Safety mods to Karima
Onboard caution is vital following last July’s regatta injury and hard-fought recovery
That first, wonderful run under motor to the end of the voe took till past mid-February to achieve – six months past the accident that put me, temporarily, in a wheelchair. It was a still day, with almost-warm sunshine. By now I was walking along the pontoon self, as my grandson used to say, and swinging on board the boat as if my pelvis had never heard of breaks. Philip. my non-sailing spouse (NSS), was coming too, as supervisor, and was already showing NSS credentials: “When you say ‘Just to the end of the voe’, exactly what counts as the voe end?” He also vetoed my traditional end-of-voe hot chocolate: “Let’s just get out and back.”
The engine started first time; I steered us beautifully out of the marina, and we headed out. It felt fantastic. Being back on the water–feeling my tiller in my hand, and my own boat under my feet, and seeing her prow in front. I wouldn’t have called the king my cousin.
Now the sailing season’s here, it’s time to take an honest assessment of what state I’m in. Between swimming, physio and arm strengthening (I’ve been carrying a 5lb weight round the house, including every time I go up or down the stairs), I’m probably fitter than I would have been otherwise. To counteract that, the breaks in my upper pelvis have mended with ‘fibrous tissue’ joins which complain at the added weight, like carrying a sailbag along the pontoon (done now). One hip is higher than the other, so when I’m walking I take an involuntary wander to the left now and then. I’m concerned about my balance on board, and what I definitely can’t do is move quickly.
Hoisting the main at sea is worrying me most. It’s mast-hauling, and Karima needs to be absolutely nose to wind for the main to go upwards, though with a good skoosh of silicone spray at the start of the season it rattles up fast and easily, with the winch only needed for the final tightening. Given the wind strengths I’ll be out in, i.e. under 10 knots, well, absolutely under 15, it might not need much tightening at all. I was thinking that for my first couple of sails, I could wait for a southerly wind – dead on her nose in the berth, so I could hoist it there, push it over and sail out. But what if it’s a summer of northerlies, which is perfectly possible here in Shetland? I’d die of frustration. I needed to find a way of getting that sail up without leaping back into the cockpit to grab the tiller.
I’ve tried leading the halyard back to the cockpit, but it comes from the front of the mast, so it’s hard to get the line running smoothly. I could work on that; have a look at boaty forums and see what other folk had come up with. Take it forward to a block, maybe, and then straight aft. Or one turn around the winch? It would make life easier, and worry Philip less.
My Mk II tiller pilot, whose proper name is a tiller pin, I found out courtesy of a recent PBO, works not badly. Firmer pins would hold it steady.
Or I could go for the circles method. Choose myself a bit of water with plenty of room, cleat the mainsheet loosely, peg the helm so that it’s just off centre, hoist as fast as I can while it’ll go up, then wait till Karima’s nose comes round again. It entertains the voe-watching neighbours, and doesn’t involve leaping about.
I plan to be really good about clipping on. I could clip my tether around the mast while I’m doing that, then transfer it to the jackstay. Karima has a long webbing line from just below the jib winches, running to a block on the foredeck. I’ve always felt it might be safer if it was a bit higher–going a turn around the mast maybe, instead of being underfoot, and with a knot or shackle to make it one double line running along the centre of the cabin roof. Karima’s small enough that clipping onto the line as it is, on the side of the deck you’re going along, would be no use to stop you from falling overboard.
Of course, the jackstay going up to the cabin roof might make it more of a trip hazard. To be tested in the marina.
Whatever, however, I’m going sailing this summer!
‘It’s time to take an honest assessment of what state I’m in’