of your favorite memories from your childhood?
  • What was your favorite subject in school? Which characteristics are you happy that you inherited from your parents?
  • What food reminds you most of home?
  • What about the state of our current planet would be most surprising to your younger self?
  • What was your very first job?
  • What’s one act of kindness you experienced today?
  • What do you do for enjoyment?
  • Do you prefer being around other people or spending time alone?
  • If you had a whole day to yourself, what would it look like, what would you do, and where would you go?
  • Who do people tell you you look like?
  • Do you collect anything?
  • What’s one thing your loved ones would be surprised to learn about you?

If that does not spark some interesting conversations, please find people who are alive LOL.

Image by rawpixel.com

Fair Winds
Captain Jeff Vegas