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COMPETENT CREW Practical Course Notes
TO BEGIN WITH ... If you've never lived on a boat before it might all seem rather cramped at first but you'll soon appreciate that space isn't everything when afloat. As you'll all be living at quite close-quarters be sure to tell the skipper if you are taking any form of medicine, so he'll know what action to take if anything goes wrong. Sea sickness sufferers will probably feel better on a small sailing yacht than they would on a large rolling ship. However take along your favourite remedy as any vomiting can upset the effectiveness of medication, including the contraceptive pill! Rules on alcohol and tobacco vary from boat to boat, BUT any form of illegal drug found aboard could lead to the confiscation of the vessel. RYA recognised sea schools provide all
safety equipment
and often lend or hire out waterproofs and seaboots. (See page
25 for details, if you decide to buy your own.) Shirts and trousers should not leave a chilling gap when you bend over and all footwear should have 'non-slip' soles. Glasses, sun hats and knives need to be tied on and a woolly hat will keep your head warm at night. Special sailing gloves can be bought if your hands need protection and rings ought to be left safely ashore. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT WHAT TO TAKE ASK THE PEOPLE YOU'LL BE SAILING WITH.
HARBOUR TERMS Harbours and coastlines abound with strangely named objects and these two pages might help explain what the skipper is talking about. 1. FAIRWAY Main channel into the harbour. 2. HEADLAND Prominent land sticking out into the sea. 3. HARBOUR ENTRANCE Often there are traffic laws to be obeyed. 4. BREAKWATER, GROYNE, TRAINING BANK Obstruction used to protect the land from the sea. 5. PILE MOORING Posts driven into the seabed to tie-up 6. EBB When the tide is going out. 7. FLOOD OR FLOW When the tide is coming in. 8. CHANNEL Deep water route. 9. 'STEEP TO' CHANNEL EDGE Bottom gets deep quickly. 10. SHELVING Steep or gentle. How the bottom slopes. 11. SHOAL OR SHALLOWS 12. BEACON Navigation mark not always lit. 13. DOLPHIN Structure used as a navigation mark. 14. MOORING BUOYS If laid in a line they are called TROTS. 15. MARINA Enclosed area where boats are 'parked'. 16. LOCK Used to keep the water level in the marina constant, while still letting boats in and out. 17. CILL Sometimes instead of a lock a cill or dam is used to keep enough water in the marina. 18. PONTOON Floating platform to moor boats to. 19. SLIPWAY Ramp to launch boats. 20. HARD Solid ground to launch small boats from. 21. CHANDLER Shop that sells boating equipment. 22. NAVIGATION BUOYS Buoys used to mark the edge of channels (see back cover).
'PORT' and 'STARBOARD' are often confused — this little saying might help. "The captain LEFT his RED wine behind"
RIGS AND BOATS
1. PULPIT (front safety rail) 2. FORESTAY (front wire supporting mast) 3. FAIRLEAD (to pass ropes through) 4. BOW ROLLER OR STEMHEAD FITTING 5. ANCHOR WELL OR LOCKER 6. GUARD RAIL (wire running around boat) 7. CLEAT (to attach ropes to) 8. WINDLASS (winch (or anchor) 9. JACKSTAY (to clip safety harness to) 10. SPINNAKER POLE (see page 60) 11. FORE DECK 12. STANCHION 13. FENDER 14. FOREHATCH 15. INNER FORESTAY (baby stay) 16. VENTILATOR 17. LIFERAFT 18. BLOCKS (pulleys) 19. MAST STEP (bottom of mast) 20. COACHROOF 21. GRABRAIL (handrail) 22. GOOSENECK 23. WINCH 24. MAST 25. BOOM 26. KICKING STRAP (see page 56) 27. SIDE DECK 28. CHAIN PLATE 29. RIGGING SCREW OR BOTTLE SCREW 30. SHROUDS (see page 14) 31. DECK FILLER (fuel or water) 32. STEM (sharp bit between deck and water) 33. FOREFOOT (where stem and keel meet) 34. KEEL 35. SKEG 36. RUDDER 37. STERN (back) 38. DRAFT (depth of water of 'what she draws') 39. CAVITA LINE (decorative line) 40. BOW (front) 41. TOPSIDES (between water and deck) 42. BOOT TOP (painted band just above water)
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This booklet is aimed at illustrating and clarifying the
practical courses run by the RYA. Lack of space has forced us to condense these
notes to the bare essentials and leave you to find out about the most enjoyable
part — THE SAILING!
Weather afloat can vary from hot to very cold and
wet, so
your choice of clothes should reflect this. But, as space is limited (and
sometimes damp) pack everything in plastic bags and then into a soft holdall
or kitbag.
NAUTICAL
TERMS
