Sailing Hints & Tips

I spend almost all my summers sailing around thethe yacht close to the place these boats anchor.o
Greek islands. With this small article I would like toBefore you put your engine in gear, have a look
share some sailing hints with you that will help youaround the yacht for floating ropes that may block or
enjoy the most out of your sailing holidays.o Whendamage your propeller or gearbox. When you want to
moored or anchored, use your sun tent and stay undergo from forward to backward, do it after you let the
it most of the time. Our friend, the Sun, sometimes canengine speed drop to idling.o Avoid towing your dinghy
be dangerous, especially during summertime.o Beespecially in rough weather, as you may lose it. It's
cautious on board and if possible, always wear a pairbetter to keep it secured in front of the mast.
of soft boat shoes. This way you will protect your feetRemember that lost items are always charged to the
and the deck surface. When sailing, avoid walking oncharterer. In case you need tug help and before you
deck without particular reason and in rough weather,accept it, agree on the price and ask for a receipt that
remember to use your life belt.o If you have children onclearly states that no further payment will be asked.o
board, let them sit outside but always in the cockpitAvoid dropping papers or napkins in the toilet bowl. It's
wearing a life vest.o Before operating the electricbetter to use plastic bags for the waste papers. Toilet
anchor winch, start the motor and run it at aprox 1.200pumps are not able to dissolve such things.o
to 1.500 rpm in neutral. This is necessary in order not toRemember to close the main switch at the top of gas
exhaust the service battery, as the consumption of thebottle when you don't use the gas stove or when
winch is extremely high. Our recommendation is to lownobody is on board.o While refilling either water or fuel
your anchor manually and collect it using the remotetanks, make sure not to mix fuel with water or water
control. Whenever using the anchor winch (dropping orwith fuel. In both cases the situation becomes
collecting your anchor) be very careful with yourunpleasant and difficult to be repaired.o Keep always
fingers. An electric anchor winch is a great facility butan eye on the hour counter of your motor and make
also extremely danger with careless use.o Remembersure that you have sufficient amount of fuel in your
to use the electric refrigerator only with the motortank. The fuel gauge is not always reliable, so check
running.o Many yachts are equipped with a switch withthe hours that you have used the motor.o Do not
which you may connect the two batteries, to havethrow plastic bottles, cans or any other waste in the
more power to start your motor. You can keep themsea. Keep them on board and remove immediately at
connected, as long as your motor is running. When youthe first harbour.o It is also requested not to raise any
stop the motor, remember to disconnect them. This willflag, other than the Greek, at the aft side of the yacht,
protect you, to be without electric power in case thatas it is against Greek and International marine
you will forget, for example, the electric refrigeratorregulations.
running.o When you moor in a port, always have aCAUTION : If the yacht is equipped with DSC VHF,
fender between your yacht and the quay, so even ifDO NOT PRESS DISTRESS SIGNAL BUTTON
your anchor for any reason is unable to keep you inUNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY (FIRE -
position, the yacht will not touch the quay. Take careCOLLISION - GROUNDING - SINKING).There is a
of the swell that big ferries cause and avoid mooringpenalty for the unnecessary use.