'Seamanship'

[Hampus]

Seamanship, practicing common sense while we do whatever it is we do on the sea?

/Hampus

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

An example of Seamanship:

The Little Boat that Could. See middle of the page at:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

Great story but to be honest, more a good example of determination while in survival mode.

Good Seamanship would have been a more conservative approach to using his rig in trade conditions but again, he was in a race, which to me is part of the definition of 'bad seamanship"

[Pblais]

Good Seamanship would have been a more conservative approach to using his rig in trade conditions but again, he was in a race, which to me is part of the definition of 'bad seamanship"

Racing is not about seamanship, it is about racing. I might not go so far as bad seamanship. Racing leaves all else as an aside or how else could there be a race.

Seamanship, practicing common sense while we do whatever it is we do on the sea?

There is no common sense since it presumes too much is already so. Common sense is an expected outcome from repetition. Seamanship presumes little, expects less, and hopes for opportunity. Common sense expects a way while seamanship finds one.

[Hampus]

Originally Posted by Pblais

There is no common sense since it presumes too much is already so. Common sense is an expected outcome from repetition. Seamanship presumes little, expects less, and hopes for opportunity. Common sense expects a way while seamanship finds one.

I kind of disagree there. Common sense means that you do the best of the situation you are in. Regardless of where you are or what you're doing, there's no manual for common sense. To me, seamanship and common sense go very much hand in hand. But this is more a discussion of meaning of words.

/Hampus

[Pblais]

Common sense means that you do the best of the situation you are in.

Common Sense is the idea anyone would know what to do at the moment something requiring attention happened. Good seamanship would have avoided the problem in the first place. To imply someone lacks common sense is insulting. The expression "they didn't have the common sense to come in out of the rain" illustrates it.

[Wotname]

It seems that you both may be right (or wrong ).
For another reading of common sense see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_sense

[Hampus]

Thanks Interesting reading.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Racing is not about seamanship, it is about racing. I might not go so far as bad seamanship. Racing leaves all else as an aside or how else could there be a race.

Sorry Paul, you can rationalise racing all you like but you are on the sea in a boat, pushing the vessel and crew to the limits in order for bragging rights.

It is simply…Bad Seamanship!

If 5 fully laden Super tankers were running abreast down Juan de Fuca Straight in a race to be the first to reach the Pilot’s station…would you use the same rationale?

[Sam Plan B]

Seamanship is such a classic topic. There are so many common sense and painfull lessons learned by seaman over the decades. An archive of these can be found in the listing of the British Board of Trade Wreck Reports. They can be accessed through the City of Southhampton web site at:

Wreck Reports - PortCities Southampton

You might think these would be rather dry legalistic documents...but you would be wrong. Covering wrecks from 1876 to 1951, they present the facts in straight forward language and often with a touch of dry humor. The reports tend to be one or two pages of two columns each. Highly recommended.

Sam
Aboard S/V Plan B

[bewitched]

This is a great thread - definately one for the night watches...

There has been talk of sound decision making and talk of learning skills. Both of which I agree contribute to good seamanship, but i also consider that the amount of experience one has contributes greatly. Quite simply - sea miles.

For example; each time I go sailing, I am more familiar and comfortable with the environment than at times past and I do believe I make better decisions than I would have say 5 years ago. I don't believe my decision making process has changed and while I may have learnt a new knot or poached a running rigging idea from someone, there has probably not been a huge advancement in my skills base. But I do believe that my Seamanship becomes better - I can drive a better path through the waves, my perception of what the weather will do next is better, my choice of sail plan improves.

[HHNTR111]

About ten years ago, the Storm Trysail Club started to teach a teenager- oriented safety at sea seminar on Long Island sound. This has developed into an all day programs starting with three morning sessions teaching watchkeeping, coastal piloting, and storm sailing/reefing/shortening/man over board procedures. In the afternoon, the kids, which arrive by local yacht club, go out in boats provided by members to practice what they learned in the morning.

Three years ago, one boat crewed by kids who had been through the seminar, in an overnight race, had a person go overboard in a squall at night and had that person back aboard in 90 seconds.

These kids all have an appreciation for seamanship, which starts with a combination of knowledge and forethought.