How do you treat your crew?

[Mrs Sea Mist II]

I come from the school of sailing which says every manoeuvre should be performed quietly with skip and crew knowing what they are trying to achieve. I do not believe there is any place on board for skip or crew shouting at each other, unless, of course a raised voice is needed purely so you can hear each other. What do others think?

 

[Robin]

I come from the school of sailing which says every manoeuvre should be performed quietly with skip and crew knowing what they are trying to achieve. I do not believe there is any place on board for skip or crew shouting at each other, unless, of course a raised voice is needed purely so you can hear each other. What do others think?

That is my belief also and is certainly our stated objective.. The rule is normal conversation volume, so no shouting from bow or deck to cockpit, go back to do it. We are just two so no spare message passers as deck runners.

For some situations, like entering say the visitors berths in a crowded marina like Cherbourg at night looking for a vacant spot, we use a simple kids headset walkie-talkie (2 way, no 'over') which means we can even whisper politely to each other, or if we do occasionally get ruder nobody hears but us! 'Get that ****ing line on NOW'.

Like many I'm sure we have all done the shouting bit, but generally if we hear this on a boat approaching our space it is time to be ready for action, just in case!

 

[monkfish24]

I'm from a completely different school of sailing, if somethings not being done quick enough, shout until it's being done at twice the speed you want it done.

That's only during racing mind.

Normally I'm very relaxed, 90% of the people I take out sailing are Freinds who are non sailors. I'm very keen to groom them into being a regular crew so I make lots of tacks and gybes whilst explaining what needs to be done. When the basics are done, it's easy enough to go onto other things. The first thing they all say is, I didn't realise it was that easy, can I come again.

The only person I get frustrated with is the Father, he's got more sailing tickets than he knows what to do with but is slow as hell. Normally it takes about 4 orders from "command" with the last one usually being "DAD I NEED THIS DONE, NOW"

 

[Twister_Ken]

I'm a traditionalist.

Rum, bum and the lash.

 

[nathanlee]

"Do what you want, if you get hurt it's your fault. If you don't know, ask. Enjoy yourself"

 

[Athene V30]

My crew is excellent, well trained, polite, seems to be able to read my mind on everything, produces tea, chocolate just when I want it so never any need to shout. Then again I sail singlehanded!

 

[rivonia]

Yup agree nice and quite. We haved devised a signal system so no need to shout or even talk
we also have our set routines. As there are just the two of us it works a treat.

Peter

 

[Fire99]

Well it's easy when it's all going on to raise your voice. Sometimes it's enthusiasm other times it's a lack of patience. (surely not! ) But I agree, there's no point shouting at your friends unless you really are gonna save them from getting hurt.

Best to keep things calm and if they do something wrong just make 'em walk the plank.

 

[Wandering Star]

I'm a traditionalist.

Rum, bum and the lash.

Yep, I'm with you on this Ken and I'd add physical and verbal abuse too if the job needs doing better or faster.

Cheers, Brian.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I come from the school of sailing which says every manoeuvre should be performed quietly with skip and crew knowing what they are trying to achieve. I do not believe there is any place on board for skip or crew shouting at each other, unless, of course a raised voice is needed purely so you can hear each other. What do others think?

I agree completely. In many cases I think the whole idea of skippering is vastly oversold by those who fancy themselves too much and like shouting at people. Yachts are small pleasure vessels, for crying out loud and not, however much some might like it, eighteenth century men o' war.

 

[Ludd]

If in danger or in doubt,
Scream and shout and jump about!

But I sail singlehanded!

 

[hoverjumper]

SWMBO and a friend did a Comp Crew Cse this year. The instructor constantly preached that he didn't believe in shouting on board, and then proceeded to scream and shout at every opportunity. Needless to say they didn't have a fun time!

 

[Nico]

SWMBO and a friend did a Comp Crew Cse this year. The instructor constantly preached that he didn't believe in shouting on board, and then proceeded to scream and shout at every opportunity. Needless to say they didn't have a fun time!

There's theory and there's practice. I've never known anybody to recommend shouting but I seem to hear a lot of it when racing. Could it be that those same skippers espouse the calm and informed school, same as the rest of us?

 

[johnalison]

People only shout either because they're that sort, or because they've gone beyond their level of competence and failed to give the right directions in good time. I think it happens to most of occasionally.

 

[Ceirwan]

Sometimes people need a good kick up the backside!
Especially when your shouting 'Get your head down NOW!' seconds before you have a wipeout under spinnaker sometimes including a crash jibe.

 

[Searush]

Treat them? TREAT them? TREAT THEM! I'll treat them to a stream of abuse if they don't know what needs doing before I do!

Problem is they need so much hi-power training when they come for their first trip, then don't come back for the second lesson, so I sail alone much of the time.

SWMBO, son & g-daughter have been sailing with me for many years & enjoy their annual holiday, but don't actually have enough interest in nav or passage planning or the sailing to learn much about it. They will help when asked to, but need detailed, simple instructions. They are happy to help with basics, putting sails up, picking up/ dropping moorings, steering a course etc. but they state a preferred destination & leave the passage plan & nav to me.

It is sometimes difficult to explain a complex manouvre in detail before doing it & often the plan has to change halfway thro'. In addition, because I am used to sailing single-handed I know where every thing is & how it should be set up. Shouting tends to be counter-productive, but is a good indicator that you have not prepared well.

 

[kengill]

Give them an inch and they'll take a foot, give them a foot and they'll take a yard, give them a yard and they'll take the only damn inch you don't want them to. As to treating them - I let them breathe (quietly) don't I?

 

[puddock]

Treat the b*ggers with the contempt they deserve ......... (Please don't tell the wife I said that or I'll be scrubbing decks for the forseeable future! )

 

[Poignard]

Who wants responsibility without power?

 

[peterb]

In general, yes, everything quiet and restrained. Not just because that's the way things should be, but also because it gives you another gear. If the crew are used to quiet orders, then when you need that extra bit of speed for some reason you can raise your voice and get them jumping. I can only remember doing it three times, but each time it worked. If they're used to being shouted at, then how can you step up a gear?