Training –
Our Spring Obsession

On Land …

Despite the threat of severe rainstorms for later in the day, eighteen intrepid sailors ventured to the Hills Highland Recreation Center in Basking Ridge, New Jersey on April 16, 2011 for The Sailing Club’s second annual On Land Training session. In attendance were Dave Bossart, Elaine Brennick, Rose Marie Buchbinder, Randy Cooke, Isabel Damasio, Katrina Demma, Bruce Gollob, Mary Ann Gordon, Jim Grigg, Lilli Grigg, Mara Grigg, Sally Harrison, Joel Mack, Maureen McConnell, Frank Riley, Don Smith, and Caroline Winter. Providing the instruction for the day were Henry Gibson, Steve Krakauer, Mia McCroskey, Julio Menendez, and Bob Rainey.

The topics covered were Safety [Bob], Communication [Julio], Rules of the Road [Steve], General Navigation [Henry] and Chart Reading [Mia], Boat Handling [Bob], Lines and Line Handling [Mia], and Anchoring [Julio]. Attendees were able to practice some chart reading skills with an exercise prepared by Mia, based on this season’s Martha’s Vineyard trip. All presentations covered the essentials that any crew should know in order to be more aware and involved when on the water. A second exercise involving knot tying and cleat hitching was also fun.

– Steve Krakauer

… And On The Water

While our annual OWT (“On Water Training”) is a required course for first mates, each year it also includes a number of general members seeking to learn more or sharpen their skills before the season begins.

This year’s trainer/skippers Bob Rainey and Mia McCroskey had updated the syllabus in advance to include a mix of lecture, discussion and hands on activity. The discussions of docking strategies started Friday evening after supper when both crews gathered in the spacious salon of the Beneteau 44 that Baysail had subsituted for the chartered Catalina 35 (which was not yet launched). The session was held indoors because the outdoors were soaking wet from a massive thunderstorm.

In the morning after another brief session on safety Mia’s crew experimented with warping their Hunter 33 out of the slip, using lines to force the boat’s sharp port turn in order to avoid the rocky seawall just a boatlength out of the slip. Over on the Beneteau, Bob’s crew must have used a giant shoehorn to get the extra wide boat out of its slip.

Both crews spent the morning and early afternoon out on the water just off of Baysail’s docks. Every trainee practiced motoring backward and turning using prop walk. They anchored, repeatedly, and raised the sails to practice tacking and gybing. Touch-and goes along the Baysail dock were the exercise of the afternoon aboard the Beneteau while the trainees on the Hunter practiced man-overboard techniques under sail and under power.

In the afternoon both crews learned to dock their vessels using warping techniques – on the Beneteau that giant shoehorn was deployed again. Then it was time for boat systems. Trainees were enouraged to poke their heads into every compartment and bilge to identify seacocks, pumps, and all of the electrical panel controls. Cries of “enough!” were finally heard and the training wound down in favor of a traditional Sailng Club appetizer party aboard the big Beneteau.

Sunday’s curriculum included more work on the water, with trainees encouraged to request repeats of Saturday’s exercises or new activities. This included more precision backing under power, heaving to, and more sailing.

If you’ve never made it to OWT, talk to any of this year’s trainees – and make an effort to join us next year to start your sailing season off right.

– Mia McCroskey