A Life Afloat (Maybe)

Chapter 23

Once again, Alec neatly manoeuvred his yacht from its mooring into midstream. Easing open the throttle on the little diesel engine, the yacht started to cruise a little quicker towards the estuary and the open sea. Come up here, Pete was told by Alec, what's wrong? He enquired, nothing, I just want you to take the wheel. Just get a feel for the water pressure against the rudder, you must do it sometime! Trusting soul isn't you Pete noted, not really, was the quick counter. I'll be stood right here beside you, just in case, I'm not quite brain dead yet was his comment as Pete took the wheel. Just feel the pressure, keep it balanced and you should stay on the same course. Don't forget, it's not like driving a car, front steering on a car. Rear steering on a boat, the same concept though, turn the wheel anti-clockwise, to go left. (or to port), turn the wheel clockwise to go right or to starboard. Now, less chatter, just try to keep us on a steady course, I'll tell you a bit about the right of way as we go along.

OK! First, if you are sailing, towards another vessel, but not on a collision course. Both boats must maintain their course and you pass each other safely, simple, Alec told him. Got it? Yes! Stay on the same heading, neither vessel changes course, until you have passed each other. Do not, I repeat 'Do not' cross another vessel's bows. It can lead to a very nasty situation. Collisions are frowned upon, penalties are harsh. Right, next, if you are on a collision course, then both vessels must turn to starboard. It is the same for both sail and motorboats and still applies even if one vessel is a sailing vessel and the other a motorboat, you must turn to starboard, with another chuckle Alec continued, have you heard of windward and leeward, yes, was Pete simple answer, that is where the fun starts Alec said, continuing to smile but I will go over it in more detail when we are actually under sail, not as we are now, just using our engine.

Just for your information though Pete, as before, when two vessels are on the same tack, that's the same direction, grinning, even more, Alec continued with his instruction, the two vessels are still called either the stand-on or the give way vessel, 'OK! So far', 'yes', was Pete's short reply, right then, the stand on vessel is the leeward vessel and the windward vessel is the give way vessel, still smiling Alec carried on, are the little grey cells beginning to suffer he asked, as he had seen the frowns appearing on Pete's forehead, they are but they will carry on if they have to, keeping the same course and listening to you is making them nervous, was Pete's reply. 'Fine, I'll give them a bit of a break and just let you pilot the boat', 'by the way, you're doing a pretty good job so far', was an unexpected compliment which Pete accepted with a small 'thank you very much' the words coming from his rather strained looking face and taut mouth.

Just hold her steady as she is, he told his trainee pilot, I'm going down below for a few minutes and left Peter to cope on his own. Although the horizon was clear, Pete still felt a little apprehensive at being left on his own and he heaved a great sigh of relief when Alec's head reappeared in the cockpit, can you drink some tea and pilot at the same time Alec pondered, give it to me and I'll show you, Pete quickly retorted, holding the wheel with one hand and a mug of hot steaming tea in the other, Pete suddenly thought that there was no better place than standing at the wheel of a yacht drifting along under engine power, there again, he mused, it could be even better if you were under actual sail and it was your boat, all the time although, trying very hard not to show it, he was becoming more and more comfortable where he stood, not too much daydreaming, rapped Alec, you're drifting off course bringing Pete back to reality very quickly, how do you know you are drifting when there are no landmarks for you to see, just miles and miles of empty sea, he asked Alec, keep your eye on the compass, it's right under your nose, was Alec's sharp and even quicker retort, you can't daydream, you have to concentrate all the time.

Still, all in all, not a bad attempt for a first time at the wheel, I never felt the need to come across and kick you out of the way, apart from the slight drift, you've done very well Alec told him. Are you pleased with what you have accomplished so far today he asked Pete, no, not really, was his somewhat surprising reply, I think I could have done better, you pointed out my lapse in concentration, I know it's been a bit of a novelty to drive, or as you say pilot the boat, hmm! Interesting, was Alec's only words as he squeezed past Pete and made his way for' ad to the lockers in the bow of the boat, Pete watched with one eye, keeping or trying to keep one eye on the compass, taking a quick glance astern he noticed that they had come to some distance from the shore and he found that somewhat disconcerting, looking back to where Alec was in the bows, he was wrestling to get a large that bag out on to the deck, he saw him pull out what looked like a miniature parachute, calling out to Alec, what on earth is that? It's a sort of sea anchor, were too far out to use the normal anchor, we'll use this to stop us drifting too far, Alec called back, you can take her out of gear and stop the engine, if you can work it out, he laughed, easing back the throttle Pete found that there was small lever just to the side with the three letters F, N, R on a small plaque just to the side, noticing that the lever was set at F, he for some reason assumed that F meant 'forward' therefore R should mean 'reverse' and following that sort of logic, worked out that N should mean 'neutral', crossing his fingers for luck he eased the lever back to the N position and straight away felt all forward movement, what little there was of it, come to a stop, reducing the engine noise level at the same time, 'there' he called to Alec, 'I think I've found 'neutral', she seems to have lost all way', he called to Alec, 'not only a bright spark but a mechanic as well' he called back, 'come for' ad and give me a hand' Alec told him, 'I want to show you how to use the sea anchor and what it does but kill the engine before you do would you?

As Pete joined him at the bow, Alec showed him what the sea anchor looked like, it was indeed, just like a small parachute Pete saw, it's quite simple to operate and easy to deploy, a lot harder to bring back aboard Alec told him, make sure that the holding line is secure, slide the anchor over the bow, let out the holding line, say today about five meters' as the tides not running very fast at the moment it should be long enough for our needs, we can adjust it later if we need to, it will hold us against the tidal flow so that we don't broach, you know, get side on to the waves and then capsize, an experience I don't want to put you through, Alec told him with some force, I can assure you that it is not pleasant and is to be avoided at all costs. There, as you can see Pete, the holding line is becoming taught and our stern is now pointing at the beach and if you watch closely, it is getting no nearer to us or us to it, depending on your point of view. Watching as closely as he could, Pete could indeed discern no movement whatsoever, quite content with Alec's decision and explanation Pete strolled behind Alec towards the cabin, where again he disappeared for a few moments, only it's time to come back with a couple of glasses of the very nice Armagnac that they sampled the other day, a toast, to us and many more happy days on the water, for both of us, quite happily Pete joined in with the toast, not repeating all of it just 'to us' and raising his glass towards Alec, join me here in the stern seats if you would, Alec asked him, it's time for us to have a serious chat.