Russian-language Internet is diverse on the theme of sailing. Yesterday I found 16 ways to stop a yacht. One unknown to me the author has collected methods of braking on water drawing information from the Internet. Perhaps that's why it is not surprising that braking a yacht with a bucket turned out to be one of the most popular methods.

Skippers can skip this news, but there are many fans among the readers of the channels, groups and forums devoted to yachting. As a professional trainer who defended an excellent diploma in the department of sailing, with experience and thousands of miles of marine practice, I consider it my duty to explain to novice yachtsmen how this works.

No helmsman keeps 16 ways of stopping in his head and a good helmsman does not think about it at all. I understand that the original purpose of the question: "How to stop a yacht?" Refers to a situation where, for some reason, your boat does not have a reverse gear or engine does not work at all.
So I'll tell you that this situation is not emergency! If this happens to you and you pick one of the sixteen ways in your head, the situation is out of control. You just do not have enough skill to drive a yacht under sail.

These are not empty words, I passed several thousand miles on the yacht without a motor at all. That boat was about 27 feet long, but I managed to moor under sails boat more than 40 feet. If you are not sure that you will cope with this, you should practice.

The best way to learn how to run a yacht is to spend the season on the Laser and participate in club regattas. When you learn to hold a place at the start line, then you can learn this on any other yacht, you will become a master.

Some practice

Your yacht can stop with respect to water or the bottom. If you need to stop in relation to the water, you can just clean the sails from the wind. Wait until the inertia of the motion disappears or turn the boat to wind ahead, so that this happens more quickly. You should understand that such a stop is relative. Just the hull of the boat and the bare mast are also sails, which work well in a strong wind.

Stop the boat with respect to the bottom can only be properly anchored, or something that is well tied to the bottom. But you can use your knowledge about the water current, wind and inertial capabilities of a particular yacht to stop the yacht for a moment if you are already near the pier. Usually you need it when you moor to a dock or buoy. Mooring to a buoy is more difficult but safer. Completing the mooring near the berth is easier, but you risk to collect a lot of attention around yourself, and then hit someone else's yacht. Training at a safe distance from the rest.

In this figure you see a concrete situation. I made my first serious passage on the boat without a motor from Sweden to Holland and I needed to moor in a small marina Den Helder. I saw the scheme of the marina on the map, I understood where the wind is blowing and the calculation of the actions and the trajectory of the movement - all this arises automatically in the head of a good helmsman.

In the moment 1

You understand that to fly into a small harbor on all sails, it means scare all those present on the pontoon. Leave the minimum number of sails that will allow you to maneuver safely. I sailed just with mainsail.

In the moment 2

Lead your boat to the wind near the windward pontoon. You can calculate the correct trajectory with the appropriate experience. In an ideal situation, your sailor on the deck should step onto the pontoon with the mooring rope in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other, without splashing a drop. If you like to sail alone, you have to hone these maneuvers all the time. Do not lose your skills.

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But we have an open question, what to do with the bucket?

The game TREASURE ISLAND

The author of the idea: "how to brake a bucket" - even indicated what should be a bucket. Maybe someone wants to make a bet? I guarantee what winner get 70 percent of the fee from the publication of these post and the author of the idea get 30 percent.

Maybe you have more ideas?
pLAY
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1r0yhDPO5L9kIBoOCdosKKpc_5aQ0N6P8&ll=38.60030197526932%2C10.30988837773441&z=4

This is a common map, so that members of our decentralisation community can see what is happening around them. The whole game will be on the blockchain. If you are a lucky director and can organize a good show, I think you have a good chance of a fee. You can make a bet in any regatta. If this is a worthwhile affair, the community members will certainly support you with upvote.

Invitation to the English-speaking Community https://discord.gg/rt9xFeC
Invitation to the Russian-speaking Сommunity https://t.me/BlackPiastr

You can also count on the professional support of our sailors.
Discord: Captain Akela#8014
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