This Article was originally written as an early spring PCYC newsletter article.

FIRST CRUISE OF THE YEAR…….

With launch date rapidly approaching (not rapidly enough), it may be worthwhile to refresh our memories and avoid some of the things that can get us into trouble in our haste to get back on the water.
Before you turn on the ignition for this cruise or any other, whether the engines have been shut down for 5min. or 5days, a formal check list should be followed. The sample is my own check list for diesel power.

-oil level
-coolant level
-belts & hoses
-ignition & battery connections
-seacocks
-fuel level & separators
-nav lights & horn
-throttle neutral (upper & lower)
-turn off AC main
-ignition
-exhaust water flow
-disconnect shorepower
-disconnect phone cable

If you have a gasoline engine, the blowers should be running while you do the rest of the checks. Too often we see blowers turned on and engines fired up within seconds. This is literally playing with fire. Blowers should run for 4min. minimum prior to ignition…. it not only makes sense it is the LAW ! Look it up in the Transport Canada Safe Boating Guide. I heard a dock neighbour admonish his friend for not using his blower, the friends response ...." It dosn't matter I've got fuel injection". I guess he believes fuel injected boats don't get fuel leaks.

Now ready to leave the dock, does every one know the rarely used ( by pleasure craft ) sound signals required under "Collision Regulations". If you do not use these signals and are involved in a collision this implies a similar legal responsibility to causing a collision on the highway by improper lane change without signaling. Look them up.

OK. so we leave our slip which is on F-dock ( by the pump out ) and head down the channel between PCYC and the marina. Boats from the slipways on either side are trying to enter the channel, the j-24's are inbound rounding the end of R-dock three abreast and under sail….. who has right of way ? Traffic lanes on the water bear many similarities to our highways but the rules are not absolute and too complex and lengthy to go into in this short article. No one has "Right of way". This term does not appear anywhere in " Collision Regulations ". The proper terms are "stand on vessel" and "give way vessel". If you are the "stand on vessel" on a collision course and the " give way vessel" does not yield, you are now legally responsible for avoiding collision. On the other hand "stand on" means keep your course ! This is often the cause of friction between sail and power as sailors believing they have "right of way" will tack in front of a power boat. Other common misconceptions on this issue are " Sailboats always have right of way " and " Fishing boats have right of way " (There are no "fishing boats" on Lake Ontario) Study the "Colregs" and know them well, education is your best defense.

So we have threaded our way through a minor nightmare and are about to exit the harbour when we loose power with rocks 50' on either side of the channel and a North West wind. Is your anchor ready for instant deployment ? My automatic anchoring system ( Laura ) managed to get the hook down and set in less than thirty seconds while I bled the engine last fall. Be prepared.
We head over to Hanlon's point beach and anchor to enjoy the ah…natural scenery. Are you displaying the proper day anchor signal ? Do you even own one ? Several years ago a cruise ship plowed through several sailboats anchored in a "designated" anchorage in St.John's , Antigua. The only vessel to be compensated was the one displaying a day anchor signal. Consider this when you anchor in the bedlam of the air show.

After a short tune-up cruise it's time to head back in. Are all your lines and fenders in place or are you scrambling all over the deck trying to set up at the last minute ? As we all know conditions at our slips are rarely the same as in the rest of the harbour. Constant review of wind and current are called for as well as communicating your intentions to crew. Ripples on the water and close attention to that colourful burgee on the bow of your powerboat is required. Sailors should remember that the wind on that burgee 30' up in shrouds does not give an accurate depiction of wind 3' off the water.

We all get a little rusty at our boat handling skills over the winter and it's easy to miss that perfect docking but too often we see people working wheel, throttles and shifters like demons. There is an alternative…. If you get into trouble, take all way off the boat and take a deep breath… Stop the boat ! There will be a lot less damage if you drift into another vessel rather than furiously working throttles and shifters. We always seem to have an audience when we mess up and frequently the audience decides to become active participants. Do we really think it helps for fourteen people to shout instructions at an already embarrassed and frustrated skipper ? If the skipper is obviously inexperienced then one knowledgeable and calm person on the dock should speak to the skipper and offer advice. If the advice is unwelcome .... zip it !

Half way into the slip the skipper sees his mate has thrown the bow line. With a sigh of relief he cut's his engines and walks to the stern. How many times have you seen this…..
1. Mates throw does not make it to the dock.
2. A gust of wind and the stern line is in the water.
3. Enthusiastic dockhand pulls in bow line and stern swings in to a neighboring vessel.

With the engine shut down the skipper has no control over his vessel but retains all legal responsibility. The skipper must stay at the helm with the engines running until the vessel is secured. As neighborly dockhands we must remember to ask the skipper if we can take his lines and certainly not to pull on them without his instructions. The skipper must give clear instructions and remember that he is in charge of crew and dockhands. We are the masters of our own disasters.