My wife/GF of 4 years now have the objective of
buying for international cruising, in three years or so. She's as keen, bright and capable as you get, and feels she knows something of the ocean from
Cruise Ship work.
So its learnt to sail, to make sure. She won't try the little sailing dingy (although that time may come), but we have been chartering inshore in a 40ftr for a few days at a time, and out with friends.
In a steady breeze, trim the
sails for her - "keep the bow lined up with that point of land for the next 20 minutes, constantly adjust the
wheel to make corrections to stay exactly on that course as the
wind or waves push the bow off course" ... "that course will keep that needle at 45 degrees" ... "If the
sails flap a bit, initially close to the
mast, or if the
boat slows, you're doing something wrong - either off course, or the
wind has shifted ... " here's how you check those two things ..."
She always thinks she's doing brilliant .. best pupil ever ! ..... I try to just outline the aim of the exercise, and then answer questions or check. I ask with decreasing regularity and increased attempts at patience, such as "So where is that point of land we were trying to steer toward?" ... looks around a bit, I ask if it could be that bit that is now 90 degrees to starboard, and if that might explain why the sails aren't really working and we're no really moving. Occasionally remind her to check the wake - it's always some kind of zig zag. Not to mention the juddering sails (light breeze so not a flogging).
She gets testy coz I'm pointing these things out too often. So I try to point them out less, and wait for the penny to drop.
On preparing to enter the marina (upwind) "Show me how to get the sails down" - main . no prob.
Genoa "OK the proper way is to drift downwind". My love "what does that mean?" Me " We need to turn the
boat around and
head with the wind" My Love (after 4 days of sailing) "Speak in normal
English - stop showing off you nautical talk - I'm just learning". Me "turn the
wheel so as to turn the boat 180 degrees so we are heading in the exact opposite direction". Violent turn on the wheel hard to port, straight into the path of an oncoming launch. Me "Oh, its quite a good idea to watch for other
boats, and turn away from them, not directly into their course". Her " Well you never told me that ".
"