Does anyone have a copy of Crew and Unusual Punishment, an article from the Hobie Hotline published in the mid 80s and the accompanying rating chart? Thanks on advance.
Found it!
CREW AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT
by Spence Lycan
"How to handle a crewperson, mark me well spoke the wise old man. The way to handle crewpersons, is with swift strokes, using back of hand." Cap'n Arthur, HMS CAMELOT
"Don't leave home without 'em." Edward Teach
This article is written by a skipper for same. Should a literate crew stumble across these candid words, stand reminded that the truth, like the sun, can burn and irritate. Further, the very basis of a skipper/crew relationship is that of enlightenment by the skipper of the unapprised crew. This relationship is of classic lines, of give and take. The skipper gives the commands. The crew takes them. While platitudes are written of the competition between boats, the real action is on each boat, between skipper and crew. The skipper tries to break in the crew before the crew can break up the boat. Even if you sail without crew nor jib, read on to learn what it is all about.
Instant success is rarely the mark of a novice racer. A new skipper will need several minutes of experience before commanding others with alacrity and probity. But crews necessarily require several years hard work before earning respect due their station of life. Thus the Skipper's Prime Directive is the transformation of scurrilous anthropoids into attentive crewpersons, responsive to their sailing master. Verily, good crews are made, not born, by great skippers.
Aboard my Hobie, all them that ain't driving are crewing. My crew duty assignments are simplistic, serving as positive reinforcement upon completion. Hopefully the future will show a significant increase in responsible crew duties. But at present, the crew trims the jib, calls starting time, maintains boat trim, monitors shifting wind and weather conditions, calculates tidal set, makes minor fine-tuning sail plan adjustments, watches for leeward and crossing boats with right-of-way, calls laylines, performs basic trailer maintenance, makes periodic van or RV tune-ups, packs all foodstuffs and equipment and prepares the occasional meal over the weekend. As skipper, the onerous duties of finding the regatta and then wiggling the stick dominate my time. None the less, I insist on splitting all remaining contingencies, right down the middle. The skipper shoulders the praise, the crew the blame.
When the day's long hot races are finished, it is time to find a shady keg around which sea stories, suds and lounging comradely is shared with other skippers. This tranquility will be broken only by the comfortable sounds of the crews washing down the boats, putting up the tents and preparing the evening barbecue. Take this time to share of yourself and your thoughts with your crew. Eventually wander over and gently critique those times when the crew's responses cost valuable time and boat position. As a caring skipper, let the crew know that you care enough to get the very best, no matter what the pain, to the crew. Remember skippers, only one skipper can win each race, but all are winners who strive to meet Captain William Bligh's firm but fair standards, established for South Sea cruisers, back in the late 1780's.
As a card carrying member of the Crew Union I have to point out that the crew always beats the skipper across the finish line.
Does anyone know the whereabouts of Spence Lycan? That name sounds very familiar. Think he use to sail with us in Fleet 8 Div 6 in the late 70's early 80's.
Doug Snell
dsnell4 at houston dot rr dot com
A past crew and girlfriend of mine, Kim Williams, wrote a hysterical article called "Crewing without Stewing". It was published in the Hobie Hotline more that 10 years ago. Maybe I will ask her if she still has it, so I can share it with you. Yes, we are still great friends. She comes to our house parties.
She was sailing with me when we were trying to get to the top of the best group of sailors I could imagine. That is a touchy time for skipper and crew. There is an intensity about the skipper that the crew gets the brunt of. At the time I did not equate time on the boat to being that much better so I expected to be "in the hunt" all the time. Most of these competitors had many years on the boat. We were relative rookies that went through the classes way to fast. Jumping into A-Fleet in So Cal in about 3 regattas, then sitting the back of the fleet for years. Every once in a while we would have good race or even regatta. That made it worse...as then the expectations (mine) got very high. Thinking that a loud voice could overcome skipper/crew communication problems, I was kind of a bully. I was just doing what I heard on other boats. They were in front of us and much louder. I took some of those lessons from some of the great sailors. Turns out that is all wrong...duh, what?
Whenever I get short tempered these days on the boat it goes appreciably slower. Not that my crew is not trying. It is that there is added pressure that should not be there. If you look at the responsibilities of the crew and ask yourself why they are still there you will realize that they want to sail with you. Make it nice and they will come back. If not you will be looking for a one-man boat.
I am still sailing on a crewed boat and love to have someone to talk to between races. The best is getting great information on the race course. It would be hard to attain most of the data if I had to look at everything myself. Crews are very important, give them the big trophy.
Later,
Dan
By definition there can not be any Crew Union. A rabble (collective noun for crew) tried to get one running down here but 2 got lost finding the first meeting whilst the others simply lost the key and were locked out.
Michael
The SKIPPER has ultimate responsibility of the boat.
Therefore,
WHATEVER happens is the SKIPPER'S fault.
Even if the CREW should screw up,
it is still the SKIPPER's fault, for...
...the SKIPPER should have known that the CREW
was an idiot and planned accordingly.
"At the time I did not equate time on the boat to being that much better" I must be the poster boy for that one! This is right up there with "To be or not to be".....................BG DSYC.
She was sailing with me when we were trying to get to the top of the best group of sailors I could imagine. That is a touchy time for skipper and crew. There is an intensity about the skipper that the crew gets the brunt of. At the time I did not equate time on the boat to being that much better so I expected to be "in the hunt" all the time. Most of these competitors had many years on the boat. We were relative rookies that went through the classes way to fast. Jumping into A-Fleet in So Cal in about 3 regattas, then sitting the back of the fleet for years. Every once in a while we would have good race or even regatta. That made it worse...as then the expectations (mine) got very high. Thinking that a loud voice could overcome skipper/crew communication problems, I was kind of a bully. I was just doing what I heard on other boats. They were in front of us and much louder. I took some of those lessons from some of the great sailors. Turns out that is all wrong...duh, what?
Whenever I get short tempered these days on the boat it goes appreciably slower. Not that my crew is not trying. It is that there is added pressure that should not be there. If you look at the responsibilities of the crew and ask yourself why they are still there you will realize that they want to sail with you. Make it nice and they will come back. If not you will be looking for a one-man boat.
I am still sailing on a crewed boat and love to have someone to talk to between races. The best is getting great information on the race course. It would be hard to attain most of the data if I had to look at everything myself. Crews are very important, give them the big trophy.
Later,
Dan
Forgive me for clipping pieces of your post but it's all good material. My original post was meant to be humorous but, on a serious note, crews do take a lot of abuse from skippers that either are having a bad run of luck or are legends in their own minds and can't accept that they suck at sailing.
It would be interesting to get some crew stories and perspectives on sailing with different skippers. I'd bet a lot of inflated egos would be punctured.
Dan: You? A Bully, Nonsense.. Loud.. Never.
Your right on about how to treat your crew. After sailing with Diane for ten years, I expected too much from her and not enough from myself. We also sail in a very tough crowd. I have probably learned more in the last two years sailing with my daughter Sarah(10)then the previous five. I have had to be very patient with her and learn to look at everything myself while making sure she is having fun. It's amazing how fast the kids figure things out. She is already giving good advise. Time on the water and getting your head out of the boat are two real important lessons for the skipper to learn. When you both have fun the small victories of having a good race are that much sweeter. I will never forget her giggle as we were about to win our first race together in a very tough fleet at Rochester two years ago. You will sail better controlling your emotions and having fun. It only took me about 15 years to figure it out.