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On The Water Training – At The Boat Show!
Can you believe it? This past Southampton Boat Show was not just about great boat designs and super cool gear as far as the nose could sniff – it was also a chance to develop real skills in real time!
Yes, at the very end of the longest pontoon, there was an F40 keelboat with state-of-the-art RYA-trained instructors aboard just waiting to train us postulants in the arts of docking and ‘Crew Overboard’ rescue techniques.
Naturally, I alighted from my shoulder perch upon the Can Opener, landed stealthily on the dock and then shoved the First Mate briskly along the pontoon (my front paws firmly embedded in his backside) towards the said enlightenment.
There was a lot of unnecessary commotion going on overhead from the First Mate about the sharpness of my claws, the unfortunate location wherein I had installed them and some ‘Enough already, Furrball. I’m goin’, I’m going‘. But we got there in the end.
The docking practice and ‘Crew Overboard’ training was almost as entertaining as was the excitement of getting there…
Each lesson lasted 1.5 hours, including theory rundown and actually driving the yacht through every skill set drill planned. Only 5 students and 2 instructors per boat. All included in the price of the boat show ticket.
Unbelievably not all student places were taken!!??! (Well, all the powerboat lessons were taken, but not the sailboat spots… Inexplicable.)
So we joined 3 lessons – did I say fantastic?
It was.
–Captain Cat
(transcribed by the Can Opener)
Previously: Boat Show – Designs Galore!
The Cruising Kitty 