All Is Analyzed: A Sailing Movie Learning Workshop
Chapter 2, Breaking Free
In the second chapter of ASA’s Sailing Movie Workshop we watch the character break free from his conundrum with the use of a sea anchor. Stinking thinking or capitol idea? There are also many other actions to assess.
Watch the video clip & leave your comments below…
Please note the video intentionally has no sound – we are simply using it to depict a situation for discussion
should he have stayed so close to the container? I’d have avoided it. Why risk a second hole over getting back the sea anchor? Man, take it. Just get me away from that sharp jabby steel box. And why did he tack his boat so hard to the side with the hole in it? You’d think he would do whatever it took to keep that side of the boat as far out of the water as possible. Hm. Again, I am only guessing. Havent sailed yet. I am very interested to scroll down and read what all of you think.
Sea anchor was clever assuming there was enough seaway to cause added drag on the container to wedge it off the hull. I’d rather see salty way of connecting/retrieving anchor via secondary line later, immediately jumping to primary emergency of plugging hole. Epirb should be pinging cause he’s still in danger. Not sure about wearing inflatable PFD though when working below on a boat that could roll or founder if seas kicked up suddenly. Would want ditch bag and life raft prepared.
I would have forgotten about the sea Anchor for now at least..unless he plans on using the drogue to cover the gap in the hull…; What about a PFD?
plug the damn hole, put the boat on a starboard tack. Why did he go back and get the sea anchor right away
What I like best about this movie and this forum is it makes us think. Hopefully none of will be (or have been) in a situation like this but at least sharing thoughts and ideas will help us in the event of an emergency! While we all try to be safe and prepared, it’s nice to have ideas and suggestions from others in our back pockets!
Absolutely!! Thanks for your comment. Don’t forget to check out Chapter 4 – http://asa.com/sailing-movie-workshop/chapter-4-getting-busy/
Be sure to check out the latest chapter – http://asa.com/sailing-movie-workshop/chapter-3-major-repairs/
There were two ways to take this movie in: either literally or as an allegory. The viewer visually stands shoulder to shoulder with the protagonist during each decision and experiences how they all culminate to a final end. This participation serves the allegory mission of the film. This web exercise is in the way of taking the movie quite literally. To be sure, the lapses in best actions were intentional. The decisions, good or bad, make fine fodder for analysis and debate. An interesting idea for the ASA website.
Happy Sailing!
I think using the sea anchor was clever, something I think I will keep in my back of tricks. A tether back to the boat before walking out on the container (again) would have been a good idea, and lower the swim ladder so you can get back aboard if you slip into the water. Now, the ciritcal mistake is tacking back and putting the hole under water. It was was a “very bad idea” ™, First priority is always to stop/slow the water ingress. The additional water taken on turns out to be catastrophic. I’d have abandoned the sea… Read more »
Get that hole plugged asap,. No safety line or life jacket used, rather silly, , no Epirb on his boat. Get a mayday out immediately. Bad tack to put the hole under water. Didn’t see any electric pump started once he saw the water
Doubtful the drouge/sea anchor would have done anything to move a container… the container itself is pretty immersed – so it will move the same as a sea anchor.. its not being blown by the wind like a sailboat in stronger winds… so its a stretch that is how he got un pinned… but hey – if it worked for him – great. Of course unsafe to get onboard the container without life jacket and safety line attached to the boat. once disattached he should have focused on heeling the boat to port and avoiding any more water coming in..… Read more »
Again – PFD and harness.
Sea anchor OK.
Turning to get hole above water line good.
Needs to get some cover over that hole like another sail.
Still could use fenders out in case the container comes back.
Jumping off boat onto container to retrieve sea anchor is nuts.
He’s got to cover that hole!
#1 PFD before jumping on the container.
#2 Try starting the motor to break free of the container
#3 Have a sail ready to drape over the hole to reduce the flow of water
#4 Jibe instead of tacking so that the damaged side doesn’t dip into the water.
#5 Since he used the sea anchor, let it drag for a few minutes and evaluate the damage–cover the hole; then retrieve the anchor.
Yea, im with bob, drouge was a good idea, but a better retrieval method wiukd have been better. Priorities. Pure and simple… stay aflot… hence stopnthe water ingress… he could have simply. Tied the drouge to the container. Secured w a slipknot and a trip line properly fair led through some sort of bridal arangment off the starboard side trying not to foul the container again w the drouge, pumped a bit of water with the hand pump.. and once he was clear abd free from obstruction he could have slipped.the knot and either retrieve and heave to (looked like… Read more »
After pulling away from the container I would have first issued a mayday and advised any responders of my position and situation. If no radio available I would trigger the EPIRB. Next I would have put the boat on a starboard tack and addressed the hole in the hull, stuffed cushions or something to stop water coming in. I would then have concentrated on de-watering the hull, drying batteries, check to see if any water got into engine. I would lay a course for the nearest safe harbor and attempted a secure temporary fix to the breach.
If he had wanted to save the drogue perhaps he should have used a different knot that could have been untied using a release line which he kept with him on the boat. Or maybe even attach a 2nd line to the drogue. It seems like returning to the container to retrieve the drogue was a risky move, especially considering his boat is already holed and fixing the hole, or at least minimizing the ingress of water would take priority.
Seems like using the drogue to free himself was a pretty good idea but why would he choose the tack that filled the boat with more water on the way back to the container? I assume all that water drowned the battery to start the motor. After I’m free, I’m not sure I would retrieve the drogue at all, especially if it meant sailing on that tack. I’d get to the business of fixing the huge hole in my boat. Calm dude though – got to give him that…