pre YM cram?

[jimi]

Re: pre YM cram?

Turn up 16:30 a week on sunday and then I'm on the Southern Sailing School boat for a week. Think its usually 4 students + instructor. I'm doing it on a sailing school boat rather than my own. I'm looking forward to it but I'm gonna stuff my bag full of mars bars!

 

[graham]

Re: pre YM cram?

I was recommended the RYA book of Navigational Exercises for the purpose of revising things long forgotten.

It cost £15 at a chandlers and comes complete with a practice chart and has all extracts you need from the almanac.

All you need to supply is a pencil and plotter/parralel rules.

I was also advised that the one thing they wont allow is a poor knowledge of collision rules.I can recommend "A Seamans Guide to the Rule Of The Road" Like the Nav book this is a self teach book with q+a at the end of each chapter .Cost about £10.

Best of Luck Hope the Weather is kind.

 

[alant]

Re: pre YM cram?

Relax - if you miss the MOB or buoy just go again - dont panic or lose your rag , pre-plan any possible tidal info for that day, safety brief the crew, make sure that all possible eventualities are covered eg some years ago apparently, a guy was 'failed' because his sail cover was still on the main - also no halliard attached, just as he left Port Solent lock!! Behave as you would with your mates - friendly instruction, not shouted orders as when with SWMBO.
It really is a good experience - the 'examiner' is not Saddam H, he's there to help you!!

 

[Jeremy_W]

Re: pre YM cram?

>>>apparently, a guy was 'failed' because his sail cover was still on the main - also no halliard attached, just as he left Port Solent lock!!

The examiner can, any time you're under power, put the engine into neutral and tell you that a plastic bag has wrapped itself round the propeller. Certainly on Coastal Skipper it was drilled into me never to leave the pontoon without main and headsail halyards attached.

 

[alant]

Re: pre YM cram?

Agreed! The shock to those involved at Port Solent, was that they were just clearing the lock.
This was simply an example that at all times, you must have a back up plan or escape route.
How many now behave in an 'unseaman-like' way, compared to our predecessors, putting ourselves into un-safe positions (lee shore anchorages etc) - relying upon our engines, powered windlasses, bowthrusters, to work each & every time to get us out of these holes. The answer is probably most of us, to our shame.

 

[graham]

Re: pre YM cram?

I know its generally considered a huge sin to motor about with sail covers on .But I cant believe that was the only reason for failure.

You could have the same engine installed in a motorboat and then have to rely on it.

 

[peterb]

Covered main

On many (if not most) modern yachts it is difficult to hoist the main if not pointing into wind (or at least within 50 deg of that position). On the other hand, most modern yachts will sail reasonably well under just genoa, which can be hoisted (or unrolled) on any point of sailing. Faced with an engine failure under such conditions my first reaction would be to get the genoa drawing.

From experience of several examiners, I too would doubt that that was the only cause of failure.

 

[Gunfleet]

Re: pre YM cram?

This is where the experience a YM is supposed to have comes in and why all this 'mile building' is tosh. If you sail enough most things will happen! It actually happened to me (rope around prop) as I was trying to pick up a mooring some years ago in a narrow creek. And I was single handed. Luckily the main was loose stowed with the halyard on but that was a chance not a certainty at that stage in my career. Nowadays I wouldn't dream of leaving the pontoon with the sails stowed - but I reckon abot 50 per cent of the boats I see have the sail covers on.
John

 

[Jeremy_W]

Re: pre YM cram?

20-30 plastic bags will wrap themselves around your prop during the average YM-prep week.

 

[Aeolus_IV]

Re: Covered main

My thought too - one person in cockpit can un-roll genoa, and (at least on our boat) the resulting sail balance is better allowing you to sail better. Main alone leave boat rather unbalanced and difficult to handle.

Jeff.

 

[steve_cronin]

Re: pre YM cram?

Quite a lot but here are two for starters ;- he'll ask you to work out when it is possible to enter a LOCAL tidal harbour (and they HATE the use of the twelvths rule) and what chart symbols, lights and shapes mean. There's a lot more but I'll let others tell you about those.

Steve Cronin

When I first looked at this in the index there were 0 replies but after posting ( a minute or two later) it was up to 30! So what I have said above has, I guess, probably been already covered!

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by steve_cronin on 10/02/2003 09:38 (server time).</FONT></P>