A Fleet Captain’s Guide

for the Manhattan Sailing Club by Ted Kent Wallace
2009 Season

To the Fleet Captains and Mentors of the Manhattan Sailing Club:

I would like to thank you for contributing your sailing time and effort to the members of the Manhattan Sailing Club. The Fleet Captains of the Manhattan Sailing Club are the main strength of the club because we make the most sailing happen for the most people.

This guide is intended to be a support vehicle for your efforts. I will walk us through a normal sail, suggesting normal procedures with a few comments.

Please feel free to contribute your findings and feelings to the guide and I will see that your comments are added.

Signing Up:

In order to obtain a boat for a Fleet Captain sail all you have to do is e-mail the dockmasters of the club through the club website. You will be asked for date, time, vessel number requested, and the number of people you intend to take out. Fill out the form and send it in. Be sure and check that your registration has been posted.

Some sailors want consistency and take out the same boat every time. I suggest that you try all of the boats in our fleet to better understand the condition of our fleet and to expand your own skills in dealing with the variety of engine and vessel challenges a club owned fleet has to offer.

Getting Out

Try to get there early so you can check out your boat. Your boat and its contents are your responsibility. Note any missing items on your walk through and report them to the dockmaster and on your float plan.

I always check the engine and fuel first. A motor in bad condition is going to be the main reason I wish to change boats. So why rig a boat if you end up changing boats. Start your outboard and watch it run for a few seconds noting rhythm and throttle conditions. Always note the flow condition of your raw water cooling system. You may need to clear the out spout or the intake panels to increase cooling water flow.

Getting Out cont.

Fuel is essential to the operation of your outboard. You must check level and compare it to the wind and water conditions to evaluate whether or not you have enough if the wind dies and you must rely on your motor to get you home under a long motor trip. If you need to refuel your tank please follow the club prescribed method of re-fill. If you are unsure of how to do this consult the dock master.

When your crew arrives assign them tasks in readying the boat to sail. While they perform these tasks you must observe who knows their way around a J 24 and who doesn’t. Start conversations on sailing history and experience with each of your crew in order to get an idea of what they think they know. Watching them rig the jib, tie and run the sheets, rig and then flake the main will give you a better idea of what they really know.

Another tell tale of experience is clothing. Have they come to sail in the proper clothing? Are they outfitted with proper shoes? Do they have a hat? Is their apparel going to restrict movement or capabilities? Do they have gloves? How prepared are they?

You also need to observe the physical condition of your crew. If they have movement impediments or difficulty with balance, you may need to plan to protect them while sailing. If they are nervous and hesitant to participate with the tasks of preparation, they may have other issues you need to understand.

Be sure and give your crew a last chance to take care of any bodily functions prior to departure.

Be sure to check on hydration preparations and options for your crew. Sailing dries out most people and they require adequate water supplies to keep going for more than a couple of hours.

If snacks, or other activities are planned while sailing be sure all items are properly stowed and secured below, and will not become a surprise while getting underway.

After your boat and crew are prepared to depart you need to complete your float plan listing all passengers and attesting to the facts that MSC float plans require.

Be sure to check the weather one more time to make sure of your conditions while sailing. Checking WX channel one on your UHF handheld is required to be safe.

Departing

When all is ready to depart, you need to inform the crew of which task you want them to perform. While assigning duties make sure that they understand what is required and the order in which they are to perform their individual duties.

Many of our members are new to sailing. They want to be here and are willing to do what is required, but they may not understand nautical terms. So, when issuing instructions, be sure to follow any instructions involving nautical terms with laymen terms. For example, follow the words, “starboard side “, with the words “right side”, in order to make sure your crew understands what you need from them.

Departing North Cove marina requires that you hail the dockmasters of the cove and requesting a space in line for departures and arrivals to and from the cove. You must do this through your UHF radio. Always use proper litany and observe radio protocol at all times.

Example: “ North Cove, North Cove, Manhattan Sailing Club boat 5 requesting clearance for departure.” Usually you will get an immediate response clearing you, or asking you to wait for a clearing in the line of other vessels. If you do not get a response try again. If you do not get a response after the third try be sure and visually check traffic to ascertain why you are not being cleared. The dockmasters on duty may be busy with another vessel, or multiple vessels which require on water or hands on conditions in which they cannot drop what they are doing in order to answer your call.

After a visual check of all vessels moving within the marina you may issue a, “Securitae Call”. This call on channel 69 will inform all vessels monitoring channel 69 of your intentions and actions.

Example: “Securitae, Securitae, all vessels monitoring channel 69, be apprised that Manhattan Sailing club boat 5 is departing North Cove Marina.” Then you may proceed with caution while knowing that your departure is the ultimate in defensive maritime motoring.

We always give way to all vessels in the process of entering or departing North Cove Marina. Many of the commercial sailing and dinner cruise vessels are our neighbors in North Cove. You would be wise to understand their schedules, and noting their departures and arrivals. We always give way to all official vessels of the United States Coast Guard, who can be found on channel 16, the New York Police Department, who can be found on channel 17, the New York Fire Department, and the Army Corps of Engineers vessels.

On your way out be sure to assign everyone as lookouts. Encourage the crew to give too much information or visual input to insure positive feedback of the conditions on the Hudson River and the Upper Bay. Ask your crew to note movement of vessels inside and outside the marina walls in order to insure a safe departure.

Be sure to whistle, blow a horn, or make a loud noise to announce and therefore draw attention to your departure.

Be sure to monitor channel 69 for other North Cove traffic during your departure.

On The Water

Okay, here is where reality sets in . . . you have taken out a Fleet Captain Sail of several people, club members of various skill sets who want to have a good experience sailing in the Upper and Lower Bay of the Hudson River’s currents and in conjunction with the Atlantic Ocean’s tides. The safety of your crew and the property of the club are within your control. You are in command and your crew is looking to you for a successful completion of your mutual goals, i.e. to go sailing on a reasonable course and come home safely.

Assignments need to be made for hoisting the main sail and the jib. Choose your most able hands for these tasks. Inform the crew of your own responsibilities first, and then inform them of what they are to do, and how you want them to perform these tasks. Ask for questions among your crew to make sure they understand their responsibilities.

Be sure to follow all nautical terms with laymen terms to insure greater communication and understanding of your crew. Let the crew know your actions and always warn them to have one hand for their self, and one hand on the boat. Let them know when it safe for them to proceed.

While instructing the duties involved in hoisting your sails, be sure in inform everyone aboard of water and wind conditions which will occur during the hoisting process.

Be sure to keep sufficient motor control of your vessel in the case of traffic complications or hoisting complications.

The helmsman steers the boat into the wind while the main sail is hoisted. The crew is directed in the completion of this task and duties are re affirmed for the hoisting of the jib. One of the Skipper’s responsibilities are to stall the motor and stow it for the duration of the sail. We have the main sail to provide wind power for the sail so we do not need the motor. Always take the time to do these items in due process in case of failure or delays in hoisting.

Try to give everyone aboard something to do, and encourage feedback on their tasks. Feeling useful and adding to the mutual experience of sailing is part of the positive value of this experience.

Your Float plan of Sailing the Upper and Lower Hudson Bays

Your float plan is an obligation to the club and your crew conceived and created by your knowledge of wind and water conditions. Both groups will expect you to have the sail planned out for a safe departure, sail time, and return of your vessel to North Cove.

Be sure to inform your crew as to the plan. Please follow this information with the logic of the plan focusing on the return agenda. The end game of your sail should be returning to a safe distance from North Cove, dropping your sails, and motoring back into the Cove.

Returning to North Cove

Okay, you are done with your sail and wish to begin the re-entry process. As commander of your vessel, you need to choose the best option for weather and water conditions for dropping your Jib sail, getting your motor in the water and taking over control of the boat, and finally dropping the Main sail.

Be sure to explain the wind and water conditions which will affect your mutual duties to the crew. You may want to choose a sheltered area to drop sails and motor the rest of the way to North Cove. If you are experiencing strong gusts out of the West you may want to choose the lee of Harbor Place; to the West, in Jersey City to drop sail. If you are experiencing strong gusts from the South you may want to choose the lee of Stuyvesant High School, the northern area between Battery Park City and pier 25, to drop your sails, etc, etc.

Assign the duties of sail drop as to your best understanding of the crew’s capabilities. While your crew is moving into their positions restate their duties with any applicable warnings, such as rolling seas, wind gusts, etc. Always advise crew to keep low to the deck and watch the waters around them.

While the dropping process is happening be sure to observe the wind and the waters around your vessel in order to warn the crew of any incoming effects. You may want to stall the process in order to let a wake pass by, or a gust to ease. Let the crew know your actions and always warn them to have one hand for their self, and one hand on the boat. Let them know when it safe for them to proceed.

At the point that your sails are down and secured, your motor is in the water and propelling the boat within 300 yards of your return, you may hail the dockmaster of North Cove and request entry.

Be sure to assign lookout duties of re-entry. Everyone is a lookout for water traffic.

Be ready to adjust course or abort in the case of un-announced traffic.

Be sure to continually adjust your course to accommodate the current.

Back Again

When you have navigated the entry to North Cove you have the final maritime responsibility of safely docking your vessel. Make the crew aware of their duties and ask if there if is any further need of explanation.

At the point of re-entry I usually throttle down to 20% and take the motor out of gear. This slows the boat and makes the helmsman steer with the rudder alone and provides the condition of, “Slow is Pro”. The motor can be used for a thruster in five and ten second intervals for additional vessel control.

North Cove is not isolated from wind conditions out of the West and the South. While in North Cove you may experience wind push from either of these directions. As Captain, you may need to accommodate these influences while docking.

Docking procedure goes, Spring line first to arrest forward progress, opposite bow line next to pull your vessel square within the slip, and then Stern line and other bow line to finish.

Then, everyone aboard should do a silly little dance to signify their safe return and celebrate the victory of recreational sailing. Cheers and thanks all around should happen while the Captain assigns final duties.

End of Sail

Your Manhattan Sailing Club Vessel needs to be off loaded and safely stowed. The Jib needs to be stripped, folded, and stowed in its own bag. The Main needs to be rolled, tied off, and covered with the club cover.

The Jib needs to be stripped, folded, and stowed in its own bag. We usually lay the Jib out on the dock with the Foot of the Jib in a straight line. Place a sailor on each side and smooth out any wrinkles. We then place one hand about a foot up each edge and then with the other hand we fold the sail over the resting hand and evenly crease the fold along the foot of the sail. We repeat this procedure until the sail is fully and neatly Z flaked. Then We fold the sail forward, being careful not to crease the clear window, and load it into the proper bag. If you have used more than one sail please continue until all sails aboard are properly stowed.

The Main needs to be rolled, starting at the second baton. Place two crew members on the same side of the boom and locate the second baton from the top of the sail. Together roll the sail forward neatly and tightly with no creases. The bolt rope at the forward edge of the sail should roll perfectly in line while the aft edge continues to move forward. When done properly you will notice that every other baton will line up straight with the boom. When the entire sail has been properly rolled, the sail ties should strap it to the boom. And the club Cover applied to properly protect the sail over night.

Jib Sheets should be removed, coiled, and stowed below in the rope locker

Main Sheets should be coiled and hung from the Boom Stirrup.

Engine should be hoisted and tilted out of the water. Tiller should be tied off.

All gear and items specific to your sail should be removed and disposed properly.

All top deck lines need to be flemished, i.e., neatly coiled in their own places.

Always wash down your vessel with fresh water to remove the salt water from your sail. This also gives you a chance to play with the hose and wet down anything else you can get away with, i.e. yourself, other crew members who deserve it, bypassers, etc.

And, always leave the property of the club better than you found it. Please try to add value to our holdings. Always note poor conditions of vessels and report these conditions.

Complete your Float plan with any repair notes and comments which are relevant.

Final Notes

I would like to ask that someone write a piece concerning Fleet Motors. I will do so soon if no one does so, but for now I am “written out”.

I would like to ask someone to write a piece concerning destination sails for the longer float plans that are possible.

Please feel free to contribute your findings and feelings to the guide and I will see that your comments are added.

Neil Kelliher’s comments:

Hey Ted, A few suggestions for your Great American Novel. I'm sure you've already considered most of them:

Crew:

Be early. Boats cast off at the time listed on the reservation. They have to be rigged. That's the crew's job. You need to go potty before you approach the boat, not when it's ready to cast off.

Be prepared to sail (Gloves, shoes, hats, jackets, sun screen, water, etc.)

Be prepared to participate (Steer, rig, de-rig, trim, etc.)

Be sociable. No cliques.

Be respectful of the skipper. He/she's volunteering. Without him/her, you don't sail.

Ask questions so you can learn. There are no dumb questions in sailing.

Skipper:

Be ready to teach.

Be friendly.

Make sure everyone participates to the level they want to.

Share the tiller.

Help crew interact socially.

Always put safety first.

Thanks Neil . - Ted