Sailing Checklists

These checklists may be painfully obvious to the seasoned sailor, and hopefully will be to me soon, too. For now, it can't hurt for me to check these lists for each departure and return, and note additions or revisions to be made. That's why I haven't laminated these lists yet. 

OUTBOUND CHECKLIST

·       Remove cockpit, hatch, helm, mainsail, and winch covers.

·       Attach main halyard to mainsail.

·       Check stanchion and tension of stays for any obvious looseness.

·       Unlock companionway and both lazarettes.

·       Stow covers in aft quarter berth for day sails, or in aft lazerette for overnights (mainsail cover accessible)

·       Close the deck hatches and port hatches for cruising.

·       Turn on both battery switches (House & Engine) to position 1.

·       Turn off Main and Cabin switches on black panel. ????

·       Turn on Fathometer switch.

·       Turn on VHF fixed radio and handheld, and check for scanning channels 9 and 16.

·       Turn on stereo if desired (both radios are directly patched into House battery with no switching).

·       Turn off fridge if going to be out all day (will drain House battery if used for >4 hours).

·       Grab drink holder from cabin and put it and handheld VHF in cockpit in front of the helm.

·       Get throwable U-shaped rescue preserver and sea ladder from starboard cockpit lazerette.

·       Put U preserver on hook on stern portside pulpit.

·       Affix sea ladder (yellow pack) to stern starboard-side pulpit.

·       Get white cockpit seat cushions (including 1 Type IV throwable blue one) from aft lazerette.

·       Disconnect shore power AC (110 volts) and switch to DC (12 volts) power.

·       Remove shore power cable and leave cord on dock.

·       Ensure everyone has life jackets, sunscreen, hats, and layers of clothing on.

·       Check for printed chart, and print or have tides on phone.

·       Text someone who’s not on the boat where we’ll be sailing today.

·       Open seacock in head to enable raw water for flushing. (Do not change valve behind wooden cover on the wall to empty outside the boat unless offshore >3 miles.)

·       Check that diesel cooling seacock in bilge by the dinette table is open (Dudley typically left them open all the time but I will open/close them when not using for >1 week).

·       Check bilges and pump out with manual pump if necessary (switch is always left on Auto).

·       Check oil level in engine and transmission; check cooling water level in engine.

·       Check fuel level (gauge and/or stick in starboard cockpit cubby through Diesel cap in sole of cockpit).

·       Note engine hours on sail log or Hideaway Blog.

·       Confirm gearbox is in neutral and start engine—turn key to On and hold button until started.

·       Set throttle to idle position for 5 minutes.

·       Check for cooling water coming out of aft starboard (audible and should see water spouting).

·       To shove off, remove bow dock line first and then stern spring line; loosen stern dock line and hand end to someone on board who holds it around cleat but not fixed

·       Person on the dock holds bow spring line and pushes the bow out into the estuary and jumps aboard.

·       Captain pulls forward to starboard into estuary.

·       Pull in fenders and stow on the deck.

·       If sailing at dusk or in foggy weather, turn on lights via black switch panel.

HAILING PROCESS FOR BRIDGES

·       Call drawbridge operator on channel 13 on VHF by announcing, “Miller Sweeney Bridge operator, this is sailing vessel Hideaway approaching. Over.”

·       When hail is acknowledged, announce, “Please lift the Miller Sweeney when you are able, for sailing vessel Hideaway, and we will also need the Park St Bridge opened. Over.”

RETURNING CHECKLIST

·       Furl jib, and pull until the sheets themselves (not just the jib) wrap a few times and secure headsail lines.

·       Drop mainsail into lazy jacks; tie up mainsail with 1-2 webbing lengths if there’s no significant wind.

·       Hail bridge operator (Park St on return).

·       Set out fenders and ready dock and spring lines on deck fore and aft.

·       Captain swings around to approach Thom’s dock from the East (unless outgoing tidal current is strong).

·       Crucial that one person jumps to dock and grabs side of boat to stop from bumping anything.

·       Secure dock lines fore and aft to dock; then spring lines.

·       Let engine idle for 5 min. before stopping engine.

·       Adjust mainsail and tie up; drop lazy jack lines to be able to fit the cockpit cover over boom; put on mainsail cover.

·       Open a couple hatches for ventilation if weather will be 100% dry until next planned trip.

·       Close engine cooling seacock and head seacock (announce no head flushing after that).

·       Stow drink holder and turn off/stow handheld VHF.

·       Retrieve hatch, helm, and cockpit covers; use manual bilge pump handle to clear any standing water.

·       Stow and secure all food, dishes, and accessories (in zip bags or hard plastic containers).

·       Remove garbage and recyclables.

·       Turn off depth sounder and cover it.

·       Connect and switch on shore power AC (110 volts).

·       Switch off DC power (12 volts)—battery switches to off.

·       Turn on Main and Cabin on black panel.

·       Turn on refrigerator switch under hatch in the unit itself (if ever turned off).

·       Plug in dehumidifier in galley; check and empty DampRid containers as needed.

·       Secure companionway hatch.

·       Secure deck cover and bungee to stanchions.

·       Secure helm cover.

·       Secure companionway hatch/cockpit cover and bungee to stanchions (or fit the cockpit shade over boom).