10 boating mistakes I learned the hard way, some perhaps obvious, some less so. For example, who would have thought that a bent cotter pin could slice a spinnaker to shreds?
blog.arribasail.com/2016/03/10-boating-mistakes-to-avoid.html
I hope you can avoid them.
You say cotter pin but show picture of a split pin. Are you an American? No disrespect intended, just curious why so much American terminology is creeping into common usage.
Happy Halloween
Not
I'm not a great fan of Aus being an American culture fan
I refuse to answer the door for Halloween
It's UN Australian. As far as Im concerned
But there products yes but not there culture
In order
1....you MUST clean your feet with vinegar before getting into bed.
2 ....You must do it properly
3....Don't do your lobster traps late in the afternoon. ...always do them early so you have time to wash up properly. ....otherwise you will be barred access too underneath ( note. Same gate keeper will happily take trap spoil and cook and eat no matter how dirty I am )
4...hygiene. ....I get it....you must too 
5...plan your new anchorage b4 midday.
6....try and get there b4 dark
7....water water everywhere. ...you can never have enough the fresh stuff.
8....yes...its the worst storm eva...but...it will pass
9...batteries are awesome. ...look after them
10...sleep with your life jacket. ..u never know
Thats my top ten 
Select to expand quoteLooseChange said..
You say cotter pin but show picture of a split pin. Are you an American? No disrespect intended, just curious why so much American terminology is creeping into common usage.
Not American, but lived and sailed there 16 years, so picked up a lot of vernacular. I updated the blog post include "split pin" though.
Select to expand quoteChopesBro said...
In order
1....you MUST clean your feet with vinegar before getting into bed.
2 ....You must do it properly
3....Don't do your lobster traps late in the afternoon. ...always do them early so you have time to wash up properly. ....otherwise you will be barred access too underneath ( note. Same gate keeper will happily take trap spoil and cook and eat no matter how dirty I am )
4...hygiene. ....I get it....you must too
5...plan your new anchorage b4 midday.
6....try and get there b4 dark
7....water water everywhere. ...you can never have enough the fresh stuff.
8....yes...its the worst storm eva...but...it will pass
9...batteries are awesome. ...look after them
10...sleep with your life jacket. ..u never know
Thats my top ten
4-10 spot on. My 1-4.
1. Don't put your storm sails on the bottom of your sail locker
2. If you have good seasickness drugs, don't experiment with different ones at the start of a long passage.
3. Don't go to sea on a yacht with a modified rudder.
4. Don't go on an ocean passage without a Fleming wind vane.
Possibly the number 1 boating mistake people make is actually buying a boat instead of finding a friend who has one. 
The cotter pin is holding the rigging, the split pin is holding the cotter pin. Hey?
The clevis pin is holding the rigging. The split pin is preventing the clevis pin from falling out.
"10...sleep with your life jacket. ..u never know "
Never know what? Is there any offshore sailor in Australia who would have been saved had they slept with their life jacket?
Select to expand quoteChris 249 said..
"10...sleep with your life jacket. ..u never know "
Never know what? Is there any offshore sailor in Australia who would have been saved had they slept with their life jacket?
If it was self inflating it might kill you. Perhaps it should read "If you sleep with an auto life jacket make sure you have a knife in your belt".
Clevis pin then, forgive my mistake.
I have an auto-inflate PFD with manual function. Unscrew the auto sensor, screw in the blocking plug, presto the auto is manual.
If l am not mistaken, if one unscrews the auto sensor on any PFD it becomes manual.
The auto function, if one is clipped to the boat at all times on deck, seldom needed.
The most important thing is, the jack line should not run the whole length of the boat but end about 2-3 metres from the transom depending on the length of the tether. If one falls overboard is not dragged b e h i n d the boat but with at least in level with the transom!
If one falls in on the lee side has an advantage of the sides being lower in the water, thuss easier to climb back on.
An appropriate cutting implement clipped to the PFD might come handy to save ones skin. So does an auto strobe light and a personal EPIRB.
I see the merit sleeping with a PFD on in certain situations. When one is in an emergency just waking up, there is one less thing to be worried about.
Select to expand quoteChris 249 said..
"10...sleep with your life jacket. ..u never know "
Never know what? Is there any offshore sailor in Australia who would have been saved had they slept with their life jacket?
Never know? When you're next going to get lucky?
Id say ....avoid the worlds biggest rock in a 200 million warship should be in the top ten
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/1400844/Destroyer-runs-into-worlds-biggest-rock.html
Select to expand quoteHG02 said..
Happy Halloween
Not
I'm not a great fan of Aus being an American culture fan
I refuse to answer the door for Halloween
It's UN Australian. As far as Im concerned
But there products yes but not there culture
I should explain a little more USA and health is a big Zero .The Uk are going back to what they had a real health system
Politically speaking the American system is insane ours is not much better I guess .you cant get anything passed it goes in circles
The basic American Humans are OK ,quiet like them its just some of there crazy systems and to me being of the older generation I don't like Australia taking on some other counties bits and pieces Halloween , Valentines day to me is just a commercial event to make the flower industry rich after the rapid increase the prices of flowers on the day I totally refuse to buy .
I rather buy my flowers when they will mean some thing special
Im an Aussie true blue our tribe came here from the UK back when Tassy opened up with the convicts . I'm still a boat person ,a wog as far as I concerned
As we are off topic....one thing I saw on the rise in Australia that I didn't like was using a company's name for a phone number....such a American thing.
If I want ring youi.....id like to be able to find the phone number...not 1300youi....put that rubbish back in the states.
How's about leaving the dock with power lead still connected , I seen that happen a few times but personally have not done it.
Nice attempt at getting back on topic southace, however I agree that Americanism is a blot on the Australian way of life lets get rid of it, and, if we promise to be real good, could we please have our fireworks back for Guy Fawlkes night, it is just so wrong that we, as Australians, are not allowed to celebrate a plot to blow up Englands Parliament by letting of fireworks. 
Select to expand quoteBruski068 said...
Nice attempt at getting back on topic southace, however I agree that Americanism is a blot on the Australian way of life lets get rid of it, and, if we promise to be real good, could we please have our fireworks back for Guy Fawlkes night, it is just so wrong that we, as Australians, are not allowed to celebrate a plot to blow up Englands Parliament by letting of fireworks.
Cracker night used to be on the Queens Birthday weekend in June. It was a highlight of a kid's year. Still miss it.
