The Lubber’s Guide
33
Getting Caught In Irons
Ever been bamboozled by those words and phrases sailors use? ‘Getting caught in irons’ is one of those nautical
phrases which the salty can mutter to each other with misty eyes when describing some white-knuckled- underpant-eating near miss whilst at the bar of the pub and then roll their eyes at the lubberlieness of the landsman who
hasn’t a clue what they are talking about. It’s also one of those phrases which is quite important to understand if
you intend to propel your boat with a sail and intend to use the sails to travel upwind (beat to windward). Here’s
what it means and what to do if it happens to you (and it will at some point).
First thing to understand about getting caught in irons is that it can happen at anytime but will almost certainly
happen either:
• At a critical part of a race
• Right in front of the terrace of the clubhouse in full view of the entire membership of the sailing club, their
guests and families. You can see the contempt in their eyes if you imagine hard enough: the shaking of the
heads and the removal of pipes from the corners of mouths, followed by a spit….and then the further shaking
of the head.
• In a Georgian sea novel by Alexander Kent or CS Forester, in the Solent in front of the cholic Admiral’s telescope and the view of the fleet.
• More seriously, it can happen when you are rapidly running out of sea room between your boat and some
nasty leeward rocks or shallows.
The thing to remember is that it happens to everyone, even the old salt, the Admiral and experienced racing sailors. but the most important thing to remember is that when it does (and it will) is:
DON’T PANIC!
Just follow one of the procedures below and you will be fine.
Above, in THE GOOD OLD DAYS getting your 3rd rate Ship of the
Line ‘Caught in Irons’ could result in collision, wreck, deaths, courtmarshall, dismissal-of-the-service, ruin and ignominious pauper’s death.
Fortunately, the penalties for the modern recreational sailor aren’t as severe but nevertheless, it is crtitcal to know how to avoid getting caught
in irons and what to do when it happens.