People naturally gravitate to certain crew roles on board – but could that be holding you back?
Yet another wave slammed into our topsides. The carbon drum hull of the yacht we were racing echoed with a thunderous hum as we accelerated, surfing a wave. We were flying! And then we weren’t. SLAM. The boat crash-gybed, rounded up violently and then stalled.
The companionway was a mass of people scrambling into foulies. The boat slopped about in irons. Gong, gong, gong went the broken checkstay as it swung and clanged against the rig.
And me? I stood frozen, can opener in hand, assessing the carnage. Amazingly, the pan was still on the stove. But its contents? The ceiling had turned red. The floor resembled a murder scene of squashed meat. I put my hand to my forehead, dreading the clean up, only to feel coagulated tomato paste binding my already-matted hair into one sticky lump.
As the least experienced crew member, being relegated below decks during an emergency is a rite of passage for offshore sailors. This was one of my first.
I was 18, on a 78ft maxi, somewhere between Sicily and Gibraltar, fresh out of school, and very green. Fortunately in that moment, green in skill, rather than seasickness.
The first days after jumping aboard a new boat can feel like a return to the school playground. You want to fit in. Hopefully, a vacant task reveals itself.
The galley is a good place to start. There’s always something to do. You become popular fast – who doesn’t adore someone who feeds them? Menu planning, provisioning and preparing three meals on shore as well as at sea is full on. So it keeps you ‘out the way’ and gives you purpose.
Early in my career, it served me well. I built practical skills and learnt a vital rule: never serve meatballs in a blow.
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Be careful though, while ‘inside’ jobs may feel like the natural fit for less experienced crew members, this seemingly efficient role-allocation may not serve the crew well in the long term. A pattern I’ve seen again and again, especially working with new boat owners and cruising couples, is that the more experienced person ends up on deck – sailing, fixing and making decisions, while the less experienced often ends up inside cooking, cleaning and organising.
Initially, everyone is happy. The boat doesn’t crash in the marina, you get to where you’re going on time, and the boat interior stays orderly.
But as time goes on, trouble arises. The ‘captain’ gains skill and their crew feel comparatively less knowledgeable so their confidence decreases. They don’t challenge their captain or ask questions so the captain’s progression also hits a ceiling.
The crew starts to avoid deck time. Instead they take full ownership over the galley and their comfort zone deepens. One day, if the captain puts something away in the wrong place, they’re scolded for interfering. Lesson learned, the captain now stays on deck and, just like that, the gap widens.
This doesn’t just happen with couples, but also with friends, families and even professional teams. Often, the more one person or group of people grows, the more others pull back. And, without realising it, they flatline in skill and confidence.
Rotate the galley jobs too. Photo: Lumi Images
So, here’s my advice: level up early.
In the beginning, slow the growth of the more experienced sailor – just for a moment – and focus on the other. Share the throttles and parking responsibilities. Make decisions collaboratively. Practice sail changes together. Take turns fixing the heads. Give each other space to fail and learn.
And don’t stop at the helm. Rotate the galley jobs too. Share the provisioning runs, the cooking, the cleaning. Because the truth is when everyone on board can handle both the deck and the dishes, the confidence builds in both directions.
Given time to reap the rewards you’ll start to build a proper team.
Growing and learning together will strengthen your relationship. Everyone on board will have the freedom to have an ‘off-day’ knowing that someone else has the skill to take up their slack.
And, the best bit, sailing plans tend to match the least confident person on board so if you’re equally matched in skill, you’ll be able to set your sights on more ambitious sailing plans and destinations. Level up and find freedom.
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The post Why you should always aim to share all roles onboard… both above and below decks appeared first on Yachting World.
