The time has come

[Peppermint]

I have a large number of regular crew. Some are happy to bimble along as crew and some have potential to go on to watchleader or even skipper.

Crewman X was one of the brightest. A dinghy sailor who in the 2000 miles he's sailed he'd developed a real understanding of general principles and an ability to do things just a second before they need doing.

In the end I decided, and he was keen, to let him take us back to Cowes from Gosport while I got some lunch. It was a eye-opener.

I gave him a good briefing and stayed with him in the busy commercial traffic on the transit through the forts which he dealt with just fine. I briefed him on the exclusion zone around the anchored warship "Trent" and left him to it. When we tacked to avoid Trent I was disappointed to see that we would soon be crossing infront of a small refueling tanker, I intervened at this stage and then went back to the galley, but not as disappointed as I was as we grounded gently off Ryde, held on starboard by a windward boat.

There's more to this than meets the eye isn't there?



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[jollyjacktar]

I am amazed that a sailor would need 2000 sea miles of experience before being capable of taking the helm and acting as watch keeper. I try to encourage and train all my crew fully so that in time any or all could act as a watchkeeper. What do the crew do ....just sail by numbers and enjoy the scenerey? Do they think? Or are they drunk all the time? If I wanted to have working passengers as crew I would charge them a fare.

But good on you, give them a bit of responsibility and encourage their confidence and skills. I know the feeling that you have experienced in your new protege. Reassures you that things are grand afterall.

Happy days.

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[jimi]

Peppermint, I know where you're coming from on this. I've got a couple of regular crew who despite having taken training and had the seamiles I would not leave in total control without keeping an eye on them. I just think that general spatial awareness is not inate to some people. THe ability to learn by ones mistakes is also key and I find it a bit frustrating when people keep on repeating the same errors despite having it explained to them. What I have noticed is these guys tend to be on the older side so perhaps mentally they have switched off the learning process. Shame really! Personally speaking,the day I do'nt want to learn is the day I want to die. ... SWMBO (and my mother) would say that's because I've still an awfie lot to learn!!

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[oldsaltoz]

G'day Jim,

You must mix with the wrong group of old farts.

This old fart has been sailing since he was six and now closer to sixty, but still learning, and no, I'm not a slow learner.

Keeping up with changes in regulations, race rules, and the ever changing technologies and equipment is more than enough to keep anyone of any age on the steep side of the learning curve.

I and most other old farts I knock around with put a lot of time into promoting the art of sailing by teaching the younger ones, and older novices. No doubt one day they will, like you be older than the national average and have to put up with remarks.

Avagoodweekend and stay young....................Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif


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[jimi]

G'day mate! Think I am .. I'm not accusing all the aged of being old in spirit/forums/images/icons/smile.gif but that one or two people seem to get settled in their ways ... generally they are the exception though .. thank goodness! Hae a wee tinnie and Kylie for me, Bruce!

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[david_e]

Know the feeling, let my best pal helm at the start of a race last year 'cause he is always crewing. Despite numerous instructions to keep well clear of other boats and finally not heeding an instruction to keep clear of a boat on Stbd he managed to get us well and truly T-boned. Despite this I would let him take the helm again albeit with a different outlook but SWMBO is having absolulety non of it!

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[davidhand]

Reminds me of Percy Cerruti, Herb Elliot's coach for the 1960 Olympics. When asked by a TV interviewer how long he thought he would live he replied "I'll probably be shot by an irrate husband when I'm a hundred and five".
G'dluck to ya mate.


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