Weather pretty good with a light SW force 3, ideal for a great day out in the Wayfarer. Tom and Miriam joined for the second day of their RYA sailing course. The previous day a couple of weeks ago it blew old boots, so today's weather was a treat. Miriam is a medical student in London who had completed her Level 2 some time ago in the west country and Tom works in publishing. They both did a brilliant job in tough conditions last time so we spent the first hour sharpening up tacking, gybing and upwind technique. After a welcome coffee on the water we set about practicing picking up a mooring, man overboard and the 5 essentials. It was an absolute joy due to the great company and good weather. Tom amazed me with his knowledge, mostly gained from reading books. The Encyclopedia Britannica on all things nautical; next stop around the world. Miriam absolutely brilliant and a fast learner on all fronts. After some tight manoeuvring by the clients amongst the moored boats to get back to the slipway we headed for the local cafe for a hot drink and some food.
Tom amazed us with his knot tying skills before we moved on to cover basic pilotage and chart work. Time to award those well earned certificates and bid a fond farewell.
Another brilliant winters day on the water.
If you would like to join the fun give Mike a ring on 07887 890389 or visit the website at www.perfect.uk.com
Tom amazed us with his knot tying skills before we moved on to cover basic pilotage and chart work. Time to award those well earned certificates and bid a fond farewell. 
What can I say?! This was two incredibly memorable days.
ReplyDeleteI only recently became interested in sailing and read that the best way to learn would be to start with dinghy sailing, so I was looking to get my RYA skills to then join a club. Previous to this I had only one sailing experience years ago in a Mirror in centre parks. I had however spent time reading a sailing manual, so the theory was loosely there!
I rang a few different places and decided to go with Mike as he was so helpful even though I had called him at about 8pm on a weekday! He was very flexible as it can be difficult to organise these things around tides, work and the winter, especially being so close to christmas.
Mike's style of teaching allows you to learn quickly and become confident at the same time. I will remember so much of what he taught me due to this. At the same time, he kept it fun and made you feel safe out on the water. The theory side was well focused on too.
This has set me in good stead for the future and the next step is to maximise sailing time in the winter by joining a club.
Thanks Mike for such a good time. We'll be back!
Tom