Aide memoirs and useful tricks for remembering stuff boaty

DreadShips said:
I'll be honest, I find it much easier to remember what I'm doing with a compass by either drawing a quick diagram or mentally holding an orienteering compass in my hand.

And if I ever have to get out of the way of a working minesweeper I've got bigger problems than his lights confusing me...
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It was posted as example .. not as a real situation !! I too would be extremely concerned if I had to sort out Minesweepers lights near me !

mmmmm actually I have had 3 occasions to see Minesweepers lights .... Libyan coast working seismic ! ..... Red Sea when working for Saudi Petromin ...... Iran - Iraq Conflict when I was Officer on Shuttle Tankers in the war zone ...

I watched the Bridgetown sailing up the Gulf in front of the convoy and she hit the mine ...

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RunAgroundHard said:
CADET (compass add east true)
WOBBLE (water, oil, belt, bilge, levels, exhaust)
Sudden Rise After Low Sure Sign Of A Stronger Blow
Da da da dahhhhhh (Beethoven's 5th, U are standing into danger)
White over Red, pilot boat, always sitting on their arse, red bum
Red over white, fishing boat, fisherman always pissed, red nose
Flag W I require medical assistance, whisky to aid recovery.

That's all I can remember from an age ago.
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your morse is a bit rusty!
 
I used to have a few aide memoirs …. rhyming ones etc etc…. and be able to quote them, but I have forgotten them . That does worry me….. but not a lot I can do about it , so I just let it go and grow another bit older.
 
When old rhyming advice about the weather proves to be correct it leaves a strange feeling, almost as if nothing has changed for Centuries, when we all know weather patterns and seasonal differences have changed.
Sailing up the Spanish Coast years ago in fine settled weather, bound for Cap de la Nau which I used to use as a departure point for the Balearic Islands, the sky started to cloud over. ' Mackerel skies and Mares tails makes tall ships carry low sails.'
Hot and sunny, nice breeze and yet I dived into Cartagena, Past the Spanish Navy berths and went into a Marina.
From about 18.00 hrs that evening it blew an absolute screamer for nearly 24 hours. Sometimes it's good to at least consider old wisdoms.
 
veshengro said:
When old rhyming advice about the weather proves to be correct it leaves a strange feeling, almost as if nothing has changed for Centuries, when we all know weather patterns and seasonal differences have changed.
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The underlying physics hasn't changed though, just the amount of energy in the system. What I really enjoy is learning why some of the old rhymes work - especially when you realise that a phrase works but in a way you hadn't expected because you'd misinterpreted it.
 
DreadShips said:
. . . What I really enjoy is learning why some of the old rhymes work - especially when you realise that a phrase works but in a way you hadn't expected because you'd misinterpreted it.
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Not nautical, but I found 'A stitch in time saves nine' completely baffling as a child. How do you stitch time, I wondered? And why would you need nine of them?

It was many years later the penny dropped, and it seems completely obvious now.
 
Another non nautical saying that is an absolute life saver. When instructing raw recruits or even more time served personnel who lack regular experience in the use of magazine fed firearms, a good teaching aid to ensure safe handling by proper drills is to teach,
Save.................Safety catch...............check safety catch is 'on'
My ...................Magazine....................Remove magazine
Bacon..............Breech...........................Check the Breech is clear.

Save my Bacon, Safety Catch, Magazine, Breech. easy to remember even when knackered or under pressure. Works for Civvy Sportsmen too (y)
 
For the novice - PORT is red is left
The drink is red
Four letters in port and left.

As for Cardinals
N & S speak for themselves top mark ponts up N down for S
East mark - You can draw an E through the cones pointing in opposite directions
/🔺
----
\🔻
and for a West mark, a W through the cones pointing towards eachother.
🔻
VV
🔺
 
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MontyMariner said:
For the novice - PORT is red is left
The drink is red
Four letters in port and left.

As for Cardinals
N & S speak for themselves top mark ponts up N down for S
East mark - You can draw an E through the cones pointing in opposite directions
/🔺
----
\🔻
and for a West mark, a W through the cones pointing towards eachother.
🔻
VV
🔺
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Lay the West on its side and its a W ... only leaves East then ...
 
MontyMariner said:
For the novice - PORT is red is left
The drink is red
Four letters in port and left.

As for Cardinals
N & S speak for themselves top mark ponts up N down for S
East mark - You can draw an E through the cones pointing in opposite directions
/🔺
----
\🔻
and for a West mark, a W through the cones pointing towards eachother.
🔻
VV
🔺
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East cardinal - Egg shaped
West cardinal - has a Waist

- W
 
zoidberg said:
'THIS WAY UP' stencilled on catamaran hulls.
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I think it was the '68 OSTAR when the RM were buzzing about in IRCs with 'Royal Marines' painted in big letters on the side. Someone made a comment along the line of 'That's great publicity but what if you f**k up'. The response was that they'd painted 'Parachute Regiment' on the underside.
 
zoidberg said:
Ah, yes.

"If you stand with your back to the wind, with low pressure on your left.... you know you're in the Northern Hemisphere."
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There's also Buys Ballots' Second Law, which is that the wind will neither be doing what you need nor what the forecast promised, unless you're safely tucked up at home several hours away from the boat - in which case it will be perfect for sailing in every respect.
 
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