If you're out single-handed, wear a life jacket. If you fall in, there's no-one to come back for you and all you'll see is your boat, sailing away, without you. Your mainsheet is still coiled up and tied to the boom. You should have unflaked that before ever hoisting the sail. On the beat, keep the boom as close to the centre-line as possible, and when reefing, go head-to-wind. You won't be able to do that with the mainsheet cleated off, and worse, tied to the boom. It is keeping the power on. On a reach, if the heeling makes you nervous, sheet out. In terms of reefing, the general guideline is that you reef when the thought first crosses your mind. In other words, if you're thinking "should I put a reef in", then the answer is yes. That didn't look like a storm to me. It was a squall. You'll get lots of those, and well done for spotting it. Strong winds to begin with, then heavy rain or sleet, another dose of wind, and then all quiet. Another thing, put all the unused fenders and lines down below. Try to keep the cockpit clear. As others have said, take a course. You'll be a lot more confident in conditions like that, if you've done it a few times with an instructor.
Hi! Thanks for the tips. I'll keep them in mind when I start sailing this season. I'll certainly get a lifejacket and/or harness before going much further offshore too.
S'funny having grown up around sailing boats I still find it extraordinary that people buy a boat and just go out without a clue. Anyway its a yr old so hes hopefully still alive and has figured it all by now.
The mainsheet is coiled, hence you couldn't let the main out further that would have taken the wind out of the sail. You need to go on a RYA course, competent crew or dayskipper. It also looks like you have a booom roller reefing claw attached to the boom, in the wrong place so there are no reefing points as you should be rolling the boom. Mate you need to understand how your boat is equipped before you go out alone. Join the local sailing club and crew for other skippers and ask them to come out on your boat. Think safety! Where's your topping lift?
Something happened to the topping lift when the boat was launched. It was attached when she was on the hard and then next I see the topping lift detached from the mast and trailing in the water. I don't see how I can re attach it without climbing the mast. Doesn't seem to matter too much though as the boom can just rest on the spray hood. The previous owner has disabled the roller reefing by putting a screw in the mast where the attachments would come out of the groove as the sail wrapped around the boom. Shouldn't be too difficult to fix. I'm guessing he did it to save this job and make raising the sail easier. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MGRn9vFzo-o.html I have a much better idea now. I've got lots on good feedback both on here and elsewhere. I actually went out on the three days following the day I filmed this. I've been reading up on things that I realised I didn't know too. Should be a new, less dramatic video coming in about a weeks time.
Hope you are still sailing. The way I learnt how to sail. Sail further than most now. Going back to Achilles 24 after 35 years of sailing various craft.
A24 are amazing boats. You mentioned learning the basics, you really need to go out and crew with experienced sailors or bring one with you. Why not ask In your local club? You will learn so much faster and the easy ways of doing things. Stuff like if you want to drop your main, release the main sheet right out as you turn into the wind, sail flaps and drop halyard. The sail then should easily come down. If the boat starts turning off the wind, a small bit of engine power just to hold you in.
the Achiles 24 is a great boat frankly you will give in before she ,keep the mainsheet to hand and ready to release your mainsheet should be attached to the traveller and your boat hat roller reefing round boom there is a strong owners forum may be worth meeting someone local for set up advice
The Achilles certainly has a great reputation! She does have roller reefing. The previous owner disabled it I assume to make raising the sail easier. I'll certainly have more control over the mainsheet next time I'm out, ready to release if I find myself in that type of situation again.
