Training on your own yacht

I have been coaching people on their own boats for more than twenty years, sometimes for just one day, occasionally for as long as two weeks. (http://theiberianseaschool.com/content/view/19/30/)

Marina boat handling is a particular specialty. In just a day, I can transform your ability from ‘just average’ to ‘deeply impressive’. I thoroughly enjoy this work. It is very satisfying to see my clients now able to handle their own boat with confidence and style - in what previously was a difficult berthing situation. My fees are less than end-of-season gel coat repairs!

I teach people to go cruising. Out at sea, for longer periods, relaxed instruction in all aspects of sailing from sail trim to watch keeping to heavy weather tactics, in real not contrived conditions, builds well-found confidence. Most instructors do an exercise to simulate running out fuel, for example, but three miles from the harbour entrance, a client recently found that there was insufficient fuel for our return to Vilamoura (having assured his wife and me that there was plenty). This gave me an excellent opportunity to demonstrate berthing on the fuel pontoon under sail, and to follow this with instruction on bleeding the engine.

Sea Rage! I have frequently been approached by enlightened owners who aspire to become one of those good, easy-going, but responsible skippers, whose friends want to go cruising with them again and again. The reality is though that there are an amazing number of owners of yachts stuck on their own in marinas because no one wants to sail with them. They don't understand why, but I do, it is because they shout at their crews, because the responsibilities of command somehow turn very pleasant people into petty tyrants the moment they step on board. I call it 'sea rage' as it is a bit like road rage, it shows in nervous emphasis of unimportant things. Sadly, perhaps, we can't press-gang our crew anymore! So it is important to be nice to them and make sure that they enjoy their sailing with us, so that they will crew for us again and again.

My function is to guide owners and skippers into understanding what is important and what is not. Then that one percent of the time, when it matters they can still take firm command; but the other 99 per cent of the time they can behave normally, relax and enjoy themselves. This means sometimes allowing things to be done badly, in their judgement at least as skipper, and not criticising - self-restraint which many people find hard but it is vital if they are going to command absolute attention when it really does matter.

Unhappy partners. One of the most common dampeners of a skipper's pleasure in owning a new yacht is the seeming inability of his/her partner to share their enthusiasm. 'Sea Rage' may have something to do with it. But the competence and confidence of partners has also got a lot to do with it. I therefore pay special attention in encouraging partners to develop their boating skills. Given a chance most women will be as capable in boat handling as their husbands and some, of course, more so. It is no casual requirement that partners should become equally skilled, because there can be occasions at sea where illness or injury to the skipper mean they have to take over.

My role. In addition to formal courses (www.rya.org.uk/), I offer customised and discreet tuition. My role, as coach and mentor, is to help you build well-founded confidence, to gain increasing pleasure and competence as owner and skipper. I can help you learn things that you won't find in books because they are specific to my experience and your temperament.

My goal is to help you to become that marvellous thing, a capable and personable skipper, who manoeuvres a yacht with ease and panache, utterly reliable in a crisis and a pleasure to sail with at all times.

Martin (www.martinnorthey.net)

Martin Northey (Poem)

Dedicated to Martin Northey

It seems that many people
Have a dream to which they cling…
That one day they’ll own a cruiser,
…..‘cept they can’t drive the bloody thing !

So we bought this shiny Cranchi.
With its gleaming chrome and leather.
And we filled it up with diesel ,
And waited for good weather.

So then you seek an expert.
One who knows each trick and rule.
And one name , it kept recurring….
The Iberian Sea School !

He starts you in the classroom.
With a load of stuff to do .
Are tides “neaps” or “springs” you wonder,
And is that compass bearing true?

There are bowlines, there are bowsprings,
There’s a cleat, and clove hitch too.
There are flares and there are fenders,
There are flags of white and blue !

There are buoys and there are black balls.
There is anchor chain and rope.
And there’s how to check position…..
it’s all now within our scope !

And whilst much of it’s important,
And there is merit to each bit ,
With his humour and his patience ,
He makes sense of all of it.

Our first turns amongst the moorings,
Were not in whole devoid of fear !
And we had to learn quite quickly ,
When we’re “in” or “out” of gear !

And I guess like many couples,
I was cocky , she was scared !
But it took her just an hour ,
To do spins I’d not have dared !

And at times we lacked in judgement ,
And got our knickers in a tizz ,
But despite his swift instructions ,
He still claimed the fault was his !

I’m not sure about my colleagues ,
Who say “a bigger boat’s the game”.
‘Cos the diesel pump attendant ,
Already uses my first name !

So now we’re proud and confident ,
To use the expertise he gave .
And we can join the scores of boaters,
Who all greet him with a wave !

John & Julia , Bumbelady , Albufeira , June 2006 .