August 2015

     

                    Look who we nearly bumped into!

 Walking past out boat was Roman Abramovich on his way for a cycle ride round Islay, home of many whisky distilleries.

Things might have been very, very, different had we bumped into his boat, as we nearly did, as it was at anchor just outside Port Ellen, Islay.

I hailed ‘Eclipse’ on the VHF and, then, they made a fog signal (an incorrect one) and we avoided an incident where we would have come off worst. Earlier we had seen him at anchor in the attractive Lochranza. It was nice to see him bringing publicity to the Isles (later we saw the helicopter to-ing and fro-ing)

                      Eclipse at Lochranza & Port Ellen, Islay

Boat Delivery

I am pleased to announce a Boat Delivery service is now available using a qualified and experienced Yachtmaster™. Ask for a quotation. 

2016 in Scotland or Orkneys & Shetlands

I am preparing the sea for a sail in 2016 and ideas have included the Orkneys & Shetlands. Anyone interested or with other ideas is welcome to make contact.

                                                          Four Instructors

My new Chief Instructor, Trevor, suggested we have an Instructor’s sail. This was quite new to me as there had only ever been two of us! Now that there are four which gives a lot more flexibility on timings and types of sail offered, although if and when victim selection of Instructor happens I might think again…. So I can offer profiles, but not a beauty contest:

Melvyn Wallhead, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor. I started this business in 2010 partly to justify keeping our rather nice Hallberg Rassy yacht, never expecting it would grow to it’s 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. Newly appointed as my Chief Instructor he will ‘raise the bar’ for Northumbria Sailing instruction standards.

Don Gunton, Yachtmaster & RYA Instructor has extensive sailing experience primarily on the west coast of Scotland. Other trips have included a scary one to Norway with me onboard. Note ‘scary’ due to the weather. He would probably list sailing to St Kilda as one of his great achievements. Don has been instructing with Northumbria Sailing for a few years and can also do a useful turn in nautical slang due to his previous experience in the Merchant navy.

Malcolm Young, Yachtmaster helps keep our average age down and has come through the ranks with Northumbria Sailing. Malcolm has sailed in the west coast of Scotland, the Caribbean, Med, Norway as well as the North East. Sailing ambitions have to dovetail with running a company but he has already shown his capability of coping with the high winds we have experienced so far this season.

Yacht Orca Collision – One Death

Last year Orca, a Moody S31 yacht, same type as our previous boat, was sailing home towards Harwich, outside the deep water channel. The skipper identified a large dredger 1.6 miles away, which was not on a collision course, and took a toilet break down below. His wife stayed down below and no-one was on watch. The dredger took an unexpected turn out of the deep channel towards Orca, colliding resulting in the wife losing her life. The MAIB Report highlighted that neither vessels were maintaining a proper lookout in what was good visibility.

SPECIAL POINT OF INTEREST The dredger’s Watch Officer thought there was no need to consult his radar as the visibility was good.Orca  was clearly visible on his radar had he looked. The Officer was unaware of a blind spot on his ship. Also highlighted was the closing speed and 1.6 miles was too close for a call of nature sacrificing a proper lookout. More information is available on the link Orca     

 Update on Courses & Trips;

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. I will try and arrange a practical session.  Next class, provisionally; January 11, 18,  23, 25, February 1, 6, 8, 22, 27, March 14, 19, & 21st. Cost £450 or £725 on tailored tuition. 

RYA COASTAL YACHTMASTER The advanced Course, a must for those proceeding to Yachtmaster level. Cost £395 for class & £595 tailored tuition. You need a good knowledge of this Course before being tested by the RYA Examiner.  Autumn Class, evenings/Saturdays; September 30th, October 7, 14, 21st, November 4, 11, 18, 25th, December 2, 5, 9, 16 & 21st

FASTRACK RYA COASTAL YACHTMASTER A new opportunity for those already experienced who wish to by-pass the Day Skipper Course. Basically, It’s the Coastal Yachtmaster Course with some Prep beforehand. More of an individual Course this will probably be one2one, although could be done in class form. Not the cheapest option and not for the beginner, it does have the advantage of flexibility in content and timings. For one2one it would be £575 plus the cost of the Prep.

RYA DAY SKIPPER  A popular starting point for many. Same Course for Sail or Power. Maximum 8 to a class and located in Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne. Included is a half day visit to the School boat. Cost £375. Autumn Class, evenings/Saturdays; September 28th, October 5, 12, 17, 19th November 2, 9, 14, 16, 23 & 30th (FULL) It’s likely this Course will be full shortly and I am considering autumn daytime sessions on Thursdays 0930-1430 October 22nd, November 5, 12, 19, 26th, December 3, 10 & 17th  2016 Class;  provisionally; January 13, 16,  20, 27, February 3, 10, 24, March 2, 9, 12 & 16th

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 bunk cushions you will be well set up to handle whatever may come your way. Courses are fully inclusive, except for a kitty contribution to drinks onshore.

PRACTICAL CREWING My version of RYA Competent Crew. Three days, 0930-1700hrs onboard for three persons. 3:1 private tuition and you will be up to the Comp Crew standard. No experience necessary. Cost £275 1 space available August 21-23, Next session September 14, 17 & 1st October provisionally

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 £50 weekday & £65 weekend (maximum 5 customers onboard). 30th August (Sunday) & 18th September

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 £550. September 20 – 25th  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. Cost £575. September 20 – 25th

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE (ICC)  This can be done on the same course as Day Skipper/Competent Crew. Cost £525 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. 

YACHTMASTER PREPARATION Following on from the successful session last June, where three new YM’s were delivered, there is to be a repeat format from 11th September. Three days preparation followed by examination by an RYA Examiner for two days. Cost £595 excluding exam fees (2015 rate for YM Coastal £181).

Treats, Birthdays, Special Occasions

If you are looking for something different, why not try a Day Sail. This could be a private session or incorporated into a Day Trip, the latter subject to availability. I am told that I have a reputation for being flexible and now have a choice of instructors. As a guide you might pay £225-275 for a private day out.

East Coast Sail to London

A successful trip where we arrived at St Katharine’s Dock amid a melee of trip boats and barges under the shadow of Tower Bridge. ‘Lian’ is on its way back to the North East.  More in the September issue after the boat’s safe return (I will have a car too as I had left my only set of keys onboard!)

Northumbria Sailing on YouTube

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

In a clip from 2013 you see the appreciation of Ladies on an RYA sponsored day at Royal Quays Ladies Day

Pieces of Eight

                       Parallel Rules can do Bearings

Ever wondered what the slanted figures on one edge are for?

To draw a bearing set the ‘S’ on a longitude meridian. Then place the selected bearing on the opposite side of the rules on the same meridian and there’s your bearing line.

Other plotters, e.g. Cras Plotter, use a similar principle

Victims (all) at Sea

I heard Tyne VTS admonishing a yacht skipper in the Tyne, reminding him the Port of Tyne Regulations required keeping to starboard. The skipper protested, saying he was on the correct side and Tyne VTS apologised for mistaking it for another. Lo and behold this turned out to be Mark Batey (the not guilty one) with his boat newly transferred from the Lakes to RQ. I advised that he won’t be addressed as ‘station calling’ again – he will be marked out now (seems familiar to me!)

David & Kerry Hopwood, have their Beneteau 31, New Dawn, at Royal Quays and are exploring the North East. My offer to practise confined space turns along their pontoon wasn’t met with great enthusiasm!

Mandy Tulip, a recent DS Practical, is sailing on a tall ship from Aalborg to Germany to broaden her experience

David Wylde on Mysti Fly is at Cartagena, Spain. I have happy memories of being there in 2006 & 2007 sampling excellent tapas and not so good watching Arsenal lose their European cup final.

Eddie Redshaw is taking his yacht through the Forth & Clyde canal, mast down of course!. He can be followed on Facebook

Rob Forster has a 26 foot Westerly Centaur, Border Legend, and sails out of Kippford. Even with a bilge keel it takes some balls to sail out of there. Terrific tides and a channel very close to the shore, which alarmed guest crew Mark Batey.

Andrew Burgess, a recent Yachtmaster™, is working commercially on the Sure shamal vessel out of Bremerhaven 

Andrew & Charlie Slater, are off with the family again to Croatia, an area I haven’t explored.

The English Armada, consisting of six families in a flotilla will be taking off to do battle with the Greeks. I hope to have images later. Poor Greeks, as if they don’t have enough of their own troubles…..

Jane & Ian Ainsworth continue their trip on the eastern waters of the USA. You can follow their blog here  Tales of the American Waterways

Frazer Venters has taken his new boat a Sun Odyssey 34 Coquet Connection over to Dunstaffnage, north of Oban, for the racing season. Record time was made and record amounts of beer were drunk enroute I hear. He has been looking for racing crew on his Facebook page.

Remember the two Russians, Konstantin and Alexander?, Following their Course here in rough weather, they set off for Croatia and this year plan to sail the Ionian Islands. You can watch a Russian video of an unfriendly North Sea  North Sea

Specialist Courses include;  

RYA VHF Still available in class 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.  Next session, evenings;  September 9 & 10th. Cost £110 plus £60 to RYA Also available One to One at £160 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.  Day or two evening courses. Cost £120, plus £9.50 to RYA.

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

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 £27 to the RYA

RYA FIRST AID. All day for the RYA certificate, valid three years. Be prepared for all day activity with lots of practical work. Cost £85, £100 with Cat C drug endorsement.

Defibrillator

Defibrillator points are settting up in several public places and you should have been on an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) Course to know how to use one safely. My First Aid Instructor can do this and it would last for half a day and include CPR. Cost £60. Apply for further details.

Highest Tide Possible?

On 1st September at 0535 BST the Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT) is predicted at North Shields, followed by an almost lowest (LAT) at a more social hour of 1215 BST. Go out and have a look, remembering the tidal hour for High Water is 0505-0605 BST. September 29th has a similar range at 0430 BST for HAT and 1109 BST for almost LAT.

For more information try my web page or mail me

Sail Safely the RYA Way  🙂