June 2019

‘I don’t own a boat. But I have a lot of friends with boats, which anyone can tell you is a lot better.’ – Robert Stone, author

Crinan Canal

We had a great week on the Clyde and the Crinan, enjoying lovely weather and only a few drops of rain on the final afternoon. Seen here, L to R, Rob, myself, Lynn and David on a 12 metre sailing yacht, in the Crinan canal. Our journey log was; First night from Largs to Loch Ranza mooring, 2nd Campbeltown pontoon, 3rd Tarbert pontoon, 4th Crinan (Cairnbaan) pontoon, 5th Kames mooring and 6th Inverkip pontoon, before returning to Largs.

Sextant Sighting near Skye

Here I’m assisting Eric with his noon sight using a sextant during our sail round Skye. We managed to visit the Shiant Islands and enjoyed fine weather throughout the week.

After the sights, also done by 2 x Peters, we performed the calculations to give our latitude. The longitude is rather more difficult and was omitted on this occasion.

Control the Invaders

Invasive, non native, species can cause harm and destruction. The RYA has an informative article here Invasive Species

Williams II & Tom Cunliffe

Yachting sage Tom Cunliffe went onboard and you can see his video assessment of the Baltic Trader.

Meet the Team

Melvyn Wallhead, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor. I started this business in 2009 partly to justify keeping our rather nice Hallberg Rassy yacht, never expecting the school would grow to the present level. The North East has a long maritime tradition but potential mariners have had to go outside the area or deal with local colleges offering an inflexible ‘service’. I have sailed all over; UK, Med, Europe, Caribbean, Thailand, four continents in all and hope I can encourage others to do the same, without the ‘incidents’.

Trevor Jefferson, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor has a long pedigree in teaching with dinghy sailing going back some 40 years and is an RYA Race Trainer. Sail Cruising has been his recent activity with instruction time in Gibraltar and the West Coast of Scotland where he owned a watersports centre. As my Chief Instructor he ‘raises the bar’ for Northumbria Sailing instruction standards.

Steve Lovett, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor has a wealth of experience, including sailing with us up to the Shetlands in 2016. Steve lives in Durham and has some 50 years experience on the water ranging from dinghies to cruising yachts in the UK and abroad, including the UK to Rio leg of the Clipper Race in 2013.

Northumbria Sailing Adventures

For these adventures we either charter a sailing yacht or take ‘Lian’ somewhere interesting and challenging. When weather and crew status permit we will do distances, often sailing through the night via the watch system. If this is not possible we will cruise looking for pleasant places to visit with good shoreside wining and dining facilities.

Trips in recent years have included the Orkneys, the Clyde, London Tower Bridge, Amsterdam, Skye circumnavigation and traditional sailing on the IJsselmeer.

We will endeavour to have you fully involved in the sailing of the boat and to consider your preferences. Alcohol will often be enjoyed when we are no longer underway. At the end of the trip you will have a log book filled and plenty of nautical adventures to tell.

North Eastern Adventure in August 2019

On this Adventure, August 8 – 11th, we aim to explore the delights of the North East coast and ports. (and even the pubs!)

Departure is from Royal Quays, onboard comfortable Lian, and probably the weather will dictate whether we sail north or south. Sailing south, targets would be Whitby and Scarborough, northwards Holy Island, the Farnes and Eyemouth. Cost; £250 plus a share of two evenings catering and drinks onshore. (e.g. one dinner onboard included, one fish & chips & one something else from the kitty). Onboard catering is included for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Berthing fees & fuel are also included. This would also qualify for RYA Start Yachting and four days out of five for RYA Competent Crew

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Update on Courses & Trips

‘Keeping your brain active protects against dementia, probably because it increases the quality of your cognitive reserve – the connections within the brain network’

THEORY COURSES

RYA OCEAN YACHTMASTER Explore the wonders of a sextant with Celestial Navigation and Ocean Passage Planning. This ‘top of the range’ RYA theory course can lead to the coveted ‘Ocean Yachtmaster’ ticket. I have four sextants, one new lightweight metal, one plastic & two old brass, for you to handle. A practical session is included. Cost £495 or £725 on tailored tuition. It’s possible to come for the Celestial Navigation only. The US Navy are teaching sailors Celestial Navigation again as a precaution against cyber attack. US Navy.

RYA COASTAL YACHTMASTER The advanced Course, a must for those proceeding to Yachtmaster level. Cost £475 for class & £650 tailored tuition. You need a good knowledge of this Course before being tested by the RYA Examiner. Since the Course was re-written by Chris Slade, one of my RYA Inspectors, it’s a lot more challenging, but relevant. Next Course; January 9, 11, 16, 23 & 30th, February 6, 8, 13 & 27th, March 5, 12, 19, 25 & 26th Phil from 2018 says; ‘Although I knew the YM Theory would be a step up and a challenge the hard work and effort was worth it once I got out there on the boat. That extra depth of knowledge really helped me understand the dynamics of sailing, sea conditions, anticipated weather looming on the horizon and, of course, it’s likely impact on boat handling and the crew’.

RYA DAY SKIPPER A popular starting point for many. Same Course for Sail or Power. This is a Course where early booking is essential. Classes take place in a modern building in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne. Included is a half day visit to the School boat. Cost £425. Autumn evening class sessions; September 30th, October 7, 12, 14 & 21st November 4, 11, 18, 23 & 25th December 2 & 9th

I can’t do these times and am in a hurry!

Then a Tailored Timetable with one to one tuition could be for you. Costs £625 (£950 a couple) for Day Skipper, £650 for Coastal/Yachtmaster™ and £725 for the Ocean. Available when the diary permits.

Whilst I would not wish to encourage missing sessions, it’s a fact of life in todays world and time can be made up through private sessions or, sometimes, within the class timetable

TIDES In response to demand I’m offering this Course on tides, not RYA Tides, but real UK tides, especially on our North East Coast. Learn how to calculate tidal heights and streams. Join any of the four at £25 each or £90 for all four. Each session takes place 6 – 9pm at Heaton; Session 1 will be Day Skipper level with tides at standard ports. Session 2 will be advanced with secondary ports, Session 3 Tidal streams. Session 4 will go through examples and homework set from previous sessions. Also to be explored are the less common e.g tidal coefficients

PRACTICAL COURSES

All local courses take place on the school boat, a quality 36 foot Hallberg Rassy, well known for its comfort and steadiness afloat. Properly equipped with modern electronics, the preferred wheel steering and comfortable, recently replaced, bunk cushions you will be well set up to handle whatever may come your way. Courses are fully inclusive, except for a kitty contribution towards drinks onshore.

PRACTICAL CREWING My version of RYA Competent Crew. Three days, 0930-1700hrs onboard for up to four. 4:1 private tuition and you will be up to the Comp Crew standard. No experience necessary. Cost £275, weekday only.

DAY TRIPS. ‘Taster’ days run throughout the season with the aim of having a pleasant day out on the water. You can see whether yachting is for you at modest cost. Trips operate out of Royal Quays 0930 – 1700hrs. Cost £60 weekday & £70 weekend. Next availability; July 17th (£60) & 24th August (£70). Yes, describing it as a “taster” is an understatement. It was a practical and thoroughly excellent training day. It’s a credit to your skill and confidence to take two complete novices to sailing at sea out into force 7+ and make it feel so easy. Your training plan and instruction was just right and delivered with clarity and a sense of humour which quickly removed any tension. I know Peter had as much fun as I did and we both came away with a heightened enthusiasm. – David

RYA COMPETENT CREW A 5 day, live aboard, course where you will learn ‘the ropes’ and to become a useful crew member. A good start to, perhaps, a lifetime boating. Cost £595. Next availability; 8 – 13th September (1/2 places only left). See also August 8 – 11th of the North Eastern Adventure Course Review

RYA DAY SKIPPER PRACTICAL The key to bareboat charter, this course aims to get you to the ability ‘ to skipper a small cruising yacht safely by day in tidal waters with which the student is familiar’. Then you can be let loose to find your own adventures and provide endless anecdotes for you to enjoy telling. (The caption shows the June victims enjoying fish & chips on the final day) Cost £625. Next Availability; 8 – 13th September(1/2 places only left). ‘I was pleased with the way the course was organised, the instructions for preparation and attending, the fact that you were there waiting for me when I arrived, and your welcome both before and after we boarded.’ – Hassall. Course Review by Tim Edwards For a murky glimpse of a night sail try Night Sail

RYA COASTAL SKIPPER PRACTICAL The ‘top of the range’ RYA practical course providing greater challenges to get you up to the standard to skipper a cruising yacht safely by day and night. A sample requirement for chartering a yacht on the Clyde; ‘Skippers must hold/be experienced RYA Coastal practical or Yachtmaster practical when sailing within the Clyde. Outwith the Clyde – Yachtmaster practical’. Cost £625 Jonny Colwell gives a detailed review of his YM Examination

RYA START YACHTING A two day course for beginner groups, which can be the ‘start’ of greater things. You live onboard for two days and visit another marina, away from Royal Quays. Cost £230. See August 8 – 11th of the North Eastern Adventure

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE (ICC) This can be done on the same course as Day Skipper/Competent Crew. Cost £625 with dates as above. Alternatively I can test you on your own boat at much cheaper cost. Individual quotations are given for this which will be from £225 for one day, own boat ICC Guidance

Northumbria Sailing on Video

Have a look at my Theory Training Centre with this video. Training

Onboard the Hallberg Rassy training yacht, by courtesy of Mark Batey and the kind co-operation of victims Andrew and Clive. See me giving berthing advice in trying to avoid the electric supply post Mark Batey Day Training

RYA Competent Crew in the sun, by courtesy of Mark again Mark Batey Competent Crew

Pieces of Eight – Knotty Problems Analysed

How do you turn your boat around in a narrow canal like the Crinan? Risky with the 12.5 metre boat we chartered from Flamingo last May. Take a long warp to the centre cleat and pull around. Here we surprised the lockkeeper who was about to open the lock gates, when next time he looked we had turned around ready to depart without going through his locks.

Specialist Courses

RYA VHF This important Course is available in class, online or private tuition. Don’t be caught without a proper licence as you could be fined up to £5,000, plus 6 months inside, plus equipment confiscation – yes it’s very severe! At Northumbria Sailing you will receive tuition one per training set. As you will be assessed for practical skills as well as theoretical I think it’s advisable that you have every opportunity to familiarise yourself with the equipment. Cost £115 plus £60 for the RYA. Next session, all day, June 4th. Also available One to One at £180 and online at £85 to include manual. Assessment £60 extra. Try these links. RYA Online VHF Radio and RYA Online VHF video

RYA RADAR Are you safe using your set? Can you properly identify a collision situation? If you have radar you are required to know how to use it properly and could be held responsible if an incident was to occur. Some radar knowledge is now considered essential for Yachtmaster candidates. Day Course: Cost £120, plus 10 to RYA. ‘Thank you very much for yesterday’s course’ – Stephen

CEVNI test for the Inland waterways endorsement to your ICC. Done online, cost £25

RYA DIESEL ENGINE

A Volvo Penta 2003 marine diesel engine will be used for demonstrations and you will get several chances to try your hand at changing filters etc.

The Course is for beginners and will show the simple maintenance tasks you are can do yourself to help maintain your engine in working order. The RNLI has complained that most of call outs are from engine failure where simple tasks have not been performed. Your rescuing lifeboat may make firm suggestions if this is found to be the case. Cost £120 plus £10 for the RYA Pack. Maximum 6 persons. Next Course; June 28th RYA Diesel Engine

RYA ESSENTIAL NAVIGATION ONLINE Do this starter course on your own laptop. A good introduction to the theory part of sailing, with yacht or power boat. Cost £95 plus £28.50 (includes instruments) for the RYA Pack. Online Navigation

RYA FIRST AID. All day for the RYA certificate, valid three years. Be prepared for a full day’s activity with lots of practical demonstrations and active participation – no going to sleep here with Simon!. To check which certificates are acceptable to the RYA e.g. for examinations First Aid Certificates Cost £75, £95 with Cat C drug endorsement, + £7 RYA Pack. Next Course; 18th September ‘Simon was fantastic yesterday, best First Aid instructor I’ve ever had and, being a fellow sailor, he was able to put things into a sailing context. Being an ex-instructor myself, I was very impressed with him.’ – Phil

Victims (all) at Sea

Paul Walker sailing on Williams II; ‘After a delayed start to the trip caused by heavy winds, we departed Blyth at 5am just as the sun was starting to come up. A few people had got up early to see us off. We headed for Whitby with light winds but rolling seas. This gave us a good chance to practice putting the sails up and down and doing Man overboard drills. It was nice to do this early as was a good team building day. We arrived in Whitby at 5pm which gave us plenty of time to get the boat sorted in time for dinner.

The next day we where up early for a 3am departure for the 70 mile sail down to Grimsby. We where all hands on deck till we got out to sea and the sails up, then split into 2 watches. I was on the 1st watch, it was cold and wet but was nice watching the sun come up and the mist clearing. Again we didn’t have much wind so by early afternoon we where fighting the tide, making little progress as we approached the Humber. It was dark by the time we reached the royal docks. As we approached the lock it looked so small in the dark, as we got closer and started to enter you could see the full scale of how huge it really was. We moored up for the evening and redid our passage plan. It was decided we would leave at 5pm the next day which gave us time for showers and a little bit time to stretch our legs. Leaving Grimsby we split back into our watches at 9pm. I was in second watch so could get 3hrs to sleep!! Sailing through the night was very interesting but hard work due to the heavy boat traffic in the area. Following the passage plan and locating the correct marker buoys in the distance whilst negotiating bigger ships. By morning it was much the same with little wind and turning tides. 26hrs after leaving Grimsby we arrived in Lowestoft having covered 100 miles. It was an amazing experience on a traditional vessel and I can’t wait to do it again in July when we head to the arctic circle. I also plan to get my Yachtmaster offshore certificate this year with commercial endorsements.

Ian Ainsworth, together with his wife Jane, continue their sojourn through American Inland Waterways and you can follow their blog on Ainsworths

Sailing School in Croatia

Jonathan Colwell has just set up his own RYA Sailing School in Croatia, offering a range of RYA Courses, together with bareboat yacht charter Yacht Sail Training.

He cautiously asked me for assistance with paperwork and advice and, of course, I have given it and wish him every success. His web page is very impressive, and certainly puts mine into the shade!

Own Boat Tuition & Courses

If you have your own boat and would prefer private tuition or an RYA course then these are possible. Your boat would need to be acceptable of course and a daily rate for an instructor would be quoted.

Own Boat RYA Day Skipper Practical

Here I was contacted by Richard with a request for an RYA Day Skipper practical Course on their own boat, a 12.5m Jeanneau Kestrelle. An unusual request but for them it made more sense than on the school boat as 1) it worked out cheaper to employ me as the Instructor 2) they would received tuition on their own boat at the same time.

It was a successful week, despite the cold easterly wind, and certificates were awarded to all three; Richard, Pravin & Michael. Richard did comment though, after confirmation he was successful, saying that I was a ‘Taskmaster General’! Why that was I do not yet know, but it may have been the intake of breath when I announced that we would be sitting down for breakfast at 7.30am daily..

Cruising Season at Royal Quays

Here a very big one taking up the whole of Northumbria wharf, next to Royal Quays. There will be many more before the season’s out.

Crew Wanted

Yachtmaster Emre is looking for crew to bring his boat back from Mallaig to Royal Quays, going round the top at Cape Wrath. He has a Bavaria 36 Wishful and the trip is due to start on 10th August and would take 10-12 days, depending on the weather. Anyone interested should contact Emre on 07775 430725

Yacht Skippering

There are times when you might feel that your ‘ticket’ and/or experience will not be adequate for a safe holiday. For the last few years I have enjoyed a commission enabling a larger yacht to be chartered and to sail to more adventurous places.

Reader’s Links

A section featuring links of a maritime interest sent to me.

Steve Austin has uploaded this video of our 2018 Adventure sailing a traditional Dutch flat bottomed boat

Phil Butler highlights the unexpected and rapid shift in Earth’s Magnetic Field.

Peter MacLaren mentioned this article about a Yacht Delivery Skipper’s Life.

Peter Chater has found a remarkable way of plugging a failed seacock – with a carrot! Sea Cock Repair

Peter Chater sent this one about a fisherman suing as a result of a collision Fisherman Sues

Nigel Hierons saw this news item about a flare Flare in recycling explodes

Franek Richardson sent this Time Lapse

Phil Butler mentions the two women rescued after 5 months at sea in the Pacific.

Stuart Porter took and posted this great dolphin display, quite the best I have seen North Sea Dolphins

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