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Sailing Hints & Tips

 by: Yannis Moraitis

I spend almost all my summers sailing around the Greek islands. With this small article I would like to share some sailing hints with you that will help you enjoy the most out of your sailing holidays.

- When moored or anchored, use your sun tent and stay under it most of the time. Our friend, the Sun, sometimes can be dangerous, especially during summertime.

- Be cautious on board and if possible, always wear a pair of soft boat shoes. This way you will protect your feet and the deck surface. When sailing, avoid walking on deck without particular reason and in rough weather, remember to use your life belt.

- If you have children on board, let them sit outside but always in the cockpit wearing a life vest.

- Before operating the electric anchor winch, start the motor and run it at aprox 1.200 to 1.500 rpm in neutral. This is necessary in order not to exhaust the service battery, as the consumption of the winch is extremely high. Our recommendation is to low your anchor manually and collect it using the remote control. Whenever using the anchor winch (dropping or collecting your anchor) be very careful with your fingers. An electric anchor winch is a great facility but also extremely danger with careless use.

- Remember to use the electric refrigerator only with the motor running.

- Many yachts are equipped with a switch with which you may connect the two batteries, to have more power to start your motor. You can keep them connected, as long as your motor is running. When you stop the motor, remember to disconnect them. This will protect you, to be without electric power in case that you will forget, for example, the electric refrigerator running.

- When you moor in a port, always have a fender between your yacht and the quay, so even if your anchor for any reason is unable to keep you in position, the yacht will not touch the quay. Take care of the swell that big ferries cause and avoid mooring the yacht close to the place these boats anchor.

- Before you put your engine in gear, have a look around the yacht for floating ropes that may block or damage your propeller or gearbox. When you want to go from forward to backward, do it after you let the engine speed drop to idling.

- Avoid towing your dinghy especially in rough weather, as you may lose it. It's better to keep it secured in front of the mast. Remember that lost items are always charged to the charterer. In case you need tug help and before you accept it, agree on the price and ask for a receipt that clearly states that no further payment will be asked.

- Avoid dropping papers or napkins in the toilet bowl. It's better to use plastic bags for the waste papers. Toilet pumps are not able to dissolve such things.

- Remember to close the main switch at the top of gas bottle when you don't use the gas stove or when nobody is on board.

- While refilling either water or fuel tanks, make sure not to mix fuel with water or water with fuel. In both cases the situation becomes unpleasant and difficult to be repaired.

- Keep always an eye on the hour counter of your motor and make sure that you have sufficient amount of fuel in your tank. The fuel gauge is not always reliable, so check the hours that you have used the motor.

- Do not throw plastic bottles, cans or any other waste in the sea. Keep them on board and remove immediately at the first harbour.

- It is also requested not to raise any flag, other than the Greek, at the aft side of the yacht, as it is against Greek and International marine regulations.

CAUTION : If the yacht is equipped with DSC VHF, DO NOT PRESS DISTRESS SIGNAL BUTTON UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY (FIRE - COLLISION - GROUNDING - SINKING). There is a penalty for the unnecessary use.