Advice for a stinky

Clyder

Clyder

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Hi all, just popped over from the "Stinkies" forum for some advice. I have, very spontaneously, agreed to crew a Sunsail 37 next month at a week long regatta out of Port Solent. (PSUK)
Being an oil burning man myself, what should I expect? I've only ever had the odd day out in a yacht....What "essential" personal gear will I need (other than loads of beer vouchers). They're even talking about....night sailing... All sensible replies welcomed thanks in advance.

Clyde
 
ugh, the sunsail 37 from porto solente seem to be almost designed to specially put people off sailing. Some of them even have plastic-encased upholstery, awful.

So, you will have to throw yourself into the spirit of the sailing, and since they may likely be fab at the sailing you will earn loads of credits if you can make fry-ups or teas or coffees or all of those.

Also it will be cold. Yeah, really cold. Maybe getting sailing boots mite be a good idea if you're there for a week. Also on that boat i wd take summink like a thermorest or whatever to guarantee that you can sleep. But it will be good fun.
 
ask Caroline Elder at largs about the boat
a lot will depend on how crowded the boat is and who is running it but your basic boat experience will help
sailing boats seem to get wetter than power boats so
musto type boots would be a good idea not just rubber wellies at this time of year and a decent woolie hat or balaclava
a wet bag for the clothes might also be a good idea and if your into them a bag of fun sized mars bars
main problem is you might just catch the sailing bug
 
The advice on boots is a must. You can buy a cheap pair for £20 and ensure room for thermal socks. Plenty as your feet will sweat. sunsail hire most gear including good qualitiy oilies etc. haggle with them and they will do you a deal £30 for jacket and trousers for the week will be money well spent. It is worth asking if the yacht has heating as many do not so pack for comfort and warmth remembering you will get cold and wet. Good luck and great fun.
 
Definately agree with the oilies and boots if you have them, it can get cold and you are likely to get wet to some degree, but don't even think about letting that stop you from getting out there and enjoying it, best thing I ever did. You'll love it, but don't forget, it is supposed to lean over so only panic when the skipper does. Get out and have fun, it's great, and this from a stinkie + hankie boy /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
You'll need a neck towel & gloves. Don't use the gloves when hauling ropes, save them for when you are hanging around waiting for the next problem.

Hot drinks & snax for the crew in quiet moments will make you the most popular guy on the boat.

Finally, watch what others do & how people react. You are in a confusingly familiar environment! Most of it is pretty basic, learn to watch the sail tell-tales which indicate if a sail is pulling well or stalling. If you don't understand something, ask, only prats will not be happy to explain.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Finally, watch what others do & how people react. You are in a confusingly familiar environment!

[/ QUOTE ]

One of the most dangerous things on a sailing boat is the boom, something you won't be familiar with on a mobo. Watch out for it, and for the mainsheet (that's the rope that's supposed to control it).
 
Sometimes you will be too hot when working hard, and other times too cold when sitting still so a fleece and layers under the waterproof jacket will come in handy.
More sitting in the open with water chucked over you is in store than on the mobo where there is probably more shelter for crew.
Also if it is raining, wearing two pairs of trousers inside waterproof trousers insulates your legs. The neck towel is a good idea. Also make sure your jacket sleeves have some velcro or similar at the cuffs so when you lift your arms up in the rain it doesnt run down your sleeves.
My benchmark for the 'right gear' is if I put it on at home and walk the 300m down to the pontoon and I am just 'toasty warm' its probably about right.

A crew's workload will be extremely varied from periods of total idleness waiting for starts= getting cold through to complete mayhem=steaming hot at mark roundings with spinnakers.

As for the doing things right listen, try to obey and enjoy....
 
Pocket battleships will help pass the time on long legs sat on the rail, and while your milling about between races waiting for them to decide where to put the windward mark.
 
Getting one of those tubs up to 9 knots under kite will be much scarier than doing 30+ on a stinkie!

Prioritise hanging on, and remember that you have a specific job. Stick to that and don't worry about the rest of the boat!
 
Pah! They have all got it wrong.

First you need to look cool, and I mean really cool as a crew. You must therefore look better than the owner/skipper at all times. Detail is important. This goes right down to the bag for your kit, the micro towel with the right logo, the slightly lurid sun block and of course the shades. You must get this years shades or you will look a plonker.
In terms of crewing, dont volunteer for the foredeck, and make sure you get a cosy job on the genoa winches, which means you dont have to move so far in a tack, and you move from side to side in the cockpit. A fair proportion of crew are taken along as ballast. These have to roll over the coachroof and scramble to the other side on a tack and then sit on the rail with their legs dangling over the side. You must study the coolest crew member, and emulate the posture and attitude, ad you are important to the boat psychologically if you meet another boat. The blank stare look is the most effective when looking at the crew on the other boat, but the slight movement of eyebrow or hint of a sneer or cruel smile also does it. Its a war.

Although clearly underperforming whilst still winning, when the time for a manoeuvre comes, you must all act with lightning speed, get the job done, and then quickly back into looking cool. It is a cool thing to scrutinise the set of the sails, and an almost unnoticeable nod appreciatively at your fellow crew members great work at trimming.

Learn how to pack the boat away quickly before you get back to the pontoon. The trick here is not to be seen to be rushing. The idea being that the crew looked relaxed with a beer before the other losers come in. Also, never be seen hoisting the battle flag in your victory, it should just magically appear, and then studiously ignored, as it should be your to hoist by right, as you always win, because you are the Rock Star coolest crew with the winning ways. Remember to look cool at this point.

Dont be first off the boat, and be second on the beer round. Its not cool to be too eager.

Join in the crew games in the evening, and you may act like a (bit of) a plonker after 10pm when no one is watching, but nothing disastrous like puking into the Admirals Vase or sim'lar. But remain cool with the shades on the head now. Remember not to stare at anybody, because your shades are no longer protecting you, just look languid, and therefore cool.

Above all, be cool at all times.
 
ROFLMAO........

You forgot a few things....

Always have 3 mars bars in your kit bag plus a toothbrush with the handle cut off.

Essential wear is a pair of suede leather gloves with no finger tips.

Before leaving any pontoon, it is crucial that at least 11 different sails are comprehensively repacked on the pontoon, along with the all too important rolling up of the main into a tube of no more than 18" diameter. Remember the secret here is to have all the sails on the pontoon at the same time. If the sail can be kept in a bag 8m long and need 3 crew to carry, all the better.

It is also worthwhile mentioning the importance of perfecting the 'boat mounting technique'. It can only be considered 'cool' to take a large spring onto the boat with absolutely no touching of the guard wires. Dragging yourself up while hanging desperately onto the stanchions is reserved firmly for the owner. Super status is acheived by doing this as late as possible before the boat leaves. Experts will wait until the ropes have been cast off, and the boat is moving.

If you can find such a treasure, you will generate huge credibility by wearing a polo style shirt with the words 'Fastnet 84' emboidered on it... take care to leave the collar turned up. It is important that it is in pristine condition, and well laundered.

Last, but not least, ensure that your deck shoes are extremely tatty, with evidence of salt staining worth extra merit, the laces suitably welded into a permanent knot, and definitely, definitely, definitely, no socks!
 
Brilliant!

Non-boaty but extreme sport shirts count for extra points. eg:

Kamakazi snowboard race 2003
RN field gun team
Suicide Sunday TT racers
Bungy jump by bollox team

Oh and battered Mount Gay hats are good too.
 
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