Difference between revisions of "Powerboats"

Latest revision as of 17:51, 20 August 2010

During the Sunday and Wednesday classes, volunteers operate Pavilion powerboats to help out new sailors. Here are some guidlines for new powerboat operators.

• It's good practice to always have two volunteers per motorboat so one can help and the other can control the boat.

• ALWAYS KILL THE ENGINE when around people in the water. It is so easy to leave the boat in gear and not realize. Off is the only way to ensure the prop is not spinning.

• When it comes to the Charles River Yacht Club, it is much better to use the motorboat to physically move boats away from that area than to shout instructions to beginner sailors on how to maneuver themselves away. 60-70% of the time, a new sailor does the exact opposite anyway, so coming up on the leeward side of the Tech and just pushing them onto the other tack with the motorboat is fine, especially because damage done between our boats is better than damage between ours and other people's. Grab the painter and tow them off right away.

• If a mark gets wrapped on a prop, turn the key off before unwrapping the line. If the key is on, the engine could engage when the prop is spun.

• Always leave one skiff with the dock staff so they can come out to assist if necessary.

• If the engine won't go into neutral, head back to the dock as slow as you can go, and use the key or the kill switch to cut the engine and coast in.

• When giving advice, I like to come up behind the Tech and follow them. This way you are close to them and can talk to them, but they aren't going to turn into you. The bad side is they like to tur around to listen to you, instead of looking where they are going.

• Be careful of accidental jibes when moving Techs around.

• If they run aground, don't bring the powerboat too close, because it might run aground too. Throw them a line, have them tie it to the boat, and then reverse out.