Something for everyone Coastal and inland considerations
From 1 January 2017 there is no longer any distinction between tidal/non-tidal and coastal/inland instructor qualifications in the sailing, windsurfing and powerboat coaching schemes (see Training Notice TN 12-16). This means we need to give some consideration both to the way in which we deliver instructor courses and how we ensure that instructors receive effective training to work at their centres. As a Coach, Trainer, Centre Principal or Chief Instructor, how does this affect you? Nic Wymer takes a look.
I
The impact on instructor training
t’s not a new phenomenon that the environments in which instructor candidates are trained
differ widely. Enrolling on a course at one of the most tidal venues has never guaranteed that you would meet all the issues that you could meet in the real world of RYA training. Therefore, Coaches and Trainers have to build training into the courses to try to cover all (or most) eventualities. The main difference now is the need to cover more on coastal and tidal issues when working inland. Our trainee instructors must
be aware of the topics and skills to cover when running the more advanced courses, but the focus of the instructor course should still be on ensuring a solid foundation in how to teach the basic skills courses effectively.
Group control This is already an issue when working on bigger lakes but ultimately students will not be able to escape very far without coming up against a shore. However, when teaching on the coast in an unconfined area, the next stop could be America. The importance of effective group control needs to be drilled into instructor trainees at all times.
Tidal current River sailors will already be used to dealing with current but those working on more placid water will not necessarily have thought about the issues with anchoring or using fixed marks. It’s worth pointing out that sometimes it is more effective to work ‘on the conveyor belt’ rather than battling against it with fixed buoys. A strong current can make a beam reach course to a fixed buoy very difficult and confusing if students end up close hauled or on a training run in order to counteract the current. This can’t really be simulated inland but it can be explored as a theoretical exercise. On similar lines, picking up a mooring and the man overboard exercise are very similar in execution on still water but quite different in a current. The change in direction of the tide can have a huge impact on the water state. Again, it’s not easily simulated but the difference between wind with and wind against tide can be easily explained with the help of photos or video.
Tide times Trainee instructors from venues with large tidal ranges very quickly learn the embarrassment of drying out, normally with nothing damaged but their ego! For those not so used to it, going through the basic tidal cycle and where to
get the information from is time well spent. The Rule of 12ths should help here as well as using tidal curves, such as those generated by the Hydrographic Office and sourced online via EasyTide, for example.
Basic pilotage and chartwork All trainee instructors should be able to recognise the more common buoys and should have spent some time around a chart. As many inland sailors and powerboaters might not have had much opportunity to use charts, having a relevant chart and nautical almanac available throughout the course helps with familiarisation, reinforced with a short session later in the course.
The syllabus Paying attention to the coastal waters sections as you work through the syllabus will promote coaching conversations around this area. You could also consider allocating some of these sections as presentation topics for your candidates too in order to encourage them to have a greater understanding.
Inland waters Don’t assume that it’s only coastal sailing that needs special consideration. Give some thought to issues that are more common to inland sailors. Rights of access, overhead power lines, working in a restricted area, blue/green algae, water temperature and biosecurity are just some of the areas that need to be mentioned.
The impact on staff training At RYA recognised centres there has always been a requirement that new staff receive an initial briefing and that regular, ongoing staff training takes place. This is part of
14 |
what enables instructors trained on a standard instructor course to cope with the variety of locations in which they will deliver courses. The end of the distinction
between tidal/non-tidal and coastal/ inland instructor training should not really mean that much additional training is needed, but it does give us a great opportunity to reflect on the training that we currently do.
Make time for training We need to ensure that the staff are familiar with the operating site. Spreading the training over a period of time is ideal so that staff can experience different tidal and weather conditions. Time should be programmed in for the Chief Instructor or Senior Instructors to give plenty of support and mentoring, particularly early in the season.
Hands on practice Dinghy Instructors often spend much of their time working from a powerboat, so a little first- hand appreciation of achieving what they are teaching in the environment is very valuable. Give staff the chance to practice seamanship tasks such as launching and landing, picking up a mooring, man overboard and coming alongside. Encourage Powerboat Instructors to polish their personal skills too – demonstrations need to be confidently delivered in all conditions. To summarise, there should be no need for a big overhaul of the staff training. Instead, make the most of the opportunity to take a good look at the systems in place at your centre to ensure they are as effective as possible. See the article on staff training in the September 2016 Wavelength for further information.
www.rya.org.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20