Sailing

[arwen_lune]

So went last night. I've missed one lesson (and so did someone else) because we hadn't been told about the start. The other lesson was cancelled because of no wind. They'll let us make the missed one up another time, and the cancelled lesson will be next weekend. Scheduling is pretty easy, pretty much whenever the instructor and we both are available.
We were five in the boat, which wasn't so bad for the first time because I needed a calm intro not an intense 2-hour stretch. The instructor seems a nice guy. He's asked for a second instructor, and if not possible, he plans to have the two more experienced people sail along in the second boat. He also finally took it seriously when I said 'no really, I don't know what I'm doing, don't just put me at the helm and call it learning' (some of the others are more experienced) He picked a sheltered bit of river and let me do some mostly downwind sailing to get a feel for it. That went okay, but they all seemed confused about why I found it scary and stressful. I don't know what I'm doing! I can't see (at least not without lenghty reasoning) which way to turn is safe, what the sails should be doing, what the tiller should be doing, I just don't know! Add to that that the water has walls (sailing on a river is really weird) and windy bits and sheltered bits and freight barges and I'm feeling profoundly out of my depth. Let's assume it'll come.
They are doing exams at the end of the season. Don't know if I want to go for that, it might feel better to keep it pressure-free. I can decide fairly late in the season if I want an exam, so I'll just wait and see.

Sadly my hands are a lot worse today, I'd forgotten how much rope gripping was involved. The joints are all sore now. Hopefully gloves (must dig them out) will make it a little better.

Comments

But It's Grand

[nyre1.livejournal.com]

I've only sailed in the open bay and crossed where the rivers enter it but you have to admit there is nothing like it. Of course sailing a Tall Ship is different than a smaller more responsive one but you get the same freedom I just got sea battles and black powder to go with it!!.

Enjoy your lessons.

The Pyrate Nyre The Black Rose

[swaldman.livejournal.com]

Yay! Glad you got to do lessons in the end.
Have they covered any of the "how this should work" theory? When I was learning, years ago, some instructors preferred to sit you in a boat and hope you'd figure it out... when I was teaching people a few years later, I found that it helped to explain at an early stage *why* things should work.

I imagine that which is better depends on the student... either way I'm sure you'll pick it up - once the mechanics of controlling the boat become second nature (and they will), then you can devote concentration to where to go, oncoming traffic, etc.