Reflections

[georgeo]

Would you believe it, finished my third part last night, pressed a few buttons and managed
to erase it! And had only had 2 pints as a stiffener. But maybe a good thing, it got a bit wordy and perhaps a little pretentious! Anyway, lets start again. My personal diary stopped at day 90, when we off loaded in Sydney. There was a full debriefing session, organised by the FF staffer, both at indivdual and group level. Feedback was asked for and given. Much of it was whingeing from the gappers about minor housekeeping issues. I mentioned my thoughts related to the first part of the course (documented on this forum earlier in part 1). Nobody mentioned the nightmare daughter. I was debating inwardly what to do about Bruce. Should I shop him? Difficult to do when he was sitting opposite me. I decided to address all this on return to the UK. The next 2-3 weeks were spent touring oz, with she who was to become SWMBO, and then back to the grindstone in October.
The following year I crewed for a mate on a Bowman 44 on a passage from Oporto to the Azores, hoping for a bit of exciting Atlantic sailing. But the sea was on its best behaviour
("dont knock it, just be glad," said my friend), I got my miles up and learnt how to shoot the sun. I also saw the elusive green flash. At home, I joined the crew of a sigma 33 for
round the cans racing, and remain with them to date. Very successful this crew is too, having just won their class at Cowes this year. Regrettably, for various (non sailing!)
reasons, I have not been able to return to Cowes since 2003. I had no funds to obtain my own craft, but entered into a leasing agreement on a Norfolk Smuggler, which I have sailed, principally solo, in local waters since. My own craft, SS Titanic, arrives next May. I completed my YM practical in 2005, not through FF, because of timing issues,not because
I did not wish to return to them, but with Moonfleet sailing from Poole. Noel might be a bit of a tartar, but, boy, does he do a good prep!
So, reflections 4 years on. I have noted all the feedback. The crucial question was raised by one forumite, to paraphrase, would I have felt confident in taking out a small vessel with beginners after this course? The short answer is no. I reckon I would have been capable, but not confident. Confidence comes with time and experience, as we all know. YM prep includes skippered passages, which we all did, but I do not believe them to be a true test. There is always a professional skipper on board, and the buck stops with him. There is
nothing which can simulate the time when you, on your own, have to make a crunch decision. For me, the first time that happened was on a bareboat charter in Greece. Just me and SWMBO. Anchored on a lee shore, not far off, with one of those greek thunderstorms heading directly for us. My call, and nobody to ask for help. If anything, as time goes on, and my capabilities improve (hopefully), my confidence still does not quite match it. For instance, much of the sailing of SS Titanic will be single or short handed. How I will cope is still
an area of doubt. But, living on an island where boating is a way of life, I am fortunate in having 3 very experienced sailing mentors there to advise. Current advice "just get on with it! You will learn". And thats it really, we never stop learning.
I hope these recollections wont have bored forumites. I hope they will be useful to anyone considering doing such a course. My advice is that if you can do it, do it. More specifically, if you are a complete novice like I was, 1) try and get some dinghy sailing in 2) try and get on with your crew mates, whatever you may think of them. Those who had a less
happy experience inevitably came from the less 'together' boats 3) Watch out for the booze, both its effect on yourselves, and its effect on others.
Finally, when I am a dribbling incontinent old fool in a bath chair, I hope I will still be able to conjure up memories of those days down under. Two particular ones to share with you. The first of a humpback whale, breaching, but seen end on. I saw its tail flukes describe a complete 360! The second, I was on the bow, doing a sail change. Whilst dealing with the
tack, I saw dolphins keeping us company. One turned on to its back, looked me in the eyes, and I am sure I could feel it thinking "fall in you pommy [--word removed--]!".
Thanks for reading these posts. I found the experience of getting out my diary and writing them up, quite cathartic!
Final question, what do you think I should have done about Bruce? Nobody has mentioned this aspect in feedback to date

 

[tome]

Slow-Track Reflections

Interesting reflections which round off a well-presented series of threads, thanks

As for Bruce, I get the impression that the only time he posed a real danger was in trying to leave port in bad weather whilst incapacitated. Not good, but I think I'd have to have 'been there' to make a call on whether or not to have reported him

Our YM examiner ended up totally rat-arsed after we'd finished and we had to more or less carry him back to the boat. He was bright as a button the following morning, and spent the several hours whilst we sailed the boat back to her mooring giving us some of the most useful instruction I've ever had

My own YM experience was very different. I didn't do the exam until nearly 20 years after I'd completed the shorebased course, during which time I'd probably sailed 25,000+ miles. Even so, I was acutely aware that the YM certificate wasn't a state of arrival but rather an affirmation that I had a grip of the basics

You'll never stop learning, as I'm sure you already know

 

[douglas_family]

These have been a great series of posts. I have throughly enjoyed reading them. Thanks for sharing your experiences!

 

[stephenh]

Re: Slow-Track Reflections

" I was acutely aware that the YM certificate wasn't a state of arrival but rather an affirmation that I had a grip of the basics"

Elequently put....and how accurate

and thanks Rosbif - fascinating articles

 

[Rumtotty]

Thanx for taking the trouble to write the story of your experiences .... truely very interesting stuff.
I think any training company would want to know how their paid instructors behave on the job, there could well be liability implications for them. You managed to cope with the bloke but would you recomend your wife, sister or daughter go sailing with him?
I have had the privilege to stand on a bowsprite and share eye contact with a dolphin, I definately felt it was a telepathic moment.
Think your experinces should be upgraded to article for YM

 

[Richard10002]

Not criticisms, more observations:

I thought the idea of a fast track Yachtmaster was that you went from zero to hero, and took the practical exam at the end of it?

I also wondered why you were calling the "skipper", (instructer), when one of the trainees would have been skipper for that part of the trip - I appreciate that the instructor would be the ultimate arbiter, and was their for cases of doubt, but there didnt seem to be any mention of the trainee skipper trying to reach a decision before calling for help.

I think your course was somewhat unusual in that you had some racing at Cowes, and then went off to Oz ... most course wouldnt have these experiences.

On confidence:

I have been sailing for 30 years+, but only did my YM in June this year, and only became an owner, (and therefore skipper with ultimate responsibility), last march, (2006).

Since owning Rogue, I approach many situations, (which I would previously have gone for without hesitation, happily advising the skipper/owner if appropriate), with some trepidation and much careful consideration. It often feels like a lack of confidence, but I dont think it is .. I think it is a health wariness which makes sure I cover all the bases and, so far, so good.

On a trip like we are doing at the moment, (and last years trip from Glasson to Lagos), there has often been little choice other than to reach a decision and "just do it", and so far so good.

There are a few things I keep in my "mental locker", of which the following come to mind:

If you are beating, (or motoring), into wind, and it is becoming too much, there is nothing wrong with turning round and going the other way, (back to where you came from, or somewhere on the route), in most circumstances, it will be a lovely sail, reaching, or down wind, and the heat will be taken out of the situation.

If you are in a collision situation, or anything which concerns you,, stopping, or a very substantial alteration, even turning around and going the other way, slows things down .... e.g. if you are approaching a potential collision, and both boats are doing 6 knots, the situation is advancing at 12 knots. If you stop, it advances at 6 knots, and doubles your thinking time ... it usually allows the other guy to pass clear unless you were head on.

if you drop your anchor and you're not happy, pick it up and try again, or go somewhere else - it beats a day in the office!

More often than not, the decision you make will be OK, as long as it is considered.

Enjoyed the tale

Richard

 

[georgeo]

Richard, thankyou very much for your advice which I will definitely add to the memory banks. As regarding the 'skippered passages', yes, the trainee skipper was referred the problems as they arose. But making a decision when you know that professional help is on hand if everything goes t**s up is very different from making it on your own. IMHO

 

[HoratioHB]

Very interesting many thanks for your recollections. As for Bruce I'm afraid I was once in a very similar situation and felt that a quiet word had to be said, for two reasons - one, an accident was waiting to happen - (what would have been the result of sailing when he insisted??) Secondly was this symptomatic of a bigger problem? It takes a lot of courage to tell someone they are too far down the slippery slope (which most of us are on one way or another) but I've seen the results of not doing so and they are far worse

 

[georgeo]

perhaps a poll is in order?

 

[Talbot]

[ QUOTE ]
I reckon I would have been capable, but not confident.

[/ QUOTE ]
Much better for the confidence to lag behind the capability. That way you are less likely to be caught out due to pushing yourself into a bad situation.
As a skipper, the hardest part is knowing when you can safely leave the boat in someone elses hands and get some sleep. Most newbies try to stay up for the whole passage, and are thus in a bad condition physically when it is most likely there will be a need for them i.e. at the end of the voyage! Cultivate a habbit for storing up sleep and practise the ability to catnap.

There is one forumite who is well known as skipper for getting his head down as soon as he leaves harbour, and rumour has it that he has been known to sleep for the entire passage! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif