Skills you can pratise at home

[philaw]

I recently downloaded a couple of PDFs and Youtube videos on how to tie knots and put them on my phone, and cut two one metre lengths of line. There's a lot to learn for beginners, so I've got to tackle some of it at home. The biggest issue with learning to tie knots is having three cats. Picture attempting to tie a knot with a kitten sat next to you lol.

I was thinking to buy a whole tilapia and have a crack at preserving it and am learning to bake less terrible bread.

Reading good books goes without saying, but I'm getting tired of thinking without doing. What other bright ideas do people have?

[conachair]

Learn the stars

https://stellarium.org/

[philaw]

Good one. Keep it coming, people.

Is it possible to get worthwhile approximate measurements with a sextant without having as clear a horizon as the ocean? I could consider getting one and having a go.

[SeanPatrick]

Originally Posted by philaw

Is it possible to get worthwhile approximate measurements with a sextant without having as clear a horizon as the ocean? I could consider getting one and having a go.

Yes. And not just approximate measurements, but extremely accurate ones. Just fill a pan with some water (or used motor oil, molasses, mercury or pretty much any other reflective fluid) and you have what is known as an "artificial horizon". (Commercial examples are also available.) You can sight the sun by aligning the image reflected in the water with the one reflected from the index mirror of a sextant. You just need to divide the sextant reading by 2 before doing the usual corrections.


A second option is to use a lake or other small body of water and a "dip short table". (Or calculator.)



A third option is to use a "bubble horizon".


I have listed these options in the order that I would recommend them for practice.

[philaw]

That's useful, thanks. I live in China, so will have to see what I can manage. Lakes are easy enough to find. Maybe I could get a Davis mark 3 and play with it.

[Heezea]

Cool idea for a thread! Just a few off the top of my head.

-Learning to sew, both with a machine and by hand seems really useful. This can be extended to all sorts of things like diesel engine work, fiberglass work, etc. These are all things that you can do at home and the familiarity with them will be invaluable at sea.
-Trying to predict weather. This is super general and there's such good services around, but just learning to be aware of the weather is a big one.
-Plotting a course. Just because you're not out on a boat, you could pretend you're at a spot and you want to get to a different spot. You'd have to consider the weather and sea conditions (see previous) for the best route.
-Water conservation. Pretend you only have a few gallons a day to shower with, do dishes with, etc.
-Learning to fish. Shore fishing is different than off-shore fishing, but there are a lot of similarities.

[taxwizz]

We can even practice spelling.
Hahahahaaaa

[DMCantor]

Oh, there are so many!



Measure a voltage with a voltmeter
Make a plumbing connection
Set up a route that doesn't touch bottom (use a mobile charting app)
Practice getting up and down off the floor
Standing on one foot
Language lessons
Shower with less than 4 liters of water
Change the oil in the engine
Install a new SIM card in your phone
Change currencies in your head


It goes on forever.

[sailingchiro]

Learn how to change a racor (fuel) filter while over a hot engine while standing on your head while your spouse is yelling at you- "we are all going to die". BTW- I lay on a life jacket on the engine while changing clogged fuel filters.
Learn how to make wire connections while lying on the floor and reaching as far as you can just using your finger tips down in the bilge. You can simulate this by reaching over the back of the sofa and the wiring is on the floor under the sofa. Have your family moving sofa violently while performing.
knots: cleat, bowline, stopper, and clove-one handed.
Practice taking showers-shutting off water while lathering.
Wash dishes with the least amount of water possible.
Practice keeping food cold for as long as possible in a cooler-outside in the sun.
Learn volts, amps, watts, ohms on a multimeter and the difference between 120 volts AC and 12 volts DC!!!!!!!! A must!!
Memorize how to bleed the fuel system on the diesel engine.
Learn how to clean the carburetor on an outboard while the outboard is rocking up and down 2-3 feet with your whole family on dinghy.
Learn how to rebuild/declog the head after your children have done their morning business and left bowl full to the brim.
Learn how to rebuild/troubleshoot every pump on the boat. (shower, macerator, house water, A/C water pump, etc. One of my children decided it would be too difficult to throw a Q-tip in the trash, therefore decided to suck it up into the shower sump. Took 4 hours of troubleshoot.
Learn how to use PEX fittings on the plumbing with crimpers.
Practice coiling line.
And on a previous post, practice predicting weather just by clouds, wind, humidity, and barometer. Learn when to take cover or shorten sails.

[kas_1611]

Practice all the knots you are every likely to use. I still can't tie a rolling hitch in anger despite hours spent trying. Keep doing them until you can tie a sheet bend or a bowline with your eyes shut.

Sewing is a great skill, doesn't have to be pretty as long as it holds the butt of your trousers together If you have a sewing machine learn how to sew with it. Practice sewing a sail for instance. Or repair a sail bag or travel bag.

Practice standing on one leg. Do it while you brush your teeth.
Grab a 5 litre bottle and fill it with water, use this to keep your arm strength up for hauling lines. Wring out a wet towel over and over to build up wrist and hand strength for gripping sheets/lines/halyards etc.

Learn to row efficiently both sculling and rowing with a single paddle as a couple.

Practice baking soda bread. Learn to cook in a single pot.

Practice 3 point bearings. Switch off the TwatNav in the car and navigate by the map, perhaps without turning the map to match the direction of travel (something I admit I can't do).

Learn a foreign language, you never know when it might come in handy. Practice your radio transmission etiquette and pro-words. Practice your Mayday. Write a Mayday idiots guide to go by the radio so anyone can do it in an emergency.

[Pete17C]

Originally Posted by philaw

I recently downloaded a couple of PDFs and Youtube videos on how to tie knots and put them on my phone, and cut two one metre lengths of line. There's a lot to learn for beginners, so I've got to tackle some of it at home. The biggest issue with learning to tie knots is having three cats. Picture attempting to tie a knot with a kitten sat next to you lol.

I was thinking to buy a whole tilapia and have a crack at preserving it and am learning to bake less terrible bread.

Reading good books goes without saying, but I'm getting tired of thinking without doing. What other bright ideas do people have?

Feed the cats the fish whilst practicing your knots

[syPhilos]

Move your furniture, family and pets into the smallest room of your home. Don't leave the room for at least 48 hrs to practise living aboard

[brendanwalls]

I have a box fan circulating the air around the house when the ac is on. Sometimes I put a bedsheet in front of it and watch how it behaves depending on the position of the mast (hatstand) and the clew (my fingers).

[SV Sailfish]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

We can even practice spelling.
Hahahahaaaa

Yep... +1

I would say that you should "practice" your spelling and typing skills. That looks to be job #1.

Also, you could download a manual on proof reading text before pushing send.

Other than that... I think it is covered above.

Happy Monday!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by kas_1611

Practice all the knots you are every likely to use. I still can't tie a rolling hitch in anger despite hours spent trying. Keep doing them until you can tie a sheet zeppelin bend or a bowline with your eyes shut.

There, FIFY