Inexperienced crew briefings

[dralex]

How far do you go with crew briefings. I spent the weekend on the boat with a friend who has very little experience and it was just the two of us. I'd be interested to hear what forumites think is important- usually I'm with at least one other person with experience.

Had a cracking sail on Saturday- sailed towards France for a couple of hours while the tide took us sideways for a lovely broad reach back into Dartmouth. The River Dart was beautifully deserted, but all but one of the visitors moorings at Dittisham was taken up with wintering boats. SPent a great evening in the Ferry Boat inn where the food is still lovely and the locals great. The only down side was the gas heating on the boat gave out at 0300 when it became too cold for gas!!

So far, Winter sailing is great- you feel like you've really gained something that others haven't.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.

 

[claymore]

I tend to do it as we are going along.
Normally ask children to put on a lifejacket but briefings can turn into a big list of "don'ts" and the idea is to make this a positive experience so rather than hitting them with the list, just quietly explain why, if you see something about to develop that you'd rather it didn't.
Its a bit like teaching knots really - no point in teaching a bowline if you don't explain when it would be used - far better to say 'We normally use a bowling in this situation - that looks like this' - do it, undo it, get them to do it - then it is remembered.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
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http://www.whoi.edu/services/facilities/CLAYMORE/

 

[powerskipper]

When I have first day students for a course I keep it simple.
show them how to put a LIFE JACKET ON AND HOW IT WORKS,
That when casting off everyones on the boat, non of this jumping on at the last min.
No one on side decks with letting me know first.
where the radio is and a quick how to use it, and show them the flairs,
If a course , they are shown how to throw a rope and tie up, and fenders before we leave the berth, as no point in going out if can't get back in as well.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/>http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/</A>
Julie

 

[claymore]

Show them the flares?
Why would you do that then?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
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http://www.whoi.edu/services/facilities/CLAYMORE/

 

[Ohdrat]

I tend to give a "how to stay on the boat and use the winches without loosing fingers" brief then as we go along I try and explain how to do things safely... and why.. try and explain things in terms of does rather than don'ts ..

Generally find that people are usually very keen to know how to stay safe, clip on, how life jacket works etc Not yet had to cope with a gung ho looney .....yet!

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[powerskipper]

they need to know what they are and when to use it. Only takes five min to do.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/>http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/</A>
Julie

 

[Twister_Ken]

>show them the flairs<

I keep my flairs at the back of the wardrobe. I'm waiting for them to 'come round again'.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[claymore]

Just how much trouble do you plan on getting into?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
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[ChrisE]

I'd go along with all of the above and add that if I'm the only experienced one on board I go through how to do a mayday (using 999 from mobile in range) and where to look on the gps for a position , in case I go swimming. I also show them how to try to get back to me using the engine.

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[jimi]

Flairs in the cupboard under the stairs?

Weel I keep ma flair under ma feet ... jist where a deck ought tae be, but ye wullnae ken too muckle aboot that!

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[Ohdrat]

TK flairs are back in again.. have been for some time.. reeaaally you need to read more Cosmo .. will ask Trinny and Suzanna to call you ..

So suggest you get your flairs out....pronto

 

[Twister_Ken]

Last time I read Cosmo I injured myself looking for my g-spot.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[Wardy]

Myself and swmbo (The lovely Julie) were the inexperienced crew on a friend's yacht in September, the first time ever we'd sailed. Our briefing was progressive from the moment we stepped aboard; the Skipper never bombarded us with information, which we found better than if he had, more information was retained.
How to use the sea toilet and where the sea cocks are located.
Where the first aid kit is located.
Emergency use of the VHF.
Where the flares are and how to use them.
Engine switch on and off.
Life jackets covered just before we left the Marina including manual inflation, should the auto not work, and the presence of a whistle.
Tying in points as we started out.
Under sail his instruction filled the gaps between converation. He kept us busy, allowing us to take control and 'hands-on' sail. As we made mistakes he let us try to resolve them ourselves, giving hints if we needed them but also adding safety aspects as we progressed.
Taking in sails and switching back to engine formed a very basic MOB scenario and all was explained about the crew's and skipper's responsibilities in that sit6uation.
By the end of the day we had recieved a wealth of information without ever being bombarded, most of it we had used in a minor degree as we were given scenarios to enact (tell how we would respond) at quieter moments.
There's a lot to remember for a totally novice crew and i really believe that just going through a long check list is too much for people to take on board, a progressive, hands-on, approach is digested by the mind much better.



<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Wardy on 15/11/2004 11:44 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[dralex]

Those are the lines I was thinking along ie how do I make it as safe as possible for me and for him. Here's what I covered:

Lifejacket and harness
DSC VHF, Position from GPS and radio, Handheld VHF
Mayday script card by VHF
Flares
Engine Starting
10 minutes practice under power, just to get the feel of things.
Brief MOB/ Me injured.

This took about half an hour after which he felt a lot more confident and so did I.
From a fairly novice sailor, he ended up helming on a screaming reach at 8 knots and doing well at it. Big grins all round. It's a challenge getting the correct balance of need to know and information overload, but this semed to work for him. Everthing else was learnt by experience as the day went along.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.

 

[masterofnone]

No 1. GAS. Explain dangers of gas on board, how to turn cooker off. Incl. fire extinguishers
No 2. Lifejackets
No3 MOB procedure, picking up lost fender with no input from me.
this list could become endless but dont want to scare the newbies away, so normally play it cool.

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[geoffatstanpit]

I spend a week or two each year taking "air" cadets out in JSASTC Foxterriers from HMS Hornet in Gosport.

It's a bit different from taking a bunch of mates out in that they are pretty much used to doing what they're told but even so I'm always conscious of what might arise in the current litiginous climate if I mislaid or damaged a cadet. On the other hand half an hour of lecturing results in rapid loss of interest and that is very counter-productive.

The first thing is rule number one - NOONE EVER FALLS OFF. Clip on (lifejackets with built-in harness) and hang on.

Then I go round the boat starting inside where I explain the loo (much amusement), select a jib for the day, look at the charts and go through the mayday procedure (following the big poster on the cabin wall.

Then round the deck - mast, shrouds and stays - what holds it all up and what is or isn't strong enough to clip on to.

Halyards and sheets, hank on the jib and lead the sheets. Main cover off and show how it's effectively the same as the jib. These boats have a rope main luff and no slides so I like to explain how to get it down mainly because that is the only job on the boat you can't do single-handed without the lot falling in the sea.

Then the engine, starting and gears. Then the warps & fenders (marina berth situation - something I'm not used to!) so that
the crew can be of some apparant use when we come back.

That seems to cover all that's needed to make an apparantly controlled departure under the eye of the RN! Everything else
gets explained as we go along.

I find it very hard to do the same thing with a half-knowlegable crew of friends where I tend to be much less formal but try to keep a close eye on their performance as we go along and brief as necessary. I still tell everyone about RULE ONE.

Geoff

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[tome]

Quick tour below then

1) Bog, makes sure the handle is left in the pump-out position (usually delegate this briefing to experienced crew).

2) VHF and how to read the crib sheet

3) Engine start and stop, all new crew go through the procedure.

4) Autopilot select and disable

Then get under way and demonstrate lifejackets/harnesses underway with each crew assigned a numbered jacket to be adjusted to fit. Novice crew take a turn on the helm with a full circle to port and starboard on the way out.

I'm very influenced by the Chris Evans incident where nobody was able to help the skipper when he went overboard.

All remaining briefings (flares, EPIRB, MOB etc) come later to avoid overload. Item 1 is essential, and 2 - 4 are fun to learn.

My tuppence.

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[Ships_Cat]

Sounds to me that some of the briefings are more fitting to a moon trip rather than a pleasant sail.

Doesn't seem to me to be much point putting the wind up new comers, who may already be anxious enough, over things that hardly ever happen. They generally have enough on their minds other than trying to remember and worrying about how the lifejackets fit, where the flares, EPIRB and radio are and how to operate them, MOB, etc, etc, etc, etc.

In the end, in case of an emergency, hopefully the crew know what to do (like on the planes /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif).

John

<hr width=100% size=1>I am the cat but I am only 6.

 

[Joe_Cole]

I'm sure that the detailed briefings are the right thing to do, but I must be a laid back.

1. I always explain the heads.

2. Always make the lifejackets available and try to make them relaxed about using the things.

3. A quick explanation of where we are going and what conditions will be like.

4. I always tell them that if they don't feel happy we can always return. (I want them to enjoy it!)

5. Beyond that it depends on the individual and what we are planning to do.



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[dralex]

Hi Joe- I agree with your point about if they're not happy then we can always turn back. I also do some confidence building gradual heeling just so they know the boat won't fall over- I remember that being one of the things that made me nervous when first going on a big boat.

I disagree with Ships Cat about putting the wind up people. My feeling is that novices feel safer and more confident after a gentle briefing. I also know that we all say we'll never go OB or get injured, but these things do happen and I'd like to know there is at least one person on the boat who is able to raise the alarm or get back to me.

My argument this time was about just having one inexperienced crew member. If you have more than that then there is always someone who wants to know the stuff, thereby letting the others chill out a bit. I still expect everyone new to sailing with me to go through the safetly brief.

My biggest coup was getting my mum sitting on the rail- she's petrified of the sea and boats, but gradually built her confidence over a couple of hours. The key is not to scare people and to realise that people are scared by things more experienced sailors take for granted.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.