Safety Boat Crew Training..

[tompaddock]

Originally Posted by ed_dash

We are only a small club with maybe a third of the members you have, and we try and run a weekend at the start of every season, open to all members.

At the weekend all the club ribs go out, and we try and cover what is needed. We generally get about 10 volunteers so that is 2 per rib plus instructor/demonstrator, and then we mould the weekend to the poeple who turn up. If they are novices its the basics, for others we do mark laying, we take a club wayfarer out and practise righting the dinghy, generally light hearted training.

Yeah, that's the kind of thing i'm thinking about.

Originally Posted by ed_dash

It works as an informal training, good for people to learn and get themselves known if they want to help, also good at the start of the season to check the ribs over. We also then point out what is involved to get PB2 & Safety Boat.

True, would be nice to encourege more people (I'm not a cox myself, but you'd be hard pushed to find many under say, 40....)

Originally Posted by ed_dash

Its been welcomed by newbies and the experienced people alike. Its suprising how our ribs all have different characteristics and until you jump directly from one to the other you cant tell.

I noticed that the other day
almost ran over a mooring bouy :$

Originally Posted by ed_dash

We also have a launching tractor, mini lawn mower type so we train people up on that at the same time.

I really want to be able to use our tractor, for some reason the boatswain's never on his radio, so you have to moor, run and find him, then finally trailer.
If a few of us could use it, we'd have RIBs off the water in no time!

[ed_dash]

We dont generally differentiate between helm and crew unless its for a major event and even then is more, person in charge and 2nd person. Doesnt matter at all who is actually at the helm. That obviously depends on what they are doing but its the way to learn.

We have have quite a few, myself included who are under 40, though most are over that age. I think a lot of it is down to availablilty, we have a lot of youngsters 12-16 who are keen to help and are often out 'Crewing' with the expereinced helms, but then at 17 they learn to drive a car and dissapear, and then re appear later on in life.

Our tractor is insured by anyone who has a full license but our Vice Commodore is a lecturer in Agricultural Engineering so does the course for it and often lets the younger members learn under his control. Its only small but pulls the ribs no problem.

The problem with clubs, ours included is that different people have different roles and its hard to often change their perception. Myself included. Sometimes you just need to keep on suggesting ideas, in the hope you can improve things.

[tompaddock]

Ed,
I like the idea of having 2 equally competent people in the boat:
Sometimes, if you've been in the driving seat and left grabbed a mast, you don't really want to have to let go of it because the other person can't drive!
The club'd never invest in it, but it would be fantastic.
Tom