I’ve written before about Sticky Stapleton’s newsletter, he runs sailing courses down on the south coast. However the course offered in the latest edition amused me, particularly the “we will then all watch the forecasts for worsening weather” bit.
Sticky has course in heavy weather sailing where the idea is that two come to join him and a boat owner who wishes to experience heavy weather and try out some of the tactics to make like bearable on his boat in strong winds. He went out last week in f7 and 8′s and had some excellent sailing in brilliant sunshine.
He is considering running a course for a weekend, 5 or 7 days on a commercial basis, but much will depend on getting a boat which has been inspected and found satisfactory. So if you would like a weekend, 5 or 7 days to practise, if possible, inter alia:
Beating into strong wind and wave, heaving to, running before strong wind, wave and swell, running under bare poles, fore reaching, steering shy, trailing warps, using a sea anchor, deploying a series drogue, scudding, lying to, lying a hull, and anything else you can think of!
(I’m not a sailor and I’m not going to pretend that I understand all these terms, but it sounds bumpy to me.)
The procedure will be, email Sticky (instructor AT sail-help DOT co DOT uk) with your phone number; saying you are up for two, five or seven days. (This does not apply to anyone who has already replied). He will then source a boat, inspect it and you will then all watch the forecasts for worsening weather; he will ring round to find five likely heavy weather sailors. Cost per head £200, Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, or for same number of days during the week; £450 for five days or £600 for 7 days.