Day 13 – What Does ‘Competent Crew’ Actually Mean?

“What Does ‘Competent Crew’ Actually Mean?”

With just under two weeks to go before Croatia, I thought it might be a good idea to work out what I’m actually supposed to be competent at…

Because at the moment, I’m very competent at:

• Making tea 
• Pointing at things I don’t understand
• Looking confident while quietly panicking

Apparently, the Royal Yachting Association has slightly higher expectations.

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So… what is “Competent Crew”?

The Competent Crew course is designed to turn you from:
“Passenger with enthusiasm”
into
“Useful human being on a yacht”

You’re not expected to skipper the boat — thankfully — but you are expected to help make it sail properly and safely.

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The Core Skills (That I’m Hoping to Master…)

Knots (Yes… they matter)

You’ll need to tie a few properly — not just “that one that sort of works”.

Expect things like:

• Bowline
• Clove hitch
• Figure of eight

(And yes, I’ve written about these here  https://pmrsailing.uk/sailing-lessons/sailing-terms-list/)

Because nothing says “novice” like a knot that comes undone at the wrong moment…

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Steering (Without zig-zagging like a drunk duck)

Helming a yacht is very different from a dinghy:

• Slower response
• Bigger consequences
• More people watching 

Keeping a steady course will be… interesting.

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Sail Handling (Pull this… but not too much)

You’ll be expected to:

• Hoist sails
• Trim sails
• Tidy ropes (apparently this matters a lot)

Timing is everything — something I’ve already discovered when messing up the jib on the Thames.

 Living Onboard (The bit no one warns you about)

This is where it gets real.

You’ll learn:

• How to cook without launching the frying pan
• How to sleep while the boat creaks
• How to use a marine toilet without becoming that person

This might be the hardest part of the course…

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So… will I be “Competent”?

By the end of the week, I should:

• Know what’s going on
• Be able to help properly
• Not get in the way (as much)

Which, to be fair, is a solid upgrade.

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Final Thought

“Competent Crew” doesn’t mean perfect.

It just means:
You’re someone others are happy to have onboard.

I’m aiming for that.

Anything beyond that is a bonus.