Natural sailors ?

I believe that Jack Nickalaus (a golfaller) hit a ball which seemed to be freakishly successful. A spectator called out "You were lucky there Jack". Jack replied "Do you know, the more I practice the luckier I get". However perhaps learning and the processing of that learned knowledge is a talent in its self. Mind you I never learned anything.

Recently went to a lecture by an educationalist, who said there was no such thing as natural ability or talent, and that skilled tasks were down to practice, and the ability to learn.

Personally I thought he just redefined talent as the ability to learn faster. Certainly the fastest guys tend to be the ones who have done the most, and stuck through the hard times and learnt. Maybe explains why there are some "talented" sailors who dont know how they get to the front as it has become instinctive, and some who are unbeatable at there home clubs, but cant transfer the speed to elsewhere.

Originally posted by turnturtle Originally posted by tickler As you say some trainees just do not ever seem to grasp the basic principals whilst others quickly do and probably would have done without the lessons. When I was teaching sailing (17-18) I always prefered teching adults becuase at least they just got on with it and I foudn by the end of even a 'first week' you were getting some racing in.  What I always thought was funny was that 'sporty dad' would not always be 'the natural sailor' of the group- also quite amusing watching a certain type of bloke from that generation' come to terms with the fact that a woman might be better at something physical than he was.... you would never believe the excuses they could come up with as to why the mrs was quicker and more skilled than he was!

I did a season in Menorca and I found typically adult women progressed faster than the men ... I put this down mostly to them listening more to the instruction ... bit of a generalisation but it was my obervation.

Back to the bit about 'natural sailors'.....being a 'proper' sailing instructor I've come across plenty of hamfisted beginners who always struggle to get to grips with even the most basic dinghy - and so what, just so long as they're safe and enjoying themselves. More often than not they come back for more and eventually turn into competent club racers.  But once in a while you'll get an outstanding individual who picks it up just like that, instinctively knows what to do with the boat and intuitively knows where the wind is coming from.  Those are the natural sailors, in my opinion, and the point about a boat like a tasar is that, since it is relatively uncomplicated, such a sailor can become successful in one relatively quickly.

There's no doubt that to be successful on a larger scale such sailors have to put in the hours on the water, but the outcome for these guys is that ultimately they win medals, whereas the rest of us just dream....

A note on dinghy instructors:  I did my SI ticket recently and was surprised by how many DIs did little or no racing.  The problem here is that they do not then learn many of the 'tricks of the trade' that the racing sailor picks up as they learn to sail boats faster, such as effective ways to gybe in a blow.  However, most DIs don't need to know this stuff: the RYA Method is very prescriptive - there's little or no scope for individuality, especially when teaching beginners - but the RYA Method is also phenomenally effective - easily the best teaching scheme in the world.

I did a bit of Tasar coaching, and I'm not quite sure that there's a big
dividing line between those who sail in the two styles Frank describes. For
instance, the average yachty has known to steer for balance downwind for
decades and many of them couldn't get a Laser or Tasar or skiff around
the course very well.

Still, Frank is always thought provoking and very interesting. He's
definitely inspiring.

On the picky note - he's wrong about the Patiki being the first OD, that
was clearly the North Haven Dinghy or the Water Wag, depending on your
definition of OD class. They were both racing in 1887. And the Sunfish
was a "Laser style" SMOD with world titles for years before the Laser came
out.

Neil I think you can "granny around" (as we call it here) quicker than
capsize and re-right IF you've practised grannying a bit.