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Maiden Voyages - Terrific or Terrifying? It's Up To You

January 13, 2015 by JR
Maiden Voyages - Terrific or Terrifying?  It's Up To You

Many people new to Summer Sailstice ask the same question: “What exactly do I do?” Our answer is simple: “Go sailing.” That's it. On June 20 – the longest day of the year (aka the Summer Solstice), just cast off the docklines and go. It doesn't matter where or for how long. If you sign up on the website here, you become eligible to win some cool prizes. But the main point has always been just to get as many boats and sailors on the water as possible to celebrate the start of summer and the new sailing season.

Some ways are better than others.  Captain Ron has some alternative insights best avoided.

Of course, there are more group-oriented ways to take part. Keep checking in here to see if someone near you is planning a raft-up, group charter, cruise-in, race, sea trial or whatever. Or hey – organize one yourself. And please let us know about it so we can put it on our calendar.

One of our personal favorite Sailstice activities – in fact, one that has become something of a tradition – has been to take at least one or two newbies out for their first sail. These can be neighbors, friends from work, in-laws, your kids's friends (and maybe parents), your mechanic, manicurist, the IRS guy who audited you last year (okay, maybe not him...) - pretty much anyone is fair game. We've even given rides to tourists just walking along the dock.

Such 'maiden voyages' have the potential for huge fun and huge rewards. However, done incorrectly, they also hold the potential for total disaster. Trust us on this. To help keep your good intentions on track, we've compiled the following guide to what works for us.

* First and foremost, no bad stuff on the first sail. Most non-sailors have a romanticized notion of sailing. If possible, do everything you can on that first sail to fulfill that fantasy. Do it on flat, protected water when the sun is shining and there is no more than 10-12 knots of breeze in the forecast. Jumping dolphins are optional but recommended. So are crackers, good cheese and a nice cabernet. Make your tacks smooth, minimize jibes and do lots more reaching and downwind than pointing.

* To minimalize the possibility of seasickness, advise newbies to take their remedy of choice at least an hour before departure. If they forget, don't want to, or get sick anyway, our default is almost always to end the session, head back in and try again another day. (This also saves having to clean a lot of puke off the upholstery.)

* Make first sails short. Ideally, we like to depart mid-morning, sail for an hour or two, tuck into a quiet cove for lunch and then get in a couple more hours in the afternoon before heading for the barn.

* Don't skimp on the pep talk/prep talk. A few days before, email your new crew some simple instructions on what to bring, the correct clothes to wear, white-soled shoes, etc. Then, before you leave the dock, do a little safety and information briefing. Point out the boom and why it's called that (because if it hits you in the head, it goes 'boom'), the importance of lifelines, danger areas to be avoided (traveler, foredeck when tacking, etc.), how to use the head, how not to lose a winch handle and so on. Explain that if someone falls overboard, or in any other emergency situation – you are the skipper and everyone should do exactly what you say. Finally, be the first to put a lifejacket on and invite everyone to follow suit. (We used to make this optional for adults, but now everyone does it or the boat doesn't leave the dock. On our boat, lifejackets may be removed when down below.)

* Encourage participation. Hardly anyone we've ever taken for a first sail wants to just sit and be entertained. Generally speaking, they want to help. So give them some easy stuff to do right from the start – taking covers off, tending docklines, stowing fenders and so on. Many of our guests have insisted on bringing lunch and if it makes them feel more a part of the day, who are we to argue? Underway, invite them to pull strings, grind winches and even steer (with us coaching nearby). One of the most rewarding aspects of maiden voyages is watching someone take the wheel for the first time. The first few minutes are (almost) inevitably characterized by snake-wake maneuvers, crashing sails and horrified looks. But sooner or later, they'll start to feel the boat, the gyrations and overcorrections will get sorted out, and the grimace will turn into a smile. (In extreme cases, the problem then becomes getting them off the wheel so someone else can have a go...) We've had people tell us years later that steering was the highlight of the day.

* Answer questions but don't, ahem, go overboard trying to teach or impress with your knowledge. Make your answers simple – left is port, right is starboard; the big one is the main, the front one is the jib; schooners have the big mast in the back – stuff like that. Even if you're a rocket scientist and understand things like induced drag, lift coefficients and displacement/length ratios – leave those discussions for another time. About the most complex discussion we'll have with newbies is apparent wind. It's a hard concept to grasp if you're talking about it in somebody's living room. But out on the water when you can see and feel it in action, its much easier to explain – and understand.
On a related subject, don't get too deep into the lingo. Everyone knows that sailing has its own language, but don't go all Admiral Nelson on people. They won't care or remember much past the basics. Occasionally, we'll even back off on those. If people seem like they're getting overly confused or frustrated, we'll start using “pointy end”, “right side”, “downstairs” and so on.

Of course younger sailors might like being put in a harness, strung from a wire, sticking a GoPro on their head and getting soaked!  Age matters.  www.printroom.com/pro/crayivp

* Cut an old jibsheet into 4-ft lengths and keep them in the rope locker. Besides being handy for new fender lines and general lashings, they are great for newbies who want to learn knots. Bowlines, clove hitches and half-hitches are quick and easy to teach and bowlines, especially, can keep people going for hours as they try to get that damn rabbit to go through the right hole. But again, keep it simple. No sheepshanks or triple crowns.

* Tell people in advance when you're going to do something. Explain exactly what's going to happen, what to expect, and what you want them to do. For example, “Okay, in about half a minute, we're going to tack. That means I'm going to turn the boat and the wind is going to go from this side to that side. While we're turning, the sails are going to flap around and make noise. Stay away from the sails and sheets, which will hurt if you get slapped by one. Once we get going again, the boat will be leaning the other way. So when I tell you, I'd like you all to shift over to the other side of the boat. This time, I'm going to tack the jib myself. As you'll see, I will release the rope on this winch, and pull in the rope on the winch on the other side. Once you see how it's done, next time we tack you can team up try it yourselves if you want.”

* Work some treat or surprise into the day. To most people, the sailing itself will be the adventure. But you can make it particularly memorable with, for example, a fly-by past some famous lighthouse or other landmark; circumnavigating a small island or perhaps lunching at restaurant with guest docks. Our personal favorite on San Francisco Bay is to take short jog under the Golden Gate and back. It's another moment everyone seems to remember.

* Apres-sail interaction has always been a play-by-ear thing for us. Some people – especially those who did not like the experience – will wait on the side of the boat with their duffles ready, and hit the dock running before you even get the first dockline around a cleat. Actually, so will some people who enjoyed the day. We always try to encourage people who want the entire experience to help put the boat away. Never insist on it, tho. Usually, on the way in, we might say, “Once we tie up, we usually wash the boat off before putting covers on.” Or something like that. Most people appreciate – and take – the hint. At the other end of the spectrum, some people might insist on treating you and even your crew (if there were any) to a thank-you dinner. The proper etiquette is to gratefully accept.

Finally, don't expect everyone to like it, no matter how lovely the day might have seemed to you. And don't expect everyone who did like it to run out and buy a boat or, in fact, ever to go out again. For lots of people, once is enough. And that's okay. Our experience, and that of many other skippers and sailing schools we've talked to over the years, is that maybe 1 in 20 or 30 people get 'hooked' by their first experience and go on to make sailing part of their lives.
At the end of the day, when everyone is gone and the boat's all put away, pour yourself a glass of your favorite libation, raise it and imagine us across the table, clinking and toasting to what a good guy or gal you are.

Adam Loory of UK Sails loaded up this Express 37 for a Turkey Day sail - full boats are more fun!
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If you have any other suggestions for introducing newbies to sailing, please let us know. And if you decide to do some 'maiden voyages' of your own, please take photos and send details. We'd love to hear about your experience. Email here.

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