All decisions of the skipper are as final as they are arbitrary.
The skipper is famous for assuming everyone is a mindreader, don’t hesitate
to ask if you are unsure what to do.
If you are asked to do something you don’t understand, ask for clarification.
If you are uncomfortable doing something, please say so. It is far more
enjoyable to watch somebody else muck it up than to make the mess yourself.
It is especially humorous to watch the skipper mess things up.
If you think something bad is going to happen, speak up. The skipper
promises to listen. He might not agree, but he will listen.
Do you know a better way of doing things? Let the skipper know. If you
are nice about it, he might listen.
Is there something special you would like to learn or practice? Just
ask. But, be careful. If you ask too often, you will inflate the skipper’s
ego, and if pops, it makes a mess.
If you are on deck outside of the cockpit, please wear a PFD. If you
don’t have one the skipper will supply one.
If you are going outside of the cockpit and the conditions warrant,
or if the skipper (or your significant other) requests, or simply if you
prefer, use a harness and tether.
Shouting is reserved for emergencies only, please.
No whining about the skipper or your fellow crewmembers. There is a
plank aboard, and you might have to walk it.
This is a large and heavy boat. Even when moving very slowly, it has
enormous momentum. NEVER put any part of your body between the boat and
any other object. Never, ever. You wouldn’t try to stop a truck by stepping
between it and your car would you? Same thing.
The sails on this boat are very powerful engines. The forces on the
lines can be well over 2 tons. RESPECT THEM. Think about what might happen
if a piece of gear was to fail. Are you sitting in a bad place?
Especially when we are sailing downwind, watch the mainsheet. In a jibe,
it can sweep rapidly and violently across the aft part of the cockpit,
and getting your neck in the way would ruin your whole day!
You (believe it or not) are more important to the skipper than the boat.
NEVER risk any part of your anatomy to protect the vessel.
Even if you are an experienced sailor, don’t use the main halyard winch
until the skipper, or other knowledgeable person, has briefed you. Perfectly
safe when used correctly, if you do things wrong, you can easily break
you arm, and that violates both Rule 1 and Rule 2.
If you don’t have experience with large sheet winches, please have someone
show you the right techniques. The skipper prefers that your fingers stay
attached to your hand.
Are you having fun yet? If not let the skipper know. If he can do something
about it, he will, and if not, he’ll be sympathetic.
If you are working on deck, stay on the windward side of all sails unless
necessary. If you must work on the leeward side, make it fast,
and get back on the uphill side.
Did you remember sunscreen? If needed the skipper can (probably) supply
some, or most anything else you have forgotten.
Ask how the head works before you use it. If you clog it, you clean
it. A definite violation of Rule 2!!
In the very unlikely event that the Coast Guard or other law enforcement
agency selects us for boarding, be polite. In fact, the skipper requests
that you practically grovel. Better yet, let him do all of the talking.
They are our guests, and they have guns, and that makes them right.
The skipper is very patient. Always work with one hand and hold on with
the other, even when it takes longer.
Be realistic about timing. If you have someplace you have to be early in the evening, maybe it's not a day to go sailing. Tides and weather can interfer with the skipper's best intentions to return home at a predicted hour.