"Capt. JG" wrote in message
easolutions...
I was teaching a BC-1 class this weekend at a local school.

One of the items we teach is the back and fill... turning a monohull on
it's axis with the use of propwalk. The basics - bow near dead up wind,
neutral engine with rudder steerage speed, hard to starboard (assuming
typical propwalk to port in reverse), at about 1/2 way through the turn
reverse engine in pulse (ensuring propwalk but no sternway), then neutral
engine, then engine forward, then helm as needed to complete and gain
steerage. Pretty standard stuff, and very low drama, even in tight spots.

Typically, we have the students practice this outside the fairway, where
errors can be corrected and they can get a feel for the boat. Then,
depending on their level of comfort or how much we want to push them, we
do the turn inside the fairway, which is fairly narrow. The general
philosophy is to impress upon students the abilities (and limitations) of
the boat. (As an aside, this school keeps many boats on the "wrong" side
of the fairway, which means that backing out of the slip and turning to
leave needs to be done without the help of propwalk. We use the
three-point turn or spring lines as necessary, depending on wind and
current considerations.)

So, as typical, we do the turns outside then inside the fairway, and then
go off to do other motoring skills practice, such as side-tie, backing
down, etc. This weekend I was teaching aboard a newish (2003) Hunter 31.
Absolutely sucked eggs, when the wind was up in the afternoon on Sunday
(another story which includes why I hate in-mast furlers), but it does
fine under engine.

Nice day actually, very, very warm, tee-shirt weather, but not much wind,
which is a good way to start with people who've never been on a boat this
size.

Day is over, we're back at the dock, the students leave for
dinner/home/whatever. The office manager gets a call from someone
complaining about us doing the back and fills in the fairway, so then he
tells me, btw, we have a new policy about not doing this sort of practice
in the fairway. Thanks for telling me after the fact, not to mention I
completely disagree with the policy. Seems to me that's the whole point of
the maneauver... that's when you're going to need it, not out in the
middle of nowhere. I tried to be diplomatic and said, well, we should
probably discuss this at the next instructor meeting. Apparently, the
complaint was generated because some newbie charterer who ran into a
docked boat a couple of weeks ago when he tried it. I've never heard of an
instructor doing this or allowing it to happen with students aboard.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com


What a big dope you are, Gaynz! Try to get a clue.

Clue: When you work for someone, listen to what they tell you to do and then
do it. You are just a flunky instructor and these days instructors are a
dime a dozen. You have no real marketable skills so get used to the fact
that you don't set the agenda.

Clue: Trying to make your employer out to be inept or incompetent in public
will probably result in short-term employment. I wonder what they'd do if
they just happened to read your post. Bwaahhahahahahahahahha.

Wilbur Hubbard