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RYA Day Skipper Practical

From Steve:
Ivan and I successfully completed our Day Skipper Tidal course at Four-Winds out of Bucklers Hard on the Beaulieu River. Their facilities were faultless, Carolyn-Anne, a Trident Marine Warrior 40 was very comfortable and impressive and Richard the ex-naval owner brilliant. The information that Keith taught us through the winter was spot on, especially the stuff about buoys, and navigation lights etc, so DON’T forget it. Doing a night sail really sets it in your mind.

My main advice from the experience is, do try to get some sailing in, even if it is only in a dinghy before you do the practical.  Wind awareness and the ability to sail “best course to windward” seems to be essential.   (KB note - sailing efficiently to windward IS essential - dinghy sailing is the fastest way to learn to sail).

Keep in touch and we will try to set up some self help events/trips during the summer.

From Ivan
Would you kindly forward this e-mail to Anthony, Mike and any other person attending a Four-Winds practical.  In addition to Steve's comment about 'Wind Awareness', revision of the subjects listed below would have made my life a little easier.

• Points of sail
• Simple sailing theory
• Knots - Bowline and Clove Hitch
• Mooring alongside - Springs etc.
• Rules of the road
• Lights and shapes
• Secondary ports
• Visual 3 point fixes - relatively easy in class; very different when on board trying to find something that is on the map and visible from where you are!
• Buoyage
• Weather - forecast terms - Beaufort scale

Doing the theory and then putting the books away was not a good idea.  Nonetheless, it was very enjoyable and the food was good.
Regards,  Ivan

More comment from Anthony (also passed Day Skipper practical!):  'If you do Competent Crew first it covers many of the questions raised above.  Keith, in terms of the navigation, your training was spot on and I think that the fact that you took us beyond the strict RYA brief held me in good stead. For my part I found that the classroom required precision and the practical course more of a global appreciation. Time is of the essence on the boat and had I taken initially more of a helicopter view of the big picture it would have been easier. Sometimes it is enough to know whether one is tacking to the Isle of Wight or the mainland! The big picture gives one clues to the required detail with speed and confidence.'

From Daniel:

Hi Keith,

I passed, of course, and thought I'd pass on my thanks since I seemed to have a considerably wider knowledge of the theory than the other guys on our boat, a credit to your teaching. Just in case any future attendees of your course ask, I found Sunsail Lanzarote to be excellent. The instructors were ocean yacht master instructors with bucket loads of experience and a great attitude.

We sailed to a different port in either Lanzarote or Fuerteventura every evening, enjoying endless wind ranging 3-7. The night sail at 7 knots under Genoa only in considerable swell was fantastic. With 5 boats they'd split 4 people onto each boat and made really good splits for people of similar ages, courses, interests.

From Jonathan:

I completed a VHF/DSC course yesterday which went well.

Their address is Cornish Cruising, Falmouth Yacht Marina, North Parade, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 2TD (Tel: 01326 211800).