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 Following
the Leader
by
Dusty Miller
Some
of my fondest memories involve cruising with a flotilla of
boats through unfamiliar waterways, and an-choring in desolate
harbours. At night, I could look out one porthole and see
a dense forest that stretched for miles. But it was always
reassuring to look out the other side and see the anchor lights
of the vessels traveling with us.
Cruising with other boats adds adventure to
a voyage while providing a measure of comfort and confidence.
In the event of an emergency or a challenge, you know any
one of the other boats will lend a hand. It's no wonder the
trips organized by marinas attract as many as 25 boats with
a course set to the North Channel or some other exciting destination.
Whether you're traveling with two or 20,
the leader is usually the one who knows the route and area
best. But no matter how confident you are in the lead vessel,
many things can still go wrong. The lead ship can lose its
bearings and direct following boats to shallow water, or even
worse, get everybody lost. So, it's important to keep track
of where you are, know your exact position on a chart and
remain in control of your own vessel in case something goes
awry.
I remember one summer when three boats were
heading north in Georgian Bay, ON. Along this particular route,
there's a long, well-marked channel stretching up from Potato
Island. With the lines astern, each skipper had his eye on
the transom of the lead boat. Unfortunately, this channel
is particularly narrow and a steady wind often blows off the
bay from the west. On this particular day, the wind was very
strong. While the first two cruisers passed through without
a problem, the third kept the bow pointed at the boat in front
of him. Without the boater realizing it, the wind had pushed
him twenty feet to the east and he headed right into the rocks.
The fix is simple: All you have to do is make
sure you're on line between the last marker and the marker
ahead of the boat. If you don't double check the astern, the
wind or current can take you out of the channel.
Other dilemmas can happen, too. One early
summer morning I was traveling east along the shore of Lake
Ontario, following another vessel. Just off Oshawa, I looked
up to see the ensign of the lead ship disappear into a fog
bank. In seconds I had entered the same fog and could barely
make out the pennant on the bow. The fog was so thick, I was
dripping wet with condensation. Since I was following, and
not watching my own course, I had no bearing on the shore
or destination. (Top)
I immediately slowed down and hoped the fog
bank wasn't very large. It wasn't, but in the short time I
traveled blind, I had come close enough to shore to see the
boulders on the bottom and I was cruising in less than five
feet of water. Fortunately, nothing bad happened but it could
have been a different story. Frankly, it could have been pretty
nasty. When warm humid air flows over cold water, a fog can
condense in minutes, and you have to be prepared.
Another aspect of traveling with a group is
rafting. Tying boats together at an anchorage is fun. You
can have dinners from boat to boat to boat, but it's always
a bit of a precarious situation.
First of all, do yourself a favour and make
sure all fenders are properly placed to protect the vulnerable
positions on your vessel. It may be calm when you tie your
lines, but the wind may pick up later on. For that reason
it's a good idea to set more than one anchor. Keep in mind,
though, you may have more than the wind to worry about. For
some reason, a raft of cruisers is a magnet for other boats,
throwing their wake into your comfort, and causing all boats
to rock. So fenders have to be placed very well.
Even when you anchor separately, particularly
in a small basin or other confined areas, it's a good idea
to set an anchor fore and aft. There may be a breeze keeping
you nicely spaced apart at the end of the anchor, but during
the night the breeze could die down, change direction or become
stronger, causing the boats to change position. There is nothing
quite so disconcerting as a bump on your hull in the middle
of the night that you suddenly realize is your neighbour.
Believe me, you'd rather set a stern anchor during the day
than in the dead of the night when you're half asleep, it's
pitch black and the deck is slick with dew.
Traveling with other boaters is a wonderful
experience. You can swap tales or tell lies, find out how
to fix something that is wrong on your boat or help someone
else with your expertise. Certainly follow the leader when
you head away from home port, but also keep your eyes on your
own boat and your position, just as you would if you were
traveling alone.
(Top)
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