Following Sea: Taking time to teach inexperienced crew members pays off

I have a new boat and a mostly new crew, so I learned a lot.

A regatta with more than 30 boats may not be the best time for crew members to "cut their teeth," but you have to take advantage of any time you have on the water and do the best you can.

A very important step that is sometimes overlooked is teaching new crew members basic sailing terminology. Believe it or not, we speak a language that can be very foreign to beginners when we are sailing.

Giving them a crash course on what a halyard is, what a sheet is, an outhaul, vang, etc., can really pay off during your sail. Go over the terms you use on the boat. It is important that they know what easing, releasing, hauling, dousing, hiking and other actions are. How would you respond if you were in the space shuttle and someone asked you to grab the fratistat and coordinate it?

Another important basic to show them is where everything is on the boat, and how to operate it. Even crew members with sailing experience may not know where or what certain things are on your particular boat. Show them where the different items are and have them operate them so they can get a feel for it. If you don't, you may call out an order and the only response you get is the crew looking at you with "deer in the headlights" eyes.

Define crew assignments and explain to crew members what their individual responsibilities are. Have the new crew members focus on what they will be doing. This will narrow down what they need to know at this particular point. It is logical to give the most critical positions to the most experienced of the crew, even if they are not familiar with the position. For example: If you have an experienced grinder who has never worked the bow, it is better to send that person to the foredeck than someone with no sailing experience at all. The foredeck can be a very confusing place for newcomers, and they are usually under pressure during sail changes. Many races have been won or lost on the foredeck.

During the race, try and talk through the maneuvers and sail changes at starts and roundings as far in ad vance as you can and right before you execute them. This may need to be much more detailed than saying, "OK, at the next mark, up chute and down jib." You may have to tell them exactly what they need to do and when. You may have to describe it step by step.

A good thing to remember is that you may have a complete picture in your mind of what should happen, but the rest of the crew cannot read your mind. Try to make your intentions as clear as possible so they have a better idea of what you are going to do and can therefore react better when the time comes.

This may seem a lot to cram into a crew before a race -- and it is. If you all arrive at the boat on time, you will probably find that there is time to go over things at the dock and on the way to the racecourse.

Get your crew members with experience to help the less experienced ones, especially if you are on the helm. Have them help solve problems and issues. Try to show as much patience as you can. No matter how much you have a chance to go over things beforehand, things will probably, if not definitely, go wrong during the race with a new crew. It is a lot to learn, and only so much will be absorbed even if you are the best teacher in the world. No matter how simple it may seem to you, it can all be very new to others.

A race may not be the best place and time for people to learn the basics, but if you do your job and plan your strate gies not to exceed the potential abilities of the crew, you may find that you can do quite well.

As much as you can, try to explain why they are doing things. Just asking them to pull lines and trim sails will not teach them much. I believe that when crew members understands the why behind the what, they actually have learned something and will eventually do it themselves.

In the perfect sailing world, you have people at every position on the boat who know exactly what to do and when. Sailing on Marco, as well as most places, is not a perfect world; but with time, patience and hard work, your boat will do just fine and your crew will learn and begin taking initiative.

I welcome ideas, comments and information about sailing. If you would like to inquire about sailing on Marco Island, e-mail me at defcon1bh@earthlink.net. I will be glad to hear from you.