15 Days to Go – I’m Going to Croatia to Learn to Sail Properly

After years of pottering about on the River Thames—convincing myself that I more or less know what I’m doing—it’s time to face the truth.

In just 15 days, I’ll be heading to Croatia to take on the Royal Yachting Association Competent Crew course.

Yes… at the grand age of 68, I’m finally going to learn to sail properly.

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The Plan

We’ll be based at Marina Agana, just outside the beautiful historic town of Trogir.

This isn’t just any sailing location—it’s one of those places that seems almost unfairly perfect:

• Short, manageable hops between islands
• Clear line-of-sight navigation (even I might manage that!)
• Stunning anchorages and quiet bays
• National parks and hidden coves
• And over 2,000 years of history to explore when we step ashore

In other words… not quite the Thames.

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The Crew

This adventure isn’t a solo mission (thank goodness):

• Me (Philip, 68) – enthusiastic, occasionally competent
• My wife Rosamund – far more sensible
• John – fellow prize winner, redoing his Day Skipper 
• Emi (28) Johns Daughter – redoing her Day Skipper (so she’ll know what she’s doing… unlike me)

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The Setup

This is where it gets really interesting.

We’ll be sailing with Sunsail, who seem to think this is a good idea.

• Two boats:
  • A monohull yacht (where I’ll be learning not to tie knots in myself)
  • A catamaran (being sailed by the crew fo Sailing Fair Isle Judy and Steve)
• Each boat will have its own instructor
• We’ll sail together as a small flotilla of possibly just two boats

And—slightly terrifyingly—this is all being filmed by
Dr Judy Arlett and Steve for a new series on Getting into Yachting.

So not only do I have to learn…
I have to learn on camera.

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🎥 Lights, Camera… Mild Panic

The plan is:

• I have my own blog so my wife and I will be filming me doing things and most probably filming the catamaran
• Steve films us on the yacht
• Everyone pretends this is all perfectly normal

What could possibly go wrong?

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😄 Reality Check

Let’s be honest.

I’ve:

• Sailed a dinghy on a river
• Occasionally gone in roughly the right direction
• Sometimes even stopped where I intended

But now:

• Bigger boat
• Sea (not river!)
• Waves
• Tides, charts, proper navigation
• And people watching (with cameras!)

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⚠️ What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

• I call a rope the wrong thing (again)
• I pull the wrong line at exactly the wrong moment
• I discover that “port” and “starboard” swap sides under pressure
• I fall in… on camera

Or… just possibly…
I might actually learn how to do this properly.

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🚀 The Countdown Begins

Over the next 16 days, I’ll be:

• Finalising kit (still wondering about salopettes…)
• Testing apps and cameras
• Packing, repacking, and forgetting something important
• And preparing—mentally—for life on a yacht

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📣 Follow the Journey

I’ll be documenting everything:

• The learning
• The mistakes (there will be many)
• The successes (hopefully at least one)
• And what it’s really like to learn to sail at 65+

📍 Follow along at: https://pmrsailing.uk
🎥 And on YouTube as the adventure unfolds

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Next post:
👉 “14 Days to Go – Meet the crew

 

Have I Finally Become Organised… or Is This a Trap?

Two weeks to go… and something very strange has happened.

I appear to be… organised.

This is deeply suspicious.

Let’s review the evidence:

✔ Travel insurance – done
✔ Taxi to and from the airport – done (no 4am panic then)
✔ Cash ordered – done (because not every marina likes plastic)
✔ Squashy bags – done (no rigid suitcase arguments onboard)
✔ Dry bag – done
✔ Phones, cameras, cables, hard drive, SD dump system – done (quite proud of that one)
✔ RavPower setup – ready for full-on photo hoarding mode

Clothing situation:

✔ A couple more t-shirts and shorts (progress!)
✔ Long trousers + shirt for evenings (civilised… who knew?)
✔ Gloves
✔ Sunglasses + strap (learned that lesson the expensive way)
✔ Hat
✔ Sunscreen factor 50 (optimistic… or realistic?)

Even the tech is underway:

✔ OpenSeaMap installed
Might explore a few more apps closer to the time

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So What’s Gone Wrong?

Because something must have.

There’s always something.

That one item you only realise you need when:

• You’re already onboard
• The nearest shop is “just a short dinghy ride away”
• And it costs three times the normal price

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The Big Question: Do I Need Salopettes?

Short answer:
Probably not essential for Croatia in mid–late April… but not a bad idea.

Longer answer:

Most Likely Conditions

• Mild to warm days (15–22°C)
• Plenty of sunshine
• Light to moderate winds

In these conditions:
You’ll be absolutely fine in shorts, t-shirt, and your shiny new jacket if needed.

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But… This Is Sailing

Things can change quickly:

• Strong winds = spray over the bow
• Early season = cooler water
• Evening sails = surprisingly chilly

Without salopettes:

• You’ll get wet from spray
• Your lower half won’t stay warm
• You may look slightly heroic… but uncomfortable

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The Realistic Verdict

• Essential? ❌ No
• Nice to have? ✔ Yes
• Will you regret not having them in a blow? ✔ Also yes

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Conclusion

This is a classic sailing dilemma:

“Take them and not need them…
or don’t take them and absolutely wish you had.”

If you’ve got an old lightweight pair, chuck them in.

If not?

You’ll probably survive…
but you may spend one slightly damp afternoon thinking:
“I knew I’d forgotten something…”

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Final Thought

For once, I might actually be ready.

Which is worrying.

Because in sailing, just when you think you’ve remembered everything…

That’s when you realise you haven’t packed:

• The charger
• The passport
• Or worse…

The sense of humour

 

Sunsail Yacht.

Two Weeks to Go… What Have We Forgotten?

Two weeks to go until our sailing holiday… and that familiar feeling is setting in.

Not excitement. Not anticipation.

No… it’s that quiet, nagging voice saying:
“You’ve forgotten something important.”

Let’s take stock.

✔ Two new jackets (very smart, very waterproof, possibly unnecessary in 25°C sunshine)
✖ No salopettes (so when it does rain… we’ll look like well-dressed teabags)
✔ Head torch and hand torch (clearly planning for either night sailing or a power cut in Croatia)
✔ Wife has packed sensibly (extra clothes, options, layers… all the things I should have done)
✔ I have… a couple of old t-shirts and shorts (optimism over preparation)
✔ Sailing shoes from the Thames (perfect for mud… less certain for marinas and hot decks)
✔ Flights booked, car hire sorted, bags located (a minor miracle)

And then there’s the big one…

❌ No apps on the iPad yet

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The Forgotten Digital Crew

In today’s sailing world, your iPad is almost as important as your skipper.

Right now ours is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

No charts.
No weather.
No navigation backup.

Just a glowing rectangle of missed opportunity.

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What Else Might We Be Missing?

Here’s the slightly worrying checklist that usually only gets noticed halfway across the Adriatic:

Sailing Essentials

• Gloves (the Thames ones may not survive rope burn on a yacht)
• Sunglasses with a strap (unless you enjoy donating them to the sea)
• Hat with a clip (same reason)
• Dry bag for phones & valuables

Warm Weather Reality Check

• Sunscreen (you will burn… even when it’s cloudy)
• Lip balm (wind + sun = misery)
• Light long-sleeve top (sun protection beats bravado)

Onboard Life

• Soft bag (hard suitcases are the enemy on yachts)
• Earplugs (marinas are not quiet… ever)
• Travel towel (boats are many things… spacious is not one of them)

The “Why Didn’t We Bring That?” List

• Charging cables (all of them… and spares)
• Power bank
• European plug adapters
• A small multitool or knife

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Final Thought

At this stage, preparation splits into two types of sailor:

1. The organised one (lists, backups, labelled bags)
2. The optimistic one (“It’ll be fine”)

I suspect you can guess which one I am.

Still… that’s half the fun of a sailing holiday.

Because no matter what you forget…
there’s always a chandlery somewhere nearby…
charging twice the price…
for exactly the thing you didn’t bring.

 

Getting the Shot – It’s All About Camera Placement

Having a camera with you on a boat is one thing…
Actually capturing the action? That’s a completely different challenge.

Anyone who has ever come back from a sail thinking “that was brilliant!”… only to discover they’ve filmed 2 hours of their own elbow… will understand exactly what I mean.

Why Placement Matters More Than the Camera

It doesn’t matter whether you’re using a GoPro, a Insta360, or even a high-end DSLR — if it’s pointing the wrong way, it’s useless.

On a moving boat, everything changes:

• Direction
• Heel angle
• Wind
• Spray
• Crew movement

So your camera needs to be:
👉 Secure
👉 Well-positioned
👉 Thought through before you leave the mooring

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Popular Camera Positions on a Sailing Boat

1. Mast Mount – The “Classic Sailing Shot”

This is the go-to shot for a reason.

Pros:

• Shows the whole boat and crew
• Great for analysing sailing technique
• Captures sail trim, tacking, gybing

Cons:

• Can miss facial expressions
• Needs secure mounting (and a backup tether!)

💡 Tip: Angle slightly down and aft — too high and you’ll just film sailcloth.

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2. Stern Mount – The “Chase Cam”

Perfect for capturing the crew working and the boat powering forward.

Pros:

• Great storytelling shot
• Shows helm + crew interaction
• Excellent for YouTube content

Cons:

• Can get soaked
• May miss what’s happening ahead

💡 Tip: Combine with a forward-facing camera for a full story.

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3. Bow Mount – The “Into the Action Shot”

This is where things get exciting — spray, speed, and drama.

Pros:

• Incredible sense of speed
• Captures waves and spray
• Great for social clips

Cons:

• Risk of water damage
• Can be unstable

💡 Tip: Use waterproof kit (this is where your Olympus Tough shines).

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4. 360 Camera – The “Set and Forget”

Honestly, this is becoming the game changer.

Pros:

• Capture everything
• Reframe later in editing
• No need to aim perfectly

Cons:

• More editing time
• Can look less “cinematic” if overused

💡 Tip: Mount centrally (mast or boom) for best results.

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The Real Secret: Think Like a Director

Before you even leave shore, ask yourself:

• What story am I telling?
• Who is the focus — helm, crew, or boat performance?
• Do I want drama, instruction, or memories?

Because random camera placement = random footage.

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Lessons Learned (the Hard Way…)

From experience (and plenty of unusable footage):

• ✔ One well-placed camera beats three badly placed ones
• ✔ Always use a safety tether (gravity always wins)
• ✔ Check angles before launching
• ✔ Batteries and memory cards matter more than you think

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Final Thought

You can spend thousands on cameras…
…but if it’s pointing at your buoyancy aid for two hours…

You’ve just made the world’s most expensive documentary about fabric.

 

A Cold Start to the 2026 Sailing Season

Some things change… and some things most definitely don’t.

The 2026 sailing season began in the sort of cold that makes you question your life choices. Gloves on. Woolly hat firmly pulled down. That lovely Thames breeze cutting straight through every layer you optimistically thought would be enough.

And yet—this year we had technology on our side.

A shiny new electronic burgee. Apparent wind speed. Wind direction. Proper data. The sort of thing that should turn you into a tactical genius.

It didn’t.

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The Reality Check

We started mid-fleet in the last two races. In the first race we started last and stayed there.

Mid fleet - a promising start, you might think.

By the end of the first beat? Reality had arrived. Quickly.

By the first mark, the race leader had not only reached it… he’d completed an entire lap and was coming back to overtake us. At a rough estimate, he was travelling at about three times our speed—which is impressive, given we were technically also sailing.

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Cold, Slow… and Still Going

Three races. Bitterly cold. Fingers slowly losing function despite gloves.

We battled on.

The rest of the fleet? They completed three laps.

We completed… two.

And to their credit, every other crew waited patiently for us to finish before the next race could begin. There’s something wonderfully British about that—quiet endurance mixed with mild sympathy.

As soon as we crossed the line, we simply rounded the mark and went straight into the next race.

No rest. No reflection. Just more “opportunity”.

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Consistency Is Key (Apparently)

Results for the day:

• Race 1: Last
• Race 2: Last
• Race 3: Last

Three out of three.

Now that is consistency.

We did, however, manage one small victory—crossing the line just ahead of another boat in one race. A fleeting moment of glory, quickly overshadowed by being… a lap behind.

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Technology vs Reality

So, did the electronic burgee help?

In theory—yes.
In practice—absolutely not.

It turns out that knowing the wind direction and speed is one thing…

Actually doing something useful with that information is quite another.

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Will the New Handicap System Save Us?

There’s talk of a new handicap system this season.

Will it help us climb the rankings?

I admire the optimism.

But unless it factors in:

• Cold fingers
• Slow tacking
• Occasional confusion
• Mooring in the middle of the race (we were blown onto the bank)
• And a slight tendency to sail in the wrong place

…I suspect the answer is no.

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Final Thoughts

A freezing start.
Three races.
Three last places.
One very clever piece of kit… doing absolutely nothing to improve our position.

And yet…

We’re back on the water.
Still learning.
Still laughing.

And already looking forward to the next race—where, with a bit of luck…

…we might only be second last.

 Man Overboard… and the Safety Boat is Nowhere Near

There’s a moment every sailor hopes never comes… but absolutely must be prepared for.

Someone is in the water.
The safety boat is too far away.
And suddenly—it’s down to you.

On a river like the Thames, or even coastal waters, this is not theory. It’s real. It happens quickly, and it demands calm, simple actions—not panic and not over-complication.

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🚨 First Things First – Keep Them in Sight

Before you even think about manoeuvring:

• Shout “Man Overboard!” (loud enough for everyone to hear)
• Point continuously at the person (one crew member dedicated to this)
• Throw something that floats (buoyancy aid, cushion, rope, anything)

It’s amazing how quickly someone disappears from view—even on a calm day.

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⛵ Stop the Boat… Then Think

Your instinct might be to rush straight back. That’s often the wrong move.

Instead:

• Ease sheets immediately
• Turn into the wind (head to wind) to slow or stop
• If confident: heave-to to create a stable platform

A moving boat is much harder to control near someone in the water—and much more dangerous.

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🔄 The Simple Recovery Approach (No Fancy Sailing Required)

Forget textbook racing manoeuvres. This is not the time.

The aim is simple:

👉 Get back to them slowly, under control, and from downwind if possible

Why downwind?

• You drift towards them, not away
• You avoid accidentally sailing over them
• The boat naturally slows

A gentle approach is far safer than a fast, “perfect” one.

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🛟 Getting Them Back On Board

This is the bit people underestimate.

Even a fit adult becomes very heavy in the water.

Options:

• Use a rope loop or sheet as a step
• Bring them to the side of the boat (not the stern in dinghies)
• Get crew weight low and stable
• Talk to them calmly—panic makes everything harder

If they can’t get in:

👉 Stay with them and keep them afloat
👉 Wait for the safety boat while maintaining control

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⚠️ What Not To Do

• ❌ Don’t approach at speed
• ❌ Don’t lose sight of them
• ❌ Don’t over-sheet and power up
• ❌ Don’t assume you can lift them easily

This is one of those times where slow is fast.

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🧠 Practice Before You Need It

Like capsizing (which I’ve written about before), this is something you should practise:

• With a buoy or fender as a “casualty”
• With a safety boat nearby initially
• With different wind conditions

Because when it happens for real… you won’t have time to think it through.

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😄 Final Thought (With a Slightly Nervous Smile)

When I first practised this, I thought:

“Simple—sail back, pick them up, job done.”

Reality?

More like:

“Where did they go? Why is the boat still moving? Why does everything feel harder?!”

And that’s exactly why we practise.

Setting an Anchor

 

Setting an Anchor

There is something wonderfully confident about dropping an anchor. It makes you feel like a proper sailor. One minute you are moving about with all the elegance of a floating shopping trolley, and the next you are apparently “securely anchored”. That is, of course, assuming you have done it properly and have not simply donated expensive metalwork to the seabed.

Setting an anchor is not just a matter of lobbing it over the bow and hoping for the best. Like many things in boating, it starts with a bit of thought. You need to choose a suitable spot, check the depth, allow for swinging room, and think about the wind and tide. On a crowded anchorage, this becomes especially important. There is little glory in waking up to discover you have gently drifted into somebody else’s pride and joy while still insisting your anchor is “probably fine”.

The basic idea is simple enough. Head slowly into the wind, or tide if that is stronger, and stop the boat where you want the anchor to lie. Lower the anchor under control rather than throwing it. Once it reaches the bottom, let out the rode steadily as the boat drifts back. This is where patience pays off. An anchor needs the right angle of pull to dig in properly. If you are too mean with the line, it may just skip along the bottom like it is late for the last bus home.

The amount of rope or chain you let out matters a great deal. In calm conditions you may get away with less, but in stronger winds or rougher water you need more scope. More scope gives a flatter pull and helps the anchor bite into the seabed. Chain helps too, both by adding weight and by keeping that low angle of pull. This is one of those lovely nautical truths where gravity quietly does a lot of the hard work, provided you do not rush the process.

Once you think the anchor is set, it is worth checking. Pick landmarks ashore and see whether you are staying put relative to them. If you have modern electronics, use them, but your eyes are still very useful and do not need charging. A gentle reverse to test the set can also help confirm things. It is far better to discover the anchor is not holding while you are still paying attention than later, when you are halfway through making tea.

Recovering the anchor is usually less dramatic, though it can occasionally feel as if you have hooked the entire county of Hampshire. Bring the boat slowly up towards the anchor, taking in the rode as you go. Once directly above it, the anchor should break out more easily. Then comes the messy bit: mud, weed, and assorted underwater treasures. Somehow the anchor always seems determined to bring half the seabed back on board as evidence of where it has been.

Anchoring is one of those skills that looks easy from a distance but improves enormously with practice. Done well, it gives you security, freedom, and the chance to stop for lunch in a quiet spot. Done badly, it gives you stress, embarrassment, and a very practical lesson in why preparation matters. Like so much in sailing and powerboating, the trick is not brute force. It is choosing the right place, taking your time, and doing the simple things properly.

On the water, that usually makes all the difference.