Today was our turn to be "Navigators", so we started the day by listening to the weather forecast on the VHF radio. The forecast included lots of rain and increased winds so it sounded like a fun day. During the rest of the day we would take turns to add entries to the log every hour and every time we did a significant evolution.
As our first lesson of the day we learned how to shake a reef. Again the evolution seemed quite complex, with lots of steps and again we were a bit overwhelmed. I guess that only a lot of practice will help us make this second nature. As part of our training material we received a set of "wet" notes, with lists of all the steps needed during each evolution and these proved really helpful, specially with the most complicated ones.
All the evolutions that include the main sail (hoisting it, dropping it, taking or shaking a reef) include a step called VMT (for Vang, Main, Topping lift) where you first release the vang and then in coordination you ease the main while you grind on the topping lift. The two persons who handle the main and the topping lift need to keep in synch and to do so one of them will shout "easing on the main!" and the other will reply "grinding on the topping!". We repeated this so often that it became a kind of group "mantra" and we used it all the time. During breakfast someone would say "easing on the butter!" and someone else would reply "grinding on the jam!". It is great when this kind of group dynamics develop.
We spent the rest of the day mostly practicing tacking and tacking. I was able to helm for a long time and it was great as the wind had picked up to around 30 knots and I really enjoyed it. The yacht handled beautifully and responded easily to the helm, it was amazing to be able to be in control of such a beast.
In the afternoon after lunch we did a new MOB manoeuvre. I wanted to try what it felt like to be the designated swimmer (this is the person that is lowered to the water with a waterproof suit to help recover the casualty) so I had placed myself strategically near the companionway so that I could pick up that role when the MOB came. So, upon hearing the "Man Overboard!" cry, I jumped below decks ready to pick up this role. Maxim helped me get dressed and I came on deck, was tied to the halyard that would be used to lower me, went over the hand rail and was lowered to the water (it is like rapelling on the side of the boat). The first approach to the casualty was not successful as it almost ended up under the boat but on the second one I was able to recover Bob, our clumsy passenger. It was an experience that was at the same time terrifying and exciting, I am really glad to have taken the opportunity to perform this role.
Two of the persons that I liked more of my team mates were Maxim and Enrico. They had been working together as a team but they couldn't be more different: Maxim was ex-army, very organised and disciplined, with a clear idea of how to do things in a straight manner, quite serious. Enrico was a wild spirit, disorganised, a bit of a disaster but a really lovable guy, very affectionate. They were like night and day. But somehow they worked together brilliantly as a team. That night Maxim asked Stefano "How do you say 'many' in Italian?" and Stefano said "Molto" and Maxim said "Argh, I have spent half an hour trying to get that from Enrico and there was no way!!!". He told us about a conversation with Enrico which went something like:
- Enrico, how do you say "many" in Italian?
- Yes
- Yes? I wanted you to translate "many" into Italian
- Italian? Yes, I am Italian
- But I want you to translate
- Translate is to convert English to Italian, yes?
- Yes, so, how do you say "many" in Italian?
- Yes
And on and on it went. We had a great laugh with this.
That night we also docked in Cowes, in the Isle of Wight. I did not feel like going to the pub so I just stayed in my bunk, a bit sad because the next day would be our last sailing day.
All the evolutions that include the main sail (hoisting it, dropping it, taking or shaking a reef) include a step called VMT (for Vang, Main, Topping lift) where you first release the vang and then in coordination you ease the main while you grind on the topping lift. The two persons who handle the main and the topping lift need to keep in synch and to do so one of them will shout "easing on the main!" and the other will reply "grinding on the topping!". We repeated this so often that it became a kind of group "mantra" and we used it all the time. During breakfast someone would say "easing on the butter!" and someone else would reply "grinding on the jam!". It is great when this kind of group dynamics develop.
We spent the rest of the day mostly practicing tacking and tacking. I was able to helm for a long time and it was great as the wind had picked up to around 30 knots and I really enjoyed it. The yacht handled beautifully and responded easily to the helm, it was amazing to be able to be in control of such a beast.
In the afternoon after lunch we did a new MOB manoeuvre. I wanted to try what it felt like to be the designated swimmer (this is the person that is lowered to the water with a waterproof suit to help recover the casualty) so I had placed myself strategically near the companionway so that I could pick up that role when the MOB came. So, upon hearing the "Man Overboard!" cry, I jumped below decks ready to pick up this role. Maxim helped me get dressed and I came on deck, was tied to the halyard that would be used to lower me, went over the hand rail and was lowered to the water (it is like rapelling on the side of the boat). The first approach to the casualty was not successful as it almost ended up under the boat but on the second one I was able to recover Bob, our clumsy passenger. It was an experience that was at the same time terrifying and exciting, I am really glad to have taken the opportunity to perform this role.
Two of the persons that I liked more of my team mates were Maxim and Enrico. They had been working together as a team but they couldn't be more different: Maxim was ex-army, very organised and disciplined, with a clear idea of how to do things in a straight manner, quite serious. Enrico was a wild spirit, disorganised, a bit of a disaster but a really lovable guy, very affectionate. They were like night and day. But somehow they worked together brilliantly as a team. That night Maxim asked Stefano "How do you say 'many' in Italian?" and Stefano said "Molto" and Maxim said "Argh, I have spent half an hour trying to get that from Enrico and there was no way!!!". He told us about a conversation with Enrico which went something like:
- Enrico, how do you say "many" in Italian?
- Yes
- Yes? I wanted you to translate "many" into Italian
- Italian? Yes, I am Italian
- But I want you to translate
- Translate is to convert English to Italian, yes?
- Yes, so, how do you say "many" in Italian?
- Yes
And on and on it went. We had a great laugh with this.
That night we also docked in Cowes, in the Isle of Wight. I did not feel like going to the pub so I just stayed in my bunk, a bit sad because the next day would be our last sailing day.
