YM Practical Quirky Questions

[bilbobaggins]

I've heard of the Examiner who asked a capable candidate to put his boat aground. Which he did, thoughfully and slowly, on the windward side of the mud-banked channel, then backed the jib to get off. I've also heard of the mooring buoy at Fowey which is impossible to stop alongside under sail - there's always a strong and variable tide eddy.

But what other 'Quirky Questions' and 'Tantalising Tasks' do Forumeers know of?

 

[Peppermint]

Examiner I had was particularly unquirky really. Toughish stuff like finding unlit marks in the dark, MOB, transits with an obscured feature or hard questions when you thought you were fully occupied seems to keep the little darlings happy enough.

 

[GeorgeP]

I was asked to put my boat on a bouy under sail in a f6. The bouy was buried in other moorings. Being a masthead-rigged bilge keeler, it didn't go too well to windward under main alone. It took me four goes (although I did have it on the second go but the crew lost the pick-up).

The examiner wasn't impressed, and wanted to show me how to do it. Although he was definitely a better sailor than me, I was pleased it took him the same number of goes. I managed to say nothing though - I didn't want to fail.

 

[peterb]

I once had three candidates who were asked to put a boat on a buoy under sail in a F10! (Inside the River Orwell, though.) The examiner commented afterwards that it was the first time he'd seen a boat moored under reefed sprayhood!.

 

[alahol2]

We had to pick up fore and aft piles, that already had a boat moored to them, without touching that boat. I was going to add, under sail, but that would be bragging...

 

[graham]

"We had to pick up fore and aft piles, that already had a boat moored to them, without touching that boat. I was going to add, under sail, but that would be bragging... "

Wot not blindfolded,you did have it easy?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[john_morris_uk]

Officially, examiners are discouraged from continuously asking questions of candidates when they are in the middle of some tricky task! Its easy to apply unecessary and unrealistic pressure to people under exam conditions.

I would be keen to dispell any myths about the exam process. If you are a competent safe yachtsman with the relevant experience who knows also enough theory etc you should have no fears of the Coastal/YM exam.

Of course the exam process is stressful - but you should enjoy it as well. Why are we out there sailing anyway?

 

[iangrant]

I had "what is the sound signal for last vessel in a tow?".
Apart from that, I had to pick up a buoy under sail, have crew cook and serve lunch (my idea, seemed to work OK), MoB, fog, get to an imaginary sunken vessel, etc..the usual "Solent Yachtmaster exam"..driving test.

The examiner actually said that he could generally weigh up the candidate within the first few minutes, from a chat with the instructor (who gave me hell) and including a look at the log book. Old tatty log books with lots of trips short and long tend to score more "points" than the freshly filled in ones that "qualify".

Ian

 

[Peppermint]

Re: Compared to the \"Brush Up\" before hand

the exam is really quite easy. That week prior was a very rewarding experience.

 

[Peppermint]

Re: A guy on our crew

Had been out to try for YM a couple of weeks before I met him. He was a serving Matelot so he'd tried it with Combined Services. He'd a had a week from hell. The instructor was the examiner, the weather was F6 or stronger for the whole time. He, being a very experience warrant officer, knew what nit picking looked like. The course seemed to revolve around slavish log keeping, destructive criticism and aggression. Two guys walked off the boat during the week and nobody passed.

Now this guy was a really good hand. On our course with Southern Sailing we had a ball and that set us up for a relaxed exam. He couldn't believe it was the same RYA thing at all.

 

[Koeketiene]

Re: A guy on our crew

[ QUOTE ]
He, being a very experience warrant officer, knew what nit picking looked like.

[/ QUOTE ]

There you have your reason!

You mentioned he tried to take the YM exam via the Combined Services. Examiner was most likely an officer. Certain parts of the officer corps believe firmly that other ranks should know their place, and should not be placed in charge of any vessel.

Sad, but alas, true /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Rowana]

Who ?

Which school did you use for your brush-up - and I presume, your exam ? ?