Ladies Sailing Need Ideas

[Dkdoyle]

I joined a sailing squadron to meet other lady sailors. Well dag wouldn't you know they want me to do a ladies sailing something. That is the problem. What to do? I have found most of they ladies are mostly passengers. A few go out by themselves. So to appeal to the masses I need some ideas? I was thinking maybe some basics such as general boat handling, docking, navigation, points of sail. Of course I only want to sail. Why did I get into this. Anyway all suggestions are welcome. I am also going to try to solicit their ideas.
Thanks. Deb

[perchance]

Man overboard drill, reefing practice in mild conditions, knots and hitches, heaving to and any thing else that you can think of to improve seamanship.

[cdennyb]

getting some practice as captain/helmslady and doing tacks until the timing is perfect is a lot of fun. Penny loves doing that stuff to me... it makes me have to work harder with the lines. LOL

[perchance]

Hands on is the best teacher.

[sailcruiser]

Assuming majority are passengers teach what to do if significant other goes overboard, what to do in an emergency (radio etc), and ideal significant other couldn't be at the helm how to dock even if it's at a fuel dock.

It scares me that so few know this. I'm our skipper (yes lady sailor too!) and that was the first thing we went through with my DH new to sailing.

SC

[Capt Phil]

The first task a couple should set out to accomplish is to improve their individual seamanship skills either through a course, hands on training or reading everything about sailing they can lay your hands on. Take turns not only acting as but being skipper. That means a role reversal where the guy is crew and the lady is captain. She gives orders, he carries them out. My lady tells me she learned more from those experiences than any course could teach her... probably as much about herself as sailing. Her confidence level soared, she actively participated and enjoyed joint decision making and her competencies grew quickly. She can change oil, reef, anchor, trouble shoot electrical problems with ease. I learned to do the dishes and keep the head clean... wouldn't trade the experience for anything, and yes we are still together... Capt Phil

[Aussie Sealady]

Practice, practice, practice.
I was a passenger / crew to a Capt Bligh type for many years.
Now am divorced and my own skipper.

Have been teaching myself to sail solo and doing quite well.
Strongly recommend doing a sailing course.

I learned a lot from my Day Skipper Course. And undid a few bad habits.
5 days theory including manual navigation, safety etc with an exam
Plus 5 days practical at sea.

Also great fun.

I also give orders to male crew with extreme politeness.

'Gentlemen... prepare to come about' etc

Thank them and praise them for being so clever/ strong etc.

Not a good idea to demand that the male crew peel grapes or wave palm fronds too early.

Once you start being skipper and/or doing things solo you will find that lots of blokes out there do things the hard way. There are methods of doing things that do not require muscles. Although they do like showing off how much stronger than you they are.

And I have found as a general rule, ladies are more concerned with safety.
Less testosterone I suppose.


Have fun.
If you are ever in Sydney let me know.
We can go for a sail together.

[Dkdoyle]

Great suggestions. I am happy to take out anyone for sailing lessons. Agree experience without getting hollered at is the best way to learn but I have a 26 footer which at 3 people would be crowded. So I guess I could do both class room and on the water and solicit some of the spouses to teach specific topics for ladies. Also want to get women to volunteer their experience. We do have one couple that just joined that ha circumnavigated twice and crossed the Atlantic 5 times. Lovely people.

So how about "how to be a competent sailing partner".

Keep the suggestions coming
Man overboard drill
Powder puff basics for engine / electrical
Basic navigation. Gps/ map
Reefing,
How to be safe offshore
Jack lines, Harness, epirb

Dag got to get to work (the one that pays the bills).

If I ever get to Australia I would love to meet you and get out on the water. Ditto for west coast of Florida.

[anjou]

Any replies from the sexist macho brigade?

Come on fellas, youve contributed to enough threads about what you think a female sailor should do, so lets have some more suggestions

[anjou]

Maybe give advice on how to shower and do all the washing using only half a pint of water a day, or maybe how to dry your hair without electricity.?
How about living on fresh air whilst on the hook for a month.?
Where to stow all the shoes, bags and clothes? How to keep your skin and nails looking nice in a salty environment?

[atoll]

learn to put stuff away,how to cook more than one pot meals at 45 degrees,use a bucket rather than block the head when excessive bog roll is used,how to avoid amorous boat boys and assoc dangers,hand steer without zig zagging,pull in a reef tight,get the dingy onboard by yourself........................

[sdowney717]

Teach them how to dive underwater and scrape barnacles. Cleaning off the boat bottom can be fun.

When people have defined tasks to do and those tasks are accomplished, they are happier people. Otherwise, with little or nothing to do but watch, complaining and sour faces.

[David M]

I think Capt Phil's idea of letting them take command of a boat and to learn how to communicate as captain is an excellent one. How many of these women are probably put in the back seat as crew when their husbands are onboard? Put each woman through a docking, undocking and person overboard drill. How impressed will hubby be if he falls overboard and she is able to take charge and pick him out of the water. How many of these women do you think have never done a POB drill?

Learning how to communicate as captain is a very useful skill to have and does take practice.

[Dkdoyle]

More good ideas thanks. Was also thinking about how to get a 200 lb man back onboard might be a good idea you gents would appreciate. Same technique for dinghy. As for cooking these girls are pretty solid in that area. Some are marina hoppers but several go on longer cruises or anchor out so know how to provision.

[zeehag]

the 200 pounder usually gets hisself on board quite nicely, as far as i have witnessed,,,,is the 275 pound drunken neighbor at 0230 that is the problem....falling out of a kayak and .......i can teach ye.,....

if he cannot get back into the dink, he is in sore trouble, as that is how ye get him back into the boat.


no, i didnt do it that way....

or that way , either.....


another tpopic to learn is how to read the sky and sea conditions and what signs to look for for impending changes..... that part is fun.