Safety - sailing with a buddy...

So we were doing some training for the upcoming Tiger Worlds this weekend off of Long Beach, CA when one of the boats we were training with dis-masted when we were around 4 miles offshore. Everybody was ok, but with the wind blowing over 20 and a nice current running south it wasn't long before we had drifted quite far away from the Harbor. Luckily there were 2 other boats besides the boat down so we were able to keep an eye on them and combine our resources (lines) together to make a tow line to tow them back to the harbor. BTW, not the easiest thing to do to tow a sailboat with a sailboat in windy and wavey conditions.

Just something to think about as this sailing season slowly approaches; go out sailing with another boat, especially if you're going offshore, but if you're by yourself bring some safety equipment along, flares, VHF radio, etc. and let somebody onshore know you're going out and when you're expected to get in.

Happy Sailing

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Greg Thomas
Hobie Factory Team

Good call. I was dismasted on my new-used H14 over the weekend. Fortunately it was almost straight out from my marina and they came and got me in the safety boat. If it had happened elsewhere in the lake, however, it might have been some time before anyone noticed. I really need a drybag for my cell phone!

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Warm regards,

Jim

I was there with Greg as the other standing boat that was involved in that demasting during the training. With the thought coming from JaimeZX, I just now put my cell phone in a ZipLock freezer bag to see how it worked. It worked great and I will be taking it with me whenever I go out sailing alone. Mine is a non-flip phone and has speakerphone capabilites but works using it against the ear as well. This is easy and I would encourage everyone to find a place on or in your boat to keep your phone.

Later,
Dan DeLave

They make dry bags for your phones as well. I used to use one all the time before I got a slide phone. I drooped it in the water more than once and never had a problem. I have also use Zip Lock bags but they seem to always get a small tear or something.


Thanks,
Brad Stephens
www.sunjammers.com
Authorized Hobie/Vanguard/Hunter Dealer
Division 15 Chairman
Panama City Beach, FL
[email protected]
850-235-2281

I personaly have never liked cell phones. I can see it now consintrate rounding bouy 3 and sledge hammer rings in my ear, break of consintration or what?( hey babe could you pick up a Advatage your comp now has bohemin and rapsidy in his/her head and your thinking of the beach You could turn it Off and turn it on but you would have to ask a cell phone user dose it ever turn off I think one of the joys of sailing is actualy geting away from it all Don't get me wrong if you are set out for a Anacapa sail 11 miles off shore I hope you have a radio so if somthing is extremly wrong you can talk to the charter fishing boat a mile or two a head of you. Just My thought.

Oh by the way side I will never own a cell phone ARRRRRRRRR
I may borrow one when needed never wanted to be that attached

Todd

Come now...

Carry the cell phone, but not for incoming calls! That would suck wouldn't it? Getting a call in the middle of a sail?

Turn it off. You will know when to turn it on again... when YOU need it.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I gave the suggestion as an alternative to buying a $200 Waterproof VHF Radio. I think that anyone that sails alone with any consistancy should have a radio. The cell idea is for those that are just doing it occassionally and may think that a radio is too much for them.

Later,
Dan

P.S. There is getting away from it all and safety. You have to find your own balance.

I sail off the beach in Sea Isle City, NJ and I guess my concern is that if I needed a cell phone, I'd probably be 2 miles offshore - and then I don't know if I'd be able to get a signal. Now THAT would be frustrating - seems like a Cingular commercial or something. Anyone have experience with sailing off the beach? Has getting a signal been a problem?

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Ready about!

Ed

I've sailed from the coast here to an island off shore, total distance of 12 miles, and I had signal the entire time. There are cells on shore and cells on the island so I guess that means it's good to at least 6 miles off shore.

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Marcus
H16
Narragansett Bay, RI

Dan
I apologize if I came off the wrong way cell phones are a good tool. I spent the last four years in Europe and they are everywhere I get back home and they are everywhere. I will say In Europe they enforce there laws on driving with cell phones with out hands free option. Talk about safety. Most auto related fatalities are related to cell phones not alcohol (In Europe) I see the same thing here, in town and on the highway. Two way radios have dropped in price, some have allot of channels with good range. I feel strongly about getting away while sailing I’ve found no better escape. I am serious about not owning one I truly do not want to be that connected. Again I apologize.

Todd

I have heard that marine authorities can triangulate your position if you use a marine radio to signal for help, but that the same is not possible if you use a cell phone for the same purpose. If this is true, depending where you are and what the conditions are, being able to be located might be important. Also, you'll never be able to signal a passing boat for help with a cell phone unless you know their number.

That said, I've kept my cell phone in a ziplock when sailing on keelboats for several years, and though I've never had to use it (knock on fiberglass!), it's always stayed dry in the cockpit. However, for Hobie sailing, I'm planning to get the waterproof handheld marine radio and one of those "security guard" harnesses for it for this season. It's highly recommended by UCLA MAC where I'm sailing out of and, when you think about it, it does make sense. I'm actually surprised I never thought about it before since I've been sailing dinghys "outside" for many years and had one or two problems (nobody hurt or damage done - knock on more fiberglass!) that needed a chase boat.

Our lake is small enough, if you get in trouble, all you gotta do is wave your arms and someone will come out on a jetski and save you. There are advantages to inland sailing. Plus, no sharks, riptides, squalls, freighters, giant octopuss, u-boats, hurricanes, alien abductions, tsunami, godzilla......the list goes on and on. Move to the midwest, where sailing is safe.

New Cell phones are supposed to be GPS enabled this year.

"E911
By government mandate (called E911), in 2005, all new cellular phones will be required to identify their own physical locations and be capable of providing that information to public agencies for emergency 911 services."

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I've sailed on lakes for a while as well - and it's great sailing with good wind and flat seas. After 15 years of sailing off the coast though, I'd miss the rush when launching through the breakers or surfing a wave in!

As for cell phone versus marine radio - I think I'll lean towards more safety with the marine radio for now at least - I know the coast guard is monitoring the airwaves...

_________________
Ready about!

Ed

I think this is the right call (pun intended! ). On a lake, a cell phone might work well as you can get to local police and Marinas/clubs might not be monitoring VHF. But on the ocean or a bay such as the Chesapeake Bay a hanheld, waterproof VHF is the way to go. They are pretty cheap now too and can advise you of weather alerts. Waterproof bags are added insurance.

This debate came up in real time about a year ago with an incident off Va Beach where a couple of guys broke their boards on a NACRA in 25+ knots of offshore winds and couldn't get back in. They did have a cell phone and were able to dial 911 (had signal), and then after being routed several times, got to the Coast Guard. But once the Coasties set out to find them, the sailors couldn't talk to them real time to aid the search. Had they had VHF, they would have been able to talk directly to Coast Guard rescue craft and inform them if they were going the right/wrong way. In big seas, a beachcat just isn't easily spotted, especially if flipped. Fortunately for this story, all ended well.

But here is the real Plus...Your wife will NEVER call you on the VHF while you are sailing!