Essential Skills Serious and Frivolous.

[Dominic]

I was doing a very dull job under a boat (out of the water) when the brain started wandering.
If compulsory licensing is introduced - (and that is not the subject - I haven´t made up my mind on that one yet) -

What would be the two or three essential topics you think should be tested ?

(Collregs and diesel engine maintenance, for example.)



Then the silly bit, I began to ask myself what are the really essential skills.

Being able to use the heads in heavy seas without landing a drop outside the bowl.
Being able to move silently across a rafted boat with a high blood alchohol level.





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[snowleopard]

got to be the top of the list- get down in the galley and produce a decent meal first night out - without chucking up.

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[Peppermint]

Re: Three spring to mind

Keeping dry. Both you and your kit. Thats a real art that pays off if your out for a while.

Kipping. If you can keep your Z level up no matter what conditions are like you'll remain useful.

Heads servicing. If you can cheerfully resolve a back pressure situation when all around you are in desperate need your a hero.

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[Evadne]

There are a number of old-fashioned skills that do seem to be disappearing:

Coming alongside a busy marina pontoon without shouting at the crew or using the engine at full revs.
Rowing the inflatable ashore.
Giving way to other boats that have the right of way over you. (Instead of knowing the colregs and not applying them).

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[Twister_Ken]

knowing what a racing yacht is going to do next

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[iangrant]

There would only be a fraction of the charter yachts out or racing should a qualification be required!!

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[jac]

Essential skill - not taking the one berth that I want
Essential skill2 - being able to carry on breathing after the Marina bill arrives.

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[Mirelle]

Getting a 12 ton boat with a 12 foot bowsprit into and out of a marina, armed only with a 15hp engine and a quarter mounted propeller.

Knowing how to tame the staysail boom.

Stowing a 450 sq ft heavy dressed cotton gaff mainsail without blinding the helmsperson for more than a couple of minutes.

Not going purple when someone of the yellowellied persuasion strolls down a pontoon and says to their companion, with an air of invincible authority, "There's a nice example of a Gasworks Creek Musseldrudger; they actually used to sail those!"



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[Dominic]

Yes !

I like that.

A test condition - that anything that has to be done on the test is done IN SILENCE !!!

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[Dominic]

Re: Three spring to mind

Good ones.
Apparently frivolous but actually serious.
Your first two could, in certain conditions, seriously affect whether or not the yacht will make its passage or become a casualty.

The third, well - heroes wear rubber gloves.

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[graham]

Re: Three spring to mind

I once did some head unblocking wearing a pair of latex gloves of the type doctors etc use.

Finished the job and thought these gloves are bloody marvelous ,you wouldnt know you were wearing them.

When I took them off I found all that was left was a rubber ring around each wrist....Stops you biting your nails for a while.

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[Guest]

Being able to wear white trousers to the local YC while cruising in a 33' with a big dog.

Score a Yachtmaster if can achieve the same while getting ashore in a dinghy ...

<hr width=100% size=1>Humperdinck

Email: HJ@Seacracker.org
Website: www.seacracker.org

 

[Evadne]

<<while getting ashore in a dinghy... >>
... a black avon redcrest.

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