| The skipper is the heart of every floating vessel on | | | | have bought at the local market, washed down with |
| earth. His word is (or should be) law to everybody on | | | | a sufficiency of good local white wine and are now |
| board. Yet, on a pleasant sailing holiday with your | | | | sitting together to enjoy a coffee and brandy. BUT |
| friends it can be deemed as unpleasant, and hard for | | | | there is a huge pile of dirty plates, pans - approaching |
| the skipper, to order those friends to do something | | | | deck-high. Who is going to do the washing-up, when |
| they may not like to do, and may consider | | | | everyone is tired and a volunteer does not appear? |
| unnecessary or a "dirty job". A crew member might | | | | To leave them will smell the cabin out - having eaten |
| think -"why me again, why not Charlie this time", not | | | | fish. But it has to be done and you have to ask, or |
| realising he may be the best person for the job, | | | | eventually command, someone to spend the next |
| especially in difficult or tricky maneuvers. It is not | | | | hour doing the unpleasant job. If you don't, then |
| always easy for skipper or crew member. | | | | what started out as a very pleasant evening will end |
| What about the situation where you have hired a | | | | up with arguments as to who will do what, and when |
| professional skipper? You have to admit that the | | | | - and it will all be your fault ! |
| situation where your employee (the skipper) | | | | This example may be extreme but you would be |
| commands you to do something you may not like, is | | | | surprised how many holidays are spoiled because |
| something which does not occur in other forms of | | | | these seemingly trivial issues are not handled properly. |
| business or social life !! But please bear in mind that | | | | If the crew chose you as skipper they must accept |
| you are paying this guy to do precisely this. If he | | | | your word as law. Good leadership skills by you, |
| doesn't, then he is not doing his job properly and you | | | | making sure that the crew all share the dirty jobs, as |
| must remember that in extreme situations your life | | | | well as the rewarding ones, including yourself in the |
| may depend on his decisions and commands, and the | | | | various domestic tasks, will ensure a happy ship and |
| way you react to them. | | | | a subsequently enjoyable holiday.b. You are the crew |
| There are three aspects regarding the skipper and I | | | | - and you have to choose the Skipper |
| will analyse them for you:a. You are the Skipper | | | | Again, an early decision is by far the best. If more |
| You must discuss your position with your family and | | | | than one crew member has sailing experience choose |
| friends IN ADVANCE, preferably before you even | | | | the one with the additional leadership skills rather, |
| book the holiday. Having chosen you as skipper, they | | | | than the purely technical sailor. You should choose |
| have to understand that your word is LAW on board. | | | | someone you respect and whose orders you will |
| If they can not accept this then do not accept the | | | | follow without question. |
| position. If you are the only one with sailing | | | | Respect on someone's skills has nothing to do with |
| experience you can always accept the position of | | | | age. How many children these days know more |
| navigator, and let someone else be skipper, however | | | | about computers than their fathers ?? |
| if the crew can not all accept your original conditions | | | | During the trip you must follow the skipper's orders |
| you would be well advised not to make the trip, as | | | | without question. If the skipper appears to be picking |
| the chances of failure are very high. | | | | on you and you seem to be getting more than your |
| It has to be understood that the skipper's authority | | | | share of a particular job - don't argue in front of the |
| is not only confined to emergency situations where | | | | rest of the crew, just do it - and then have a quiet |
| you are about to hit rocks (they will certainly accept | | | | word with the skipper about your feelings quietly and |
| commands then) but have to cover all the mundane | | | | in private later.c. You hired a professional skipper for |
| daily tasks involved in living on board. | | | | your holiday |
| For example, there are 6 men in the crew, it has | | | | Well, this is an article by itself and will be published |
| been a long and exhausting day and you have just | | | | separately in the short future. |
| enjoyed a magnificent dinner of fried fish, which you | | | | |