You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
G<br />
Instructors & guinnea pigs<br />
Assistant Instructors Course<br />
The Ed<br />
In August the Training Team undertook the most risky venture<br />
of their tenure; to train 4 older members as A I’s. I can’t imagine<br />
why they would want to do it! Attempting to train one old age<br />
pensioner, one senior citizen, and two yet to get those badges<br />
but of mature years was a feat of pure courage. More than<br />
that between them they had approaching 150 years sailing<br />
experience together with all the bad habits that that brings plus<br />
all the myths of years of sailing that had become established<br />
facts in their minds.<br />
So Bridget, Dick Dil and me turned up on a Friday night to be<br />
indoctrinated in Child Protection, Communication (You don’t<br />
yell at them!) and how to tack. Sadly Dil in a fit of domestic<br />
enthusiasm had decided to clear out the loft and had “done his<br />
back in” and had to pull out of the course.<br />
Now learning how to tack the RYA way is a something of a<br />
mystery when you have been sailing for so long. But with some<br />
practice overnight we got the hang of it and turned up on the<br />
Saturday at an obscene hour to meet our “guinea pigs”. The way<br />
the course works is that a number of volunteers are rounded<br />
up who have little or no sailing experience and the student<br />
instructors teach them the Start <strong>Sailing</strong> Course plus a bit of the<br />
Basic <strong>Sailing</strong> Course. Topics covered include tacking, gybing<br />
A Off we go A Rigging<br />
and sailing a triangular course.<br />
Student Instructors are required to give a number of talks to<br />
cover the theory. Dick dealt with launching and recovery which<br />
up until then he thought was a beer in the bar after a race.<br />
My topic was the five essentials. I asked Bridget what they<br />
were.<br />
“Water, a boat, a bouancy aid and some wind. I can’t think of a<br />
fifth” she said.<br />
I also was landed with demonstrating 5 knots and that was<br />
an equal challenge as I only use two; a figure of eight and<br />
a bowline. A rolling hitch took all week to learn and then I<br />
couldn’t get it right. What’s more Dick had an amazing way of<br />
tying a bowline which was more like a Houdini escape trick<br />
than a nautical practice.<br />
(It also happened that the vital game in the Ashes was being<br />
played over this weekend and for the first time ever the said<br />
trainee instructor took his mobile phone a<strong>float</strong> to keep in touch<br />
with the score).<br />
On the water was great fun and I have to say we all found<br />
it exhausting as well as very satisfying. The big problem is<br />
giving instructions about things that are second nature and<br />
instinctively done. If you haven’t got the tiller in your hand<br />
knowing whether to push it away or pull it towards you was<br />
rather taxing causing some confusion in my boat for a while.<br />
But the novices were very forgiving and we only had one near<br />
miss where Glynis observed that she hadn’t ever seen me move<br />
as fast to prevent a capsize.<br />
This was the first course that WWSC has run specifically<br />
for adults and overall it was successful. (Well, we all got a<br />
certificate). Certainly we all enjoyed doing it and are now part<br />
of the pool of A I’s that can be called on for courses. We are<br />
going to need more as our youthful A I’s move on to University<br />
and other things. So if you would like to contribute to this<br />
valuable part of the club’s activities get in touch with Peter or<br />
Glynis Hargreaves.<br />
Well done to Julian, Robin, Christine, Tom and Richard who all<br />
made the grade and for being such willing and cheerful<br />
“guinea pigs”.<br />
A<strong>float</strong> Autumn/Winter 2009<br />
25
Change language