Re how long have you been boating

[powerskipper]

So far what has shown in the other thread is that there is a great deal of time on the water been had by some of those who have posted so far,

A question has been asked, by Mike27 that would be great to know the answer to.

How did you learn boating skills and knowledge?

Was there any training for pleasure boats before there was the RYA training scheme,

Were you shown by being an apprentice, or though family know passed down to you,

And heres a good one

, How would you recommend others learn the skills and knowledge needed to go boating safely?


<hr width=100% size=1>Julie ,
IMOSHO of course,

 

[MainlySteam]

<<<How would you recommend others learn the skills and knowledge needed to go boating safely?>>>

Get a little slow boat and play in safe places to start with and work up. If you are illiterate go to some courses, but given the vast number of excellent books around I don't know why anyone who can read and starts off with a little boat would want to fork out good boat money on courses.

Alternatively, for the wealthy, buy a superyacht with a crew.

John

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[DepSol]

Been on boats since I was a baby but only learnt about them properly in 1993 when my FIL took me out and actually showed me the ropes. Stayed under his wing till I got a boat share in 94 and even then still went out with him for advice aswell as others, fishermen and the like. Really started doing my own thing without boat share or crew in 1998 by then I had learnt alot of the marks, passages and rocks and been to France and Alderney etc

RYA etc is good but long term hand holding by experienced freinds or family that know what they are doing is also very good.

In between it all I read alot of books and did alot of DIY on boats myself and learnt from experience and situations. Taught myself waypoint plotting and navigation and listened to others along the way for pointers.

One tip for any newbies......IF YOU ARE UNSURE ASK. No one is going to laugh at you as we have all been there ourselves.

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>

 

[Artie]

Started diving first with the BSAC (and DOM's Father!) so had some boatmanship experience by trying to remain on or around a position in order to retrieve divers.
Later I bought a boat with a jet unit. It was a 23Ft er and little draft. That was a help as I used to say that if the rocks wern't visible then they could not be hit. Not true of course but the lack of a prop to damage was a help. At least I learned a safe passage to Herm, Sark and around Guernsey. Then took my day skipper theory and bought a Seaward 23 semi disp. boat. On my first trip across the Channel I was amazed at how few rocks there were on the south coast of U.K. compared to C.I. waters. Since then I have done my Yachtmaster BUT .... I agree with Dom - There is nothing like an old boater with tons of experience to help you along and hopefully I, in my turn, will be able to give something back.
This comment comes from living next to the sea and having the access to go out as and when the conditions are favourable. Perhaps if I lived in the Midlands and boated on the South Coast then my feelings may be a tad different.

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[qsiv]

It is only relatively recently that the RYA provided structure for training in the UK (indeed the name chage to RYA only happened in 1952). When I was an instructor in the late '70's RYA sylabii were common, qualifications rather less so.

My parents started the first sailing school in the UK in 1955/6.

As for how to gain the skills and knowledge - I'd advocate crewing with someone competent as an essential. Courses and qualifications have a place as well, but real experience is very important too.

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[Boathook]

Been boating for many years and learnt mainly from my father (he learnt from the first JOG boats).
Would recommend going out with others first as crew to learn some of the ropes, terms etc. and then an RYA course to learn the correct method of navigating. bits of paper are good but experience is even better.

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[BrendanS]

Best thing I did when I moved my boat to the South Coast, was to join an active boat club (Pathfinder) who run events to near and far locations, and even night time journeys.

Cruising with others gives the confidence to go places you might not do yourself without a lot more experience, and lots of practical advice and help from people who have been doing it for years. Just chatting with them all on pontoons, asking silly questions, and socialising in the evenings after cruises and events was hugely helpful.

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[penfold]

I learned at my local sailing club; they ran an informal cadet training scheme at the time. It's much the same today; One of our club officers is an RYA instructor, and he runs a basic dinghy scheme and twists people's arms to get them to take the cadets out racing (a thankless task if ever there was one).
My first Mobo experience was doing a dive coxswain course with BSAC.

cheers,
david

<hr width=100% size=1>This candidate works well when cornered and watched like a rat in a trap.

 

[Artie]

Went to Jersey yesterday with "Management" to help her get some Christmas goodies that are not available in Guernsey for the family. She had a super day and we left St Helier at about 5.00pm. We were not far out of the harbour when I switched on the radar because it was getting dark. No plot was shown and when I tried to get back to the chart display that was blank too.
Ah well back to the old tidal flow and paper!
We got into the Little Russel about one and a half hours later.
Only goes to show that the charting bit is important to be able to use.
The hardest part of the journey was the entrance to the Queen Elizabeth Marina as there were so many lights including cars indicating etc all along the front that I had difficulty finding the leading light let alone determining what colour it was.
I must say that even with my current experience I learn something new or revise old skills every time I use the boat.

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[pt8]

Started out with no knowledge at all, apart from coming from a family that had been connected with the sea for the past two hundred years. Our first boat was a 15' dayboat used on the inland waterways. When we started were knew nothing but soon learnt as we went along. It was different 30 years ago - boats were much slower and smaller so it didn't matter too much if you got things wrong, and you learnt by your mistakes. Progressed up to a 21' footer which hubby built himself from a bare hull, purely because we could not afford to buy one ready completed. Again, HE learnt a lot about how boats were constructed and what made them float correctly. No Boat Safety Scheme in those days but the boat was built to the old Thames Conservancy Regulations, which the BSS was based on. Later we progressed from the inland waterways to tidal waters. Here we joined a cruising club - the best way to learn from others was the cruising in company which really gave us the confidence to go off and do it ourselves. But before we embarked out on our own we did take a RYA navigation course at nightschool which was worth its weight in gold. Now, 30 years on my hubby does the captain's bit and I do the navigation (I actually enjoy it!) and together we make a good team. Yes, we still get things wrong at times and we still learn. In between all this we read many, many books on all subjects to do with boats.

But, if I was buying my first boat now I would definitely take the RYA practical and navigation course first and I do think this should be compulsory before you are able to buy a high powered, fast boat. Today, some people are going out and buying fast, powerful boats that they can't handle as a first boat. ITs horrifying to watch someone try to come alongside a marina berth when the only speed he knows is 'flat out' - I recently watched someone in our marina do just that. It took him at least 10 attempts, he would not listen when everyone shouted at him to come in against the tide, just went off at full throttle and almost hitting a £90,000 boat moored in front of him and throwing over the pulpit of his boat his two members of crew. His fellow berth holders had to get him alongside another vessel and then 'walk' him into his berth and tie him up. He was clearly not in control of his boat and had no idea how to handle her in close confines. There was no excuses either as the weather conditions were perfect. Believe it or not, I have been told he had done an RYA course!

Rose

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[Artie]

Perhaps this is not the correct thread for this but......
Today I went back to my boat for the first time since the trip to Jersey ( see previous post from me), I switched on the equipment and "Voila" everything worked perfectly. Now this is worrying as I cannot find anything wrong so it cannot be repaired and I suppose it will all break down again - probably in thick fog.
Any ideas please?

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