The New Crew's Pocketbook E-Book

Tim Davison

• Herausgeber: Fernhurst Books Limited
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Going aboard a sailing yacht for the first time is an exciting experience, but it can be a bit daunting. It introduces you to many unknowns: terra firma is left behind, the boat is propelled by something you can't see (the wind), there are ropes everywhere and a whole new vocabulary opens up! Your skipper will brief you on the key things you need to know, but this book is a great opportunity to learn a bit beforehand which will give you the basic knowledge to work the boat, be safe, have fun… and be asked back for more! Written in a friendly and approachable way, it assumes no nautical knowledge and uses diagrams and photographs to demystify the art of sailing. Devised to be read by new crew before they arrive at the boat, it is also great to keep on board as a quick and easy reference guide. Ideal for skippers to give to anyone joining them on board for the first time. As soon as a person steps aboard they are crewing: drawn into casting off, hoisting sails, winching and even steering. It's impossible to cover everything in your briefing, so any knowledge they can gain beforehand is a blessing and will make your yacht a happier, safer place for everyone. Additional chapters covering spinnaker handling are available online and in the eBook.

Leseprobe

CONTENTS

Introduction

PART 1: FIRST STEPS

What to bring

Homework

Parts of a yacht

Getting on & off

The skipper’s briefing

PART 2: UNDER POWER

The engine

Docking & casting off

Underway

Buoyage

Night-time passage

PART 3: UNDER SAIL

How does a boat sail?

Underway

Winching

Hoisting sails

Trimming the sails

Reefing

Tacking

Gybing

Lowering sails

Spinnakers

Gennakers

PART 4: MAYDAY & MAN OVERBOARD (MOB)

Mayday

Man overboard

JARGON BUSTER

Also available, a companion volume

The Skipper’s PocketbookA pocket database for the busy skipper covering: seamanship, navigation, safety, weather & more

Find out more at www.fernhurstbooks.com

INTRODUCTION

If you are a new crew a yacht can seem a daunting place. There are ropes everywhere, the loo has a mind of its own and the ceiling tilts to where the walls should be. Meanwhile, you are probably feeling a bit queasy and are worrying about the latest strong wind warning...

Don’t worry! Everyone feels like this at first. The New Crew’s Pocketbook will give you the basic knowledge to work the boat, be safe, have fun... and be asked back for more. I have used the correct terms througout, e.g. halyard, but most are defined in the Jargon Buster on pages 76-80 or on the diagrams on pages 16-18.

With this book in your pocket I hope you will have as many happy hours afloat as I have.

If you have done a bit of crewing this book will serve as a useful aide memoire to the basics, and should teach you a few new skills. If you have mastered everything here you will be a welcome addition to any crew, and will be feted by skippers to help sail their beautiful yachts to wonderful destinations!

If you are a skipper you will realise that as soon as people step on board, they are effectively crewing. They will immediately be drawn into casting off, tying knots, hoisting sails, winching and even steering. It’s impossible to go over everything in your briefing, and any knowledge they can gain beforehand is a blessing. This book was devised to be given to new crew to read before they arrive at the dock. If you are lucky they might even practise their knots by the fire and try coiling and throwing a rope in their garden! On passage they can refer to it again, consolidating the teaching you will inevitably be doing under way.

Tim Davison

NB. Crews and skippers can be male or female, I just use ‘he’ for brevity – ‘she’ is also implied throughout. Boats are always ‘she’.

PART 1.FIRST STEPS

WHAT TO BRING

So you’ve been invited to go sailing. Excellent! Like the rest of us you will inevitably get hooked and spend the rest of your life planning trips, buying gear and dreaming of sleek yachts.

Opposite is a list of things to take. Remember, space is limited on a yacht. Just take enough stuff so you have a change if you get wet, will be warm if the weather nosedives and cool if the sun shines. You can always wash your clothes in a marina. Pack your kit in a soft bag (NOT a suitcase) so the bag itself can be folded and stowed. Keep everything in your cabin, don’t strew things about the boat or you will lose them, particularly when she heels.

Make sure you understand the arrangement: is bedding provided, are there spare waterproofs on the boat, is there a lifejacket for you? Are you expected to bring some food, and will there be a kitty to cover food, diesel and mooring fees? When and where will the trip finish, and what is the Plan B for horrid weather?

Ready for anything: cap inside hood, lifejacket, waterproofs, gloves and wellies.

That’s better! Cap, sunglasses, sunblock, shorts and deck shoes.

CHECKLIST: FIRST TRIP

Sleeping bag

Sleeping bag liner

Pillowcase

Towel

Washing & shaving kit

Sunblock

Seasickness pills, e.g. Stugeron

Wet wipes

Polythene bags

Torch

Batteries

Pen & notebook

Knife

A float for your keys (when you drop them overboard!)

Mobile phone & 12V charger

Book & games (if stormbound)

Present for the boat, e.g. cake, booze

Shoes (2 pairs, one for afloat & one for ashore)

Wellies (non-slip soles)

Socks (aircraft socks dry quickly)

Trousers

Shorts

Underwear

Shirts

Sweaters

Neckwarmer

Sailing gloves

Woolly hat

Sunhat

Cap

Sunglasses

Waterproof clothing

Mid-layers

Swimming costume

Consider goggles & snorkel (or are these provided?)

Passport

Insurance certificate

UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)

Driving licence

Money & credit cards

Rail or air tickets

To download: visit www.fernhurstbooks.com. Search for ‘New Crew’s Pocketbook’ & click on ‘Additional Resources’

HOMEWORK

The idea of this section is to give you a bit of homework so you arrive at the dock with some useful background knowledge.

Wouldn’t it be more impressive if you knew how to tie some basic knots, could coil and throw a rope, and were able to name the parts of the boat? Here are some things you can work on at home, to get ahead of the game.

Round turn & two half hitches

Use: Attaching a rope to a ring or post.

1. Pass the working end round the object.

2. Take another complete turn.

3. Take the end over the standing part, around it and back through to form a half hitch.

4. Repeat, to form a second half hitch.

5. Pull tight to complete the Round Turn & Two Half Hitches.

Clove hitch

Use: Attaching a rope to a ring or post.

1. Pass the working end over the object...

2. … and back over the standing part.