Capt. JG wrote:
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.

Anywhere you can set up a couple of transits ashore to the same width as
the fairway? Where I am, there is a long shed end on to the basin and
if you can see it's sides, you've strayed out of the best practise
'lane'. The sea school *should* have the agreement of the marina
management as to which areas to practice in and I am surprised at the
new policy you describe. However if the marina is being difficult they
may well be pressuring the school to practice elsewhere. I think the
potential risk due to graduating students attempting this manoeuvre on
their own and probably short handed, never having practised in a
realistic environment is far higher than the risk with an instructor
present and a full crew available to fend off if safe to do so.

You need to ask your principal, off the record, is the new policy 'dont
practice in any fairway' or just 'not round here'? If the former, the
next instructor meeting needs to be brought forward . . .

Presumably there is some method in place for updating you on changes in
school policy and procedures. Why didn't it work this time?


--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
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