Links
The following are links with more information on Hannah
What do I need to know when spending time aboard Hannah?
- Arriving at Monroe Harbor
- It's better to be early than late. Prepare for extra travel time, especially
when there are events in Grant Park. It's at least a 10 minute walk from any
public transportation.
- If you drive, the best place to park is the Millennium Park Garage. (The East Monroe Garage is closed for 2011.) See here for more information.
- Make sure you know where and when you're supposed to meet. Please view this map for more information.
- Clothes
- The temperature on the lake usually feels cooler than on land, especially if you're out after sunset. Dressing in layers usually works best.
- Wear non-marking shoes. Flip-flops and sandals are not recommended as you can
more easily stub toes.
- Don't wear your best clothes. Hannah is stored outside where she can collect
dirt, spider poop, and bird poop.
- Dress for wet. You never know when a brief storm will appear or there may be
waves.
- Food
- No red wine! It's difficult to clean when it spills.
- Nothing sticky, drippy, or greasy. There's a good reason why Snow White kicked
these dwarfs out of the house.
- Bring water, preferably in environmentally friendly reusable bottles.
- Alcoholic beverages are permitted, but don't forget the water. Dehydration leads
to seasickness.
- There is a corkscrew, bottle opener, cups, plates, and plastic forks, knives and spoons aboard.
- Seasickness Prevention
- Eat something before coming out on Hannah, but avoid heavy, greasy foods that
take a while to digest.
- Drink plenty of water, if you're thirsty, you're not drinking enough.
- If you're prone to seasickness you many want to take a Bonine at least an hour before sailing and avoid alcohol. I always have a pack of Bonine on board, but if you wait until aboard to take it, it may not take effect in time.
- Ginger is a sailor's friend, that's why there's usually ginger chews and ginger ale aboard.
- If you're not feeling well, don't keep it a secret, let the captain know.
- If you have to throw up, do it on the leeward (low) side of the boat.
- If you're feeling sick, do NOT go below deck, it will only make it worse.
Useful knots
- Why are there so many different kinds of knots?
- Each knot is designed for a different purpose. Depending on what you are tieing, some knots such as the bowline are very strong, but can not be tied or untied under load. Other knots such as the clove hitch are easy to learn and can be tied very quickly, but will slip under load. There are different knots for different applications. Using the wrong knot can result in injury or damage.
- Why are properly tied knots so important?
- A properly tied knot has a high degree of reliability and can be untied fairly easily. When it comes to sailing these two aspects are very important. An improperly tied knot or the wrong kind of knot can come undone or cause the line to break creating dangerous conditions or allow the boat to drift free. Additionally an improperly tied knot can jam making it very difficult to untie and preventing you from moving quickly and possibly avoiding a dangerous situation.
- How do I coil a line?
- A line is best stored in a neat coil so it can be used quickly and easily without tangles or twists. The first time you spend 20 minutes untangling a line you'll know exactly why this is so important. Coiling is easy to learn and with a little practice can be done very quickly. All crew aboard Hannah is encouraged to learn how to coil lines.
Nautical Origins
- What is a knot?
- A knot is the nautical measurement of speed and distance. 1 knot is the equivalent of 1.15 miles per hour. It was originally measured using a chip log, which is a wooden board attached to a line with knots tied at uniform spacings.
- Where do expressions like 'pipe down' and 'under the weather' come from?
- Surprisingly, there are many phrases we use every day that have nautical origins. This is a good list with some of them.
