How do I become a better sailor

[tudorsailor]

Here I am in mid-50s. I am not someone who sailed as a boy. I did a bit of windsurfing and dinghy sailing in 20s and 30s. Started yachting in mid 40s on a Sunsail learning flotilla. Have owned a yacht for 5 years. Have done YM theory. Did a Coastal Skipper course with instructor on my yacht.

The problem with sailing is that as skipper I rarely have anyone more experienced than me on board from whom to learn. I recently had PYD sail my yacht back to the UK and I joined the crew for the Biscay Crossing. The young skipper had huge experience and I learned a lot in the 4 days.

It strikes me that sailing is a solo sport - even when crew are on board, and most of us learn by mistakes. However there are things one can only learn by someone else showing one what to do in a given situation.

One thing I think I ought to do is to mentally do a "what if" scenario, when in a new situation. For example, on my recent charter in the BVIs I came out of a marina through a narrow channel with breaking surf on both sides. If my engine had failed, or I got a rope propped (as happened to another member of the flotilla) I ought to have been ready to hoist a sail very quickly. As it was I simply motored out uneventfully.

Another thing that maybe useful, is a notebook to note what went well and what went badly after each sail. It is rare to have a perfect sail so the what went badly would rapidly fill up! This is a technique being introduced into UK surgical practice.

How to other forumnites feel about learning more???

TS

 

[KristiferColumbus]

Here I am in mid-50s. I am not someone who sailed as a boy. I did a bit of windsurfing and dinghy sailing in 20s and 30s. Started yachting in mid 40s on a Sunsail learning flotilla. Have owned a yacht for 5 years. Have done YM theory. Did a Coastal Skipper course with instructor on my yacht.

The problem with sailing is that as skipper I rarely have anyone more experienced than me on board from whom to learn. I recently had PYD sail my yacht back to the UK and I joined the crew for the Biscay Crossing. The young skipper had huge experience and I learned a lot in the 4 days.

It strikes me that sailing is a solo sport - even when crew are on board, and most of us learn by mistakes. However there are things one can only learn by someone else showing one what to do in a given situation.

One thing I think I ought to do is to mentally do a "what if" scenario, when in a new situation. For example, on my recent charter in the BVIs I came out of a marina through a narrow channel with breaking surf on both sides. If my engine had failed, or I got a rope propped (as happened to another member of the flotilla) I ought to have been ready to hoist a sail very quickly. As it was I simply motored out uneventfully.

Another thing that maybe useful, is a notebook to note what went well and what went badly after each sail. It is rare to have a perfect sail so the what went badly would rapidly fill up! This is a technique being introduced into UK surgical practice.

How to other forumnites feel about learning more???

TS

Sounds like your boat is to big for you.I don't agree that "However there are things one can only learn by someone else showing one what to do in a given situation."
Get a smaller boat & learn by your mistakes.Your confidence will grow & there truly is no better feeling than to know that you are master of your own show,so to speak.

 

[sarabande]

I think it is a matter of developing one's own SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) so that for every procedure, from stepping on board, to checking the batteries, to hoisting and changing sails, there is a routine with checkpoints.

A novice might have to be very rigorous in doing A, then, B, then C...., but even as a relatively experienced sailor (perhaps influenced by what I do for a living ) I tend to have a number of 'what if' scenarios running round my head at every moment. These may be low impact ones, such as a shift in the wind as we thread our way along a narrow river, to more serious ones such as the engine quitting, or sudden alteration of course by an approaching vessel. I try to have a reaction or assessment routine ready to hand, so that at the very least there's no wasted time in responding.

It's interesting to note that my sailing partner, with even more experience than me, is the same. There is constant vigilance: a turning of the head to check the wake angle or a transit, a quick feel of the balance in the tiller, an awareness of moving into a different tidal stream. It's never a question of just sitting with a can in the hand. You become part of the boat - perhaps more so in a raggie, than a mobo - or perhaps the boat becomes part of you, an extension of your physical sensations and perceptions ?


The learning process can be direct and very personal (don't cut lines with the knife blade towards you !) but the combined experience of previous generations of sailing and motoring people is a resource which can be 'learned' best by working with experienced sailors, by reading books, or by using youtube (for splicing multiplait, f'rinstance !).

Often, the lessons learned can be best systematised if they are written down as you suggest, or perhaps by open discussion without judgement.

In a way, it's like watching a skilled person in any walk of life; they make whatever they are doing look easy and without fuss.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Sail with other people through a club, or a social network like this. Hardly matters whether they're a guest on your boat or you on theirs, you'll get some cross-fertilisation of ideas.

 

[Achillesheel]

Not sure how Kristifer has concluded the OP's boat is too big. I would say that all owner/skippers are in the same position, and the OP is doing all he can; learning by experience, doing the RYA courses, etc.

I guess its a bit like driving; you don't usually seek additional tuition once you have been driving for a while.

Going back to sailing; I think that extra knowledge comes from reviewing each trip or manouevre after you've done it, and thinking about what could have gone better, what you did wrong, etc.

And the "what if" scenario is always useful - as you approach a particular manouevre, such a mooring, anchoring, leaving a berth - thinking about what could go wrong, and what you could do if it did.

 

[BurnitBlue]

In my opinion becoming a better sailor is more about guts and courage than learning.

If a person has the guts and courage to venture out of the marina in all weather he will learn very quickly.

If a person wants to improve his perceived skills in benign weather then basically it is a waste of time and effort.

 

[activesail]

You certainly have gone down the right path with doing a day skipper course and the YM theory.

Perhaps a good way to learn more and build confidence would be to invite a more experienced person to sail with you on a few short passages or pay a professional skipper to provide home boat tuition over a short passage.

I improved my sailing ability by doing a Yachtmaster Course coupled with lots of Nautical Miles and multiple port entries.

In my experience a period of good tuition, builds confidence and increases one's enjoyment of sailing ten fold.

Well worth it, Yachtmaster Ocean is my next goal..

 

[shmoo]

I started much like you. First boat was Sigma 362. I agree with sarabande. Think everything through. Preparation is like armor. Good luck is another way of saying "well prepared". Write down your SOPs - laminated and BIG PRINT.

Think of contingencies relentlessly. Make big plans and don't be afraid of backing off from them to plan B (or C, or even giving up)

Hardly anyone actually dies of sailing

 

[BobPrell]

This thread has given you a lot of value straight off. Your ideas are good already.

It's called critical reflection in some circles. Always of one's own efforts, often of the efforts of others.

I feel there is an existing tyrrany of the racing set, which affects many practices to the detriment of seamanship. For example, most operators I know seem to think it is always dangerous to sail in a channel or yacht harbour, so they only raise sails out in open water where waves are, and have no alternate means of propulsion in restricted places. I wonder what mobos do for an alternative?

If a yacht is supplied with heaps of shackles, hooks, clutches, cam cleats and so forth, is it any wonder that the ability to lash and tie knots degrades to nothing?

Don't get me started on electronics.

In my environment I see lots of yacht-racers but few sailors (used to be called seamen but can be either gender).

I am a tad older and I often why good practise does not just naturally drive bad practise out of existence.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

A fellow late starter. Excellent!

I too learned to sail in my 40's. Bought a nice big boat, did all the RYA courses, and then set about learning to sail. Nothing wrong with that. It was only one I had my Yachtmaster Ocean that I realised how little I knew. Still learning something new every time we go out, but several things have been a big help.

• I read lots of sailing books, both instructional and fictional.
• Sailing with someone that has more experience than you is a big help, and as time goes by you feel more able to evaluate their processes, rather than just assume they are correct.
• I had a couple of days with Tom Cunliffe. I really liked his approach as he is very much in the "there are several different ways to skin a cat" school. He offered several options to lots of things and allowed us to make our own decisions.
• I built a 12 foot wooden dinghy and sailed it in local calm waters. A few hours on that taught me more about boat handling than several days on the bigger beastie.
• There is lots of great stuff in the monthly sailing magazines. To start with I read them all.
• Do some racing on someone else's boat, but make sure it is someone that has enough spare capacity to talk you through what and why they are doing it. Best to just be an afterguard with no responsibility so you can watch and listen. Avoid getting talked into doing something you are unsure about and especially avoid anyone who shouts.
• Do lots of short hops. Its going into and out of harbours, anchorages and rivers that really compress the learning skills.

Having said all that, I have several times felt it would be good if further formal education was available. I discussed this with the RYA and asked them why they stopped at Yachtmaster Ocean. The head of their training department said they had no plans to do anything further as they couldn't make any money out of it as there were less people likely to sign up. He suggested I do commercial exams, but that is not an acceptable route for me as the syllabus contains a lot of stuff aimed at those who are gonig to be in the commercial environment, and just having retired from the world of commerce, I hardly want to go straight back into it!

 

[Koeketiene]

The problem with sailing is that as skipper I rarely have anyone more experienced than me on board from whom to learn.

You can learn things from other people, but they can not teach you 'experience'.
IMHO you need more time on the boat.

When we started sailing as a family, we spent every free moment on the boat - to the exclusion of all else.
We learnt by making every mistake in the book (and some that aren't) ourselves.

One decade down the line we're now at a level where I like to think we make half-decent sailors.

Leaning is a never ending process. I learn something new, every day (on and off the boat).

Get out there and sail more - lots more.

 

[Ceirwan]

It depends what you mean by better?

Do you want to be able to sail the boat better / faster / and with more control?
Then I would suggest participating in racing, as this will teach you loads, your forced to make every effort to get the best from your boat, and in doing so will learn a hell of a lot.
I'd also suggest whenever you can, sail on and off the mooring or anchor, it's great fun, and a great way to show off. Theres no greater satisfaction then dropping the last of the sail and stopping perfectly inches from the pontoon


In terms of overall seamanship, I would class that as the ability to deal with whatever situations arose, thats just experience really, push yourself outside your comfort zone, go outside when its blowing a hoolie and learn how to handle your boat in the conditions, it will be wet but exhilarating, I like to experiment and learn things by trial and error, I always find self found knowledge stays better than taught .

Best of luck !

 

[Searush]

Not sure how Kristifer has concluded the OP's boat is too big. I would say that all owner/skippers are in the same position, and the OP is doing all he can; learning by experience, doing the RYA courses, etc.
(snip)

The point is that a dinghy teaches sailing - ie handling a boat under sail, mainly because it has no engine & there is no other option (oars generally require you to remove the sails & possibly the rig)

With a cruiser, most people just put the engine on when sailing becomes less than simple.

 

[Babylon]

Here I am in mid-50s. I am not someone who sailed as a boy. I did a bit of windsurfing and dinghy sailing in 20s and 30s. Started yachting in mid 40s. Have owned a yacht for 5 years. Have done YM theory. Did a Coastal Skipper course with instructor on my yacht.

The problem with sailing is that as skipper I rarely have anyone more experienced than me on board from whom to learn....The young skipper had huge experience and I learned a lot in the 4 days.

It strikes me that sailing is a solo sport - even when crew are on board, and most of us learn by mistakes. However there are things one can only learn by someone else showing one what to do in a given situation....

How to other forumnites feel about learning more???

TS

Your trajectory and quest to improve yourself as a sailor is almost identical to my own! As to learning more, there are several parallel ways I approach it:

* Read every book you can - my library is ludicrously large, from Alan Villiers through Tom Cunliffe and Lyn+Larry Pardy to Roger Taylor (The Simple Sailor).
* Push yourself a little further each season, in a seamanlike way of course, and learn from your own mistakes. (I don't note these down, apart from in the boat's own log, but I seem to always remember the bigger lessons the sea has taught me!).
* Crew occassionally for other more experienced sailors - for EG I did this cross-channel the year before I skippered my own first own crossing to France.
* Frequent these fora - I cannot say just how much I've learnt from Scuttlebut and PBO's, both from posts started by others, and by the responses to posts I've started sharing my own experiences.

Babs

 

[KristiferColumbus]

Not sure how Kristifer has concluded the OP's boat is too big. I would say that all owner/skippers are in the same position, and the OP is doing all he can; learning by experience, doing the RYA courses, etc.

An "Oyster 49" looks like the sort of thing to me that is to big to be handled single handed to me & you are hardly likely to be in touch with Nature.Just push a button & get yourself out of trouble would mitigate against learning the real skills it seems to me.(he actually said he relied on his engine when leaving harbour & why would'nt you if you have all that technology at your disposal).Having only had dodgy old second/tenth hand engines & stuff makes you pretty self reliant.
I also have doubts about RYA courses giving you experience but then I have never bothered with them.For my money there really is no substitute to working your way up from a rowing boat.
Hope this explains matters.

 

[Babylon]

7 years is my rule of thumb

I recently had PYD sail my yacht back to the UK and I joined the crew for the Biscay Crossing. The young skipper had huge experience and I learned a lot in the 4 days. TS

I've always believed that - whatever one's work or endeavour - it takes about seven years of it full-time to enounter and deal with almost every likely scenario, at which point one can be called 'experienced'. After about 14 years of it, one can be considered to be 'pretty-experienced', and after 21 years or so 'highly-experienced' or 'expert'.

If I manage, as an amateur sailor, to sail for a total of say 8 week a year for the next twenty years, that equates to about 3.5 years full time, so by retirement age I'd consider myself to have become reasonably-experienced.

But this all depends on whether I spend these 20 years just pottering around inshore waters, or pepper this with more extensive cruising (North Sea, Baltic, down-Channel, Biscay, round-Britain, Ireland, etc), let alone ocean-crossings.

So your delivery skipper: although young, maybe he had parents who sailed, then trained right up to YM (instead of going to college) and has spent a few years crossing seas and oceans - he's bound to know an awful lot more than you.

 

[Madhatter]

I have just started to sail in my early 60's and last season was my "how to handle my boat stage without sinking it or bumping into anybody " not how to sail, in other words what does what and cause and effects.I have been out in calm ,torrential rain huge winds ( well huge to me !)big swells just to see what happens and what I need to do to stay safe ( I always made sure there was somebody looking out for me on shore in case I got into trouble ).I felt that by getting familiar with my environment would give me more chance to concentrate on learning how to sail.
This season I intend to start learning how to sail.

 

[Achillesheel]

I didn't spot that you went straight to such a large boat. A few sessions in a dinghy will teach you a great deal of sail handling, manouevring under sail, etc.

 

[dylanwinter]

park the Oyster - buy a slug

my advice is to park the oyster somewhere for a summer and buy a £2.000 clunker - an old corribbee or seawych or a slug and go sailing by yourself

the smaller boat will sharpen your recations, its more forgiving when you run aground or screw up arriving at a pontoon and you will also get see to some great parts of this coastline that are utterly closed to the depth challenged behemoths.

in fact, heres a deal, I will rent the slug to you for a summer

Dylan

 

[Victoria Sponge]

What a good thread. I'm finding the suggestions very interesting and helpful.