Guest commentator – Randy Bush

Jul 12 2008

Guest commentator – Randy Bush

Published by Capt. Dan at 05:34 under Sailing

A funny thing happened to us whilst practicing MOB on the final day of Randy and Bev’s ASA 103 course. Randy’s report:

BHOB!

These pages abound with testaments to the superlative instruction provided by Capt. Dan. What follows is yet another example of his prowess.

It was the last day of ASA 103, and we were wrapping up the MOB maneuvers. You know the drill: Someone throws Granny (a life jacket) overboard, and you come about and retrieve her with the boat hook. We’d made several successful attempts, and the students switched positions for a couple of more runs. Beverly took the helm, I grabbed the sheets, and Dan tossed Granny overboard. But there was just one little problem; the boat hook was still attached to Granny, and the whole affair went clanging over the lifelines.

Capt Dan stared solemnly as Granny and the boat hook bobbed away in the swells. “Now we’re f****d,” he uttered stoically. Of course I’d heard that word many times before, but knowing the Captain, I was sure that it had some special nautical significance. But I couldn’t recall a “we’re f****d” section in my study guide. Must come later, I thought.

“Let’s go get ‘er,” the Captain shouted. Dutifully we fell off and prepared to come about, while Dan rummaged through a lazarette and came up with a short piece of line. By the time we had come up on a close reach, he had fashioned a functional lasso. Because this was a special drill, we let the sails luff and fired up the iron jenny. Capt. Dan told me to take the helm (because boys can drive better than girls, you know) and I crept up windward of Granny. Beverly shouted out directions so I could fine-tune my approach, and Dan hung over the starboard side, lasso at the ready. Then as deftly as a Pelican scooping up fish, Capt. Dan came up with a perfectly snared boat hook.

Yep, BHOB, “Boat Hook Overboard.” Betcha they don’t teach THAT at Marina Sailing