DI course 14-18 April

The 'former boy' is a DI and I drove the rib for him yesterday while he took a beginners class. It was perhaps a little windy but it was interesting to watch what absolute beginners made of it all. Young people seemed to struggle with the concept of a boat needs to move to steer but they picked it up. Grown up students tried to make the boat do as they wished and they fought gybes and accidental tacks by trying to push the boom back. I have never seen so many people roll in backwards! Everyone kept at it though and I was impressed by that. I just hope that some of those young students stick with it and become members. We sure need some young members!

Ah, I did the beginner group in oppies last week.  A pleasant chane to be doing some hands on stuff instead of running about 'supervising'.   We had 18 kids for a three day race camp.  It went really well.  I say beginners, but they were beginner racers really.  I do think adult level one us one of the toughest courses to instruct.

Well done, but don't ell too many people or you wil rapidly descend into more teaching than sailing....

Originally posted by Er-Indoors Note "kicker kicker kicker" is not a useful explanation for "we are going to gybe, grab the kicker and swing the boom across".  And that heading up and bearing away do not resemble anything in Plain English.

I'll try and remember that!

The key thing to remember with beginners is to remember they don't yet understand the weird and wonderful language of sailing.