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**StuM** · 25-01-2017, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suijin

I'm sorry, all your "you won't"s and "you aren't"s are all unmitigated bull#&$%.

If you crew on a boat with an experienced and well tempered skipper, and/or a personable and loquacious tactician, if you don't learn anything you're an idiot.

I grew up racing one design up on Long Island Sound, and have continued to race PHRF in Annapolis, crewing with some very good skippers in W/Ls, distance, and offshore. And a lot of them bring inexperienced crew at times, both as rail meat and because those inexperienced crew want to learn to sail and to race. It's rare that I've been on a boat where people are unwilling to explain what is going on, why, and the reasoning behind their decision making. I know A LOT of very good crew who didn't know anything at all about sailing the first time I was out with them.

Yes, of course one design is the pinnacle of racing, where it all comes down to skill and luck instead of skill and luck and machine. But to say you don't learn anything unless you race one design is ridiculous.

Well said! I know lots of good sailors who learnt exactly this way (including a few who subsequently purchased the boat they first learnt on when the owner decided to move on

)

Where does thom225 think the tacticians and skippers learnt their skills?
Generally by starting out crewing for others!