Leaving the Dock in 35knots. Windy Sailing to Korčula RAW Footage

[@kentwood2914]

You made a wonderful point from several perspectives when you said (paraphrased)... "it's not that you don't like going slow, it's the not having control that's the issue...being underpowered it gets sloppy and rollly.." Spot on mate! It's you looking deeper that is advanced thinking ...to dig deep into understanding that the obvious (usually a symptom) isn't the problem, but you keep digging to the CAUSE. Understanding that level is where true knowledge and expertise exists.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Well Kent.. you make me sound much more elegant than I would have given myself credit for! Thanks for watching, will keep an eye out for your comments!

[@xux636]

Absolutely with you on putting fenders away. Maybe I shoudn't but I immediately make a low judgement of the the skipper of a boat with fenders out while they're sailing.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Hahaha. Yes. Indeed. We sailors are very judgemental beings!

[@martingannon1832]

That was an exciting sail, your really highlighting the opportunities to sail in the winter, hope you had a restful evening

[@45DegreesSailing]

I could have done with a few more hours! Was nice though. Today is looking stunning so here we go again!

[@kirstyjjamieson]

Sailing ‘like you’re coastal racing’ is more fun for sure - and definitely helps in avoiding the 🤮! Cheers for the tips.

[@45DegreesSailing]

You’re welcome ☺️ and yes. Much more fun!

[@alessandropalermo2226]

Hi Nick - just discovered your channel. Great videos and explanations! Looking forward to binge watching. Quick question on this one … what was holding the bow just moments before you let go that starboard stern line?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks Alessandro :) appreciate the support. Binge away! So I still had the bow mooring. Line on, I disconnected it from the dock. And used it to get me out safely. The. Dropped it once I was clear of the wall.

[@tomo.9530]

You were not afraid about propeller with a full speed forward and bow moring ?

[@ushi120]

Thx for showing us this very interesting method to leave the pier with heavy crosswinds. But I asked myself, how and who get the starboard mooring-line (ground-line) back to the pier to tie it off to the ring? Maybe the marinero will kill me if I try to untie his ground-line from the pier, to use your technic. My thoughts: Under this cirrcustancions maybe I would have used a spring-line on the midship-cleat and forward gear to stabilise the vessel against the wind.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Great questions. So in response to the ground line, after looking at all my options and the relative strength of the wind I asked the marinero if he was ok with this, which he was, I did not do this without consulting him first. I then tied a float to the end of the ground line so it could be retrieved by them From the tender. My original plan was actually just just extend the line with another by 20m or so to be able to clear the pier on port before it reached its end. They then just told me don’t worry and I can let it go! So therefore the float was the next plan to make it easy to retrieve when the wind abated.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Regarding the spring. In lesser conditions or perhaps when the angle of the wind was not so obtuse (as it was directly on the beam) this may work. Though it would require: 1 - either extending the line back to the helm so I could release it from there, or having a second person. 2 - the Bavaria 46 is a twin rudder. So you have very little effective steering from the prop wash over the rudders to help push and hold the yacht to windward. Without the bow line even at full throttle the push from the winds was so strong (as I tested this pre departure) that I would have ended up on the concrete pier almost immediately.

[@ushi120]

@@45DegreesSailing thx for the help and your efforts to answer my questions.

[@45DegreesSailing]

@a. h. Most welcome. Plan to get more of these situations up throughout the year to help educate and enrich everyones experience ☺️

[@yangyang3175]

at leaving the dock, didn't u have a bow line? didn't see you releasing one. but then how didn't the bow get blown downwind by the crosswind? I roughly see you releasing the starboard stern line and then giving it a lot of throttle to get out

[@45DegreesSailing]

Yes I did, and in this case I actually removed the lazy line from the shore, and left the bow line connected as it was way to strong to counter with motor against a stern line, even for that small amount of time (as I was solo). So I released it once i was out clear of the concrete wall. When releasing the stbd stern line I was already heavily under fwd throttle/power to help stay to windward.

[@furrom152]

Wow, did you drop the bow mooring lines last to not get the bow pushed into the little pier?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Precisely that :) of course the other end being attached to the pier was a concern as it might be to short to allow me to get far enough out. So we took that end off, put a float on it and I had it all collected on the bow. Then went fed and released, put it all in the water.

[@furrom152]

@@45DegreesSailing That's a nice move, especially when you're single handed! Edit: spelling

[@MichaelDichtl]

@@45DegreesSailing Nice manouver Nick! Why did you choose this one over motoring first into both and then the windward sternline, easing it until you'r out?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Hey Michael. Sorry to have missed this one. Two reasons really. One of them being fibreglass and concrete! With the wind this strong, and at 90 degrees to the yacht, there was not enough leverage against the wind motoring against the lines. Also keep in mind that that the Bavaria 46 is a twin rudder yacht. So you do not get the directional control and ability to direct her to windward as you do with a single rudder yacht pushing water directly over the rudder. It may have been possible to do it all like this, but it left too much to chance/things going perfectly. This way I was sure I would get out clean.

[@flying.skipper]

@@45DegreesSailing nice manouver with the bow lines. Just one question. I saw you had a line on the windward midship cleat. Why do you haven´t used it to power against it?Was it because it was harder to untie singlehanded or was there a different reason? As far as I know, the twin rudder boats work better with the midship cleat in strong winds, as a windward line.

[@tomazfakin9725]

Hi Nick, that is anotner great video coming from you. Would love to know what was your procedure leaving the dock as the camera only filmed the stern

[@45DegreesSailing]

Of course Tomaž. I will be filming an explainer for this one as many have asked about it 😊

[@64Golfy]

Hey Nick how did you drop the bow starboard line ? I saw you with the float but not how you released the line. Great video!

[@45DegreesSailing]

Hey Dilip. I need to do a walkthrough narrative of this one. Many have been asking. Effectively it was too risky, to windy to drop it without someone at the helm. So I took all of it to the bow while it was connected still. Lazy line and all. I attached a float to it. Then cleared the pier on port, once out of the berth I went fwd and dropped it all to be retrieved later by Nikola on the dock.

[@HNDevelopments]

Hi Nick Can you comment on why you use the winch at the mast to furl, the sail and not an infinite line. Pros and cons, best practices etc. Kind regards Nick

[@45DegreesSailing]

Hey Nick. So in this particular case this yacht is not set up with an infinite line, so it is the only option. Often at this size, charter yachts will not have the infinite line simply due to many users not understanding how to use it efficiently. If the yacht was equipped with it then I would certainly use it when reducing sail as you are still able to have the winch set to ‘ratchet’ so that the sail cannot run out uncontrolled and can still be furled in. Best practice when using an infinite line is one you have set your sail size, return the setting to ratchet so it locks. If you leave a lot of weight on the infinite line and clutches then it is common for it to slip and can result in unfurling entirely in heavy wind.

[@HNDevelopments]

@@45DegreesSailing Legend thanks for the detailed response. Covid saw my purchase of an Elan 45 fall thorough and the owner said he never used the line. Didn't question him but always wondered why. Happy sailing.

[@MrSeb-455]

Hi Nick, nice video and nice leaving the dock, never seen this before :). Learning from your videos is really a pleasure. I have one question for you if it's not a secret, how much do you pay for renting such a boat in the wintertime?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Cool, thanks Sebastjan. I'm glad you are getting value from them. So Nutka is in charter most of the year, she is priced at the lowest season price at 1.890,00 € per week. There is often some discount on this also. So approximately 1.512,00 €. Let me know if you would like to charter her and I can arrange this for you :)

[@TURSTY09]

Did I just hear ya say “do you like my Wellington saying” about reefing? 😂. Been following your vid’s for a while now. If your ever in Welly, come for a sail!! Love your handy work in this vid by the way.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Haha. I sure did! Yup taught in Wellington for 5 or 6 years. She is home. Thanks for following! Will keep that in mind ☺️

[@coswecanvideo5362]

Another great video, I appreciate how busy you must be sailing & filming during the day, and editing in the evening, I'm amazed you got so much done the last week. I saw this video was labeled "raw footage" Have you considered republishing at a later point, the process of leaving dock in high winds, with a bit of narration explaining the process and reasoning behind. I'd love to understand what you did. All Great Thanx.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks Steve. Yes I have thought about that. I’ll look at doing that in the coming weeks. Yeh all of that takes a toll that’s for sure. That and the heavy winds. I was very close to not posting last night! Glad I did. Today we sail from Korčula probably to Hvar town/Pakleni Islands area. Long day against the wind.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Just saw this comment again. Reminded me, so I have put it in the calendar to get this done as more comments came in about it. Thanks again.

[@AmiGivati]

+1 on the request for adding naration

[@tomo.9530]

Thanks for sharing. Another very helpful video. You are like netflix series, cannot stop watching all videos until all are done. I lost my night sleep because of this channel 😡I experienced similar heavy wind leaving and was difficult. Any luck you would have a detailed procedures you followed, its not clear from the video. Why yoy didnt use only one control line on sterboard?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Sorry about the lost sleep! Yes I need to do a commentary on this one. There is so many videos to do! -short story, it was way too strong wind, the control line with full power could not hold it to windward.

[@TheAstralftw]

I was on Mljet many times, but mostly in Polače :) When sailing out from dock , I doubt that there was 38knots of the wind near the dock it would crush your port side to the shore. Probably it was around 15knots which is still a huge deal when going out. That is why he went fast. However I would do it slightly different, I would use that same rope and force of the engine to come closer to the that small boat on the starboard side. Then you have more breathing space when you are released. However when I do this kind a job for "living", when outside is 30knots I don't go anywhere :) (that is even written in our contract when we take our guests on 7 days trip)

[@mahinahathaway]

If he says it is 35 knots, then it will be about 35 knots. Give or take a knot or two. He may not be a wind measuring machine, but he is frustratingly good at estimating wind speed. Probably due to all of the time he spent racing and teaching sailing in Wellington, NZ l, one of the windiest cities in the world. And he wasnt working. He was sailing for his own pleasure. There were no guests on board. Most charter companies have max wind speed clauses in their contracts because they cannot rely on a skippers experience with proper wind speeds. Which is fair enough. Many sailors don’t get to experience winds like this, let alone experience it enough to really get a feel for it. Try sailing in Wellington, NZ and you will see why he enjoys these kinds of conditions. It is also why we love sailing the Adriatic in the winter. The conditions remind us of home!

[@TheAstralftw]

@@mahinahathaway maybe you are right, just I was few times docking on 20knots, you won't believe how fast wind accelerate your boat. Yes he is definitely better in sailing than me, because I don't lift sails after 25 knots, insurance doesn't cover you :) when you are 100 days in the sea working, you must minimize any damage. However still I don't believe that in Pomena there was 35 knots. I was few times there it is well protected harbor if outside is 25, inside is 5-10. Outside could be 35, although in that area 35knots usually create much much much higher waives. I have been sailing dozens of times in that area... But not inside.. No

[@mahinahathaway]

@@TheAstralftw I do indeed believe how fast those kinds of winds accelerate the boat! I might not be in this video with him but have been in these kinds of conditions with Nick before. I also sailed in Wellington, NZ. In fact, thats where he got me into sailing! And it is why I fell in love with bura during our first winter here back in 2017. Many sailors don’t go out in this kind of weather. For various reasons. And good on you. Its always good to know your limits. And stick to them! I will always respect a sailor who sticks to his guns. Just don’t forget, if something has never happened in your experience, doesn’t mean it has never happened.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Awesome to see the convo going here. Thanks for you input. Pomena is a great harbour and can protect you from the SE and S very well. In NE Bura it funnels through the bay and along the coast. I have spent a number of nights here when the not forecasted Bura has come up. It really gets in there. As I said in the video, I left in 32 knots. 15 knots does not make a yacht heel like that and create those waves with a 100m fetch. As for the advice to use the engine to shift the yacht closer to starboard... this is great advice, and we use this frequently, I used it in the case as well. Issue here is this is a Bavaria 46, which being in the industry I am sure you know is a twin rudder yacht, which responds much less doing this manoeuvre as the thrust is not over the the rudder directly. Also, in 25 knots and above, you cannot push to windward very much using the engine and the control line. And the bow thruster does nothing. There is just not enough power to counter the wind. Even with a single rudder yacht.

[@45DegreesSailing]

​@@TheAstralftw we sail the winter in Croatia. See a lot more wind and different conditions to the summer.

[@micokastela]

That's manning a yacht.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Haha yup!

[@tonco5075]

Fuuh very nice movie

[@sailingcitrinesunset4065]

Nice video

[@45DegreesSailing]

😎 Hvala

[@zbyszekzbigel3914]

Where are these 35 knots? Definitely not in the marina. There could be 10, so you can't talk about leaving the dock at 35 knots.

[@45DegreesSailing]

🤣 ok mate. Whatever you say. I left the dock in 35 knots. Didn’t arrive in 35. And.. whatever you say. Thanks for watching 😊