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Thread: How to overcome learning obstacles in single handed sailing?

  1. #1
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    Default How to overcome learning obstacles in single handed sailing?

    I was wondering, has anyone given thought to how to overcome the significant learning obstacles that single handers face, especially for racing? It’s been said that you need 10K hours doing something to master it (per Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers.) The odds are stacked against most of us in the SSS. Think about it:

    • You probably sail once a week if you’re lucky, averaging say 4 hours each sail. It will take you 48 years to reach mastery at that rate (if my math is right.) I work and have two young kids, so I definitely feel this. Some of you may be retired, so you may have a big advantage here, but I suspect that there are many like me as well.
    • You’re sailing in a phrf fleet over long distance courses in just about a dozen races a year
    • You’re all by yourself on the boat and never have someone else advising/diagnosing what you’re doing
    • You have to remember and apply what you’ve learned from reading these forums, books, etc. under highly stressful situations
    • You can’t take any classes in single handing unless you live France or England or have lots of time on your hands to travel there specifically for said purpose!


    Obviously, more time on the water is the most important thing. However, contemporary learning theories (read Make it Stick if you’re interested, great book) point out that to truly learn, one needs to adopt a variety of learning techniques. I’m wondering, what could/does the SSS do beyond its current programs — short of taking on the liability of teaching people to sail single handed — to help overcome some of these obstacles? Mastery for the average Joe or Jane may be too high of a goal in this sport, but I do think it’s worthwhile to consider ways in which we might accelerate the learning curve. Some ideas:

    1. Create practice regimens. Could members of SSS get together and create a variety of practice regimens for singlehanders? I’m thinking like an annual list that includes 10-20 things that everyone should practice (e.g., MOB, anchoring) and then perhaps others things that are more advanced (e.g., jibing spinnaker, night sailing, etc.)
    2. Promote crewing on other boats (esp. other single handers). Could the SSS set up a rotation for crewing 2H (or otherwise) on other SSS members’ boats? Perhaps making it mandatory (e.g., 1x year)?
    3. Set-up informal / more frequent races - could the SSS set up a weekly race? Realize we’re all over the bay — maybe rotate it? Maybe a rotated “pick-up race” of some sort?
    4. Offer Coaching. Could SSS somehow create a coaching program? E.g., identify coaches for single handing (whether SSS members or not) and somehow facilitate? E.g., find the coaches, tell them they will be promoted to SSS members for free if, in return, they offer the first hour of coaching free (or some such).
    5. Create DIY sailing challenges / SSS club records - could the SSS set up a dozen or so challenges for SSS sailers to do on their own time? These could give something for sailors to practice on their own and try to get bragging rights. For example, what’s the fastest an SSS member has ever sailed from Berkeley to Alcatraz and back? (Jackie, I’m looking at you!)
    6. Set-up online webinars. It's hard to get out to a club to hear someone speak. But there are tons of ways to do live online classes/presentations now. Why not do that to increase the frequency and breadth of SSS talks?
    7. Invite a top-notch single handed sailing school or teacher to conduct a weekend seminar? Artemis SF. Why not? If planned with enough time, I’d totally do that.
    8. Set up a few dinghy races each year. Would give the fleet one-design experience.
    9. Sign up for a sailing video games. Find an online video game where we can create our own fleet. I think these exist, right?

    Anyhoo, realize all of the above may be far-fetched given times/resource of the SSS. But I thought worth throwing out there. I'd be willing to help implement if any of the ideas stick.

    Tom
    Rock-On

  2. #2
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    Good post Tom. I especially like 2 and 3. The Berkeley Midwinters was a big success - I think monthly would be more successful than weekly.

    For me, I just sail when I can. I post here a lot (too much) but I know down to my toes that when it comes to racing singlehanded, I'll always be a weekend hack. I try to enjoy the journey and not hit anybody. This is the honest truth. I keep at it because most of us are at a similar point.

    I'm starting to have a little more time in my life and would come out for some of the above. I think the e-steering clinic was a good example of things we could do as a group.
    Last edited by BobJ; 07-22-2015 at 09:29 AM.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by 255grizzly View Post
    For example, what’s the fastest an SSS member has ever sailed from Berkeley to Alcatraz and back? (Jackie, I’m looking at you!)Tom Rock-On
    Tom. Bob. Let's have a rabbit start on Saturday @ the Berkeley Yacht Club buoy: sail around Alcatraz and back to the finish. Take our own times. Finish in the Marina. Buy drinks at the bait shop. Establish a baseline.

  4. #4
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    Bob - thanks for your quick reply and all your others posts -- they are very valuable to a relatively newbie like me! I'm in the same boat when it comes to enjoying the journey (though I wouldn't mind trading my Olson 25 for your J92 I wanted to make the e-steering clinic but couldn't, enjoyed reading the posts about it, though.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Philpott View Post
    Tom. Bob. Let's have a rabbit start on Saturday @ the Berkeley Yacht Club buoy: sail around Alcatraz and back to the finish. Take our own times. Finish in the Marina. Buy drinks at the bait shop. Establish a baseline.
    I'm game! Any which way around the island? Make sure you track it on a gps for proof?! Btw, what's a rabbit start?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by 255grizzly View Post
    I'm game! Any which way around the island? Make sure you track it on a gps for proof?! Btw, what's a rabbit start?
    Corinthian ethic, Tom. No proof needed.
    https://sailingwdevious2014.wordpres...-rabbit-start/

    Would anyone else like to come out? How would an 11 am start work?

  7. #7
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    For Saturday, currents are light but so is the wind forecast: 6 kts for the central Bay. That will set a baseline that's attractively slow!

    If you still want to do it, I'm in. (I can't do it the following Saturday.) I'll even be the rabbit if you promise not to hit me.

  8. #8
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    We need some advance notice on the calendars -- too many competing interests -- but this Sunday is free. Maybe we can set up a calendar on SSS that shows when two or more boats are able to go out.

    For me, the greatest contributions to my learning have been to sail on other single-handers' boats and do some beer racing. In fact, I swore I'd never do the beer can races, but after the Berkeley Mid-winters, it had been such a blast that I signed up for the South Beach Yacht Club's series. Though I have crew for that, it is helping me become a more confident sailor and a better racer. This time commitment is the concept behind needing 10,000 hours to be a master in your field, but I don't believe any one of us is looking to be at the elite end of sailing, such as the level of the Volvo Racers or Olympians, which is what 10K hours might require. What we probably need more of is knowledge of the many different ways there is to build a widget and how to get the best performance out of our own particular boats. These are probably the things that I glean the most from my interactions with the SSS. (Well, that and all of Sleddog's sailing stories!)

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobJ View Post
    I'll even be the rabbit if you promise not to hit me.
    Okay. I promise.

  10. #10
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    Hey! I am all for anything to help get in those 10,000 hours before I'm 98! (insert old decrepit smilie here!)
    I personally like 2,3, &7. I have used the Crew List to make myself available. Berkeley Midwinters was a blast and I will sign up again.
    I could be enticed to attend a seminar with a Pro Single hander.
    One other thing on my list is to attend and advanced, multi-day, safety at sea class.
    Anytime I get out for a sail not racing I try to practice different things like MOB and heaving to, reefing, sail trim. I suppose a dedicated regimen would be a good idea.

    Bringing a friend out for a sail this Saturday. Initially thinking of heading for Pt Bonita just to take him outside the Gate.
    A lap around Alcatraz with fellow SSS'rs would be great also!
    Max ebb is at 1206.
    Predict Wind is forecasting 15-20 after noon.

    So as not to hijack this thread, should we move the sailing/race discussion to the "sailing tomorrow" thread?
    All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it is vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible.

    T.E. Lawrence

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