Hello. I'm having a couple of friends out for a sail on my O'day 22 and wonder what the proper etiquette is for tacking with guests who aren't that knowledgable about sailing. When I'm on on a port tack, i sit on the port side and vice versa. However, how do you handle tacking with respect to asking guests to switch seats? Or do you remain on the port side on a starboard tack? I could get used to it, but don't want the guests to feel like they have to switch seats.
Tacking Etiquette
- Thread starter Capri
- Start date
I figure the guests have a choice; help or stay out of the way. You can be very polite about it, but those are the choices.
As part of your safety brief before you leave the dock, include discussion of what happens when you tack or gybe including where you sit after the maneuver. 
Tacking etiquette, for guests, adds to the mystique of sailing. As the captain and host, part of your job is to introduce your guests to the world of sailing. They already know it is a different world unto itself and has its own language and customs. You play tour guide by briefging them on some of these customs. You talk to them about saftey, sure, but also about what to expect and why, when boarding, docking or casting off, hoisting sails, maybe a little about right-of-way and channel navigation, and... most especially, what to expect when tacking.
Use the language, "Ready about?", "Coming about.", "Helm's a-lee.", "Hard a-lee!" They will eat it up. It's like visiting a foreign country.
Shift seats because you're the helmsman and you NEED to have the best view. It's in the regs. Explain it, they will get it. If they wanted to just socialize with friends and not be asked to accommodate the mode, a pool party would be better.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Use the language, "Ready about?", "Coming about.", "Helm's a-lee.", "Hard a-lee!" They will eat it up. It's like visiting a foreign country.
Shift seats because you're the helmsman and you NEED to have the best view. It's in the regs. Explain it, they will get it. If they wanted to just socialize with friends and not be asked to accommodate the mode, a pool party would be better.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Include them in the sailing, give them clear instructions and expect mistakes, they will happen. If you have 2 guests, one releases the jib sheet on command and the other one brings it in.
With 3 or more people in a cockpit of a small boat, movements need to be choreographed or elbows and knees end up in the wrong places.
With 3 or more people in a cockpit of a small boat, movements need to be choreographed or elbows and knees end up in the wrong places.
If we assume your friends want to go sailing, then take ‘em sailing!
Helm and crew positionings are part of it. On a 22-ft (low free board), I’d expect that guests would want to be on the high side w/ you! I suppose the etiquette expected would be politness on the part of the skipper. “Please be ready to switch sides w/ me when we come about. Thanks.”
When I’m sailing with guests who are not sailors, I often endeavor to keep the boat relatively flat and to not tack often—two things dependent on which points of sail you chose. But sometimes I jokingly ask my guests if they wish the “full experience”, which means sailing hard on a good sailing breeze of 12 kt true wind. Just have a good time and likely so will they.
Helm and crew positionings are part of it. On a 22-ft (low free board), I’d expect that guests would want to be on the high side w/ you! I suppose the etiquette expected would be politness on the part of the skipper. “Please be ready to switch sides w/ me when we come about. Thanks.”When I’m sailing with guests who are not sailors, I often endeavor to keep the boat relatively flat and to not tack often—two things dependent on which points of sail you chose. But sometimes I jokingly ask my guests if they wish the “full experience”, which means sailing hard on a good sailing breeze of 12 kt true wind. Just have a good time and likely so will they
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I once had a guest tell me they were getting soaked with spray, yet I was not.
I told them they were doing their job perfectly.
I told them they were doing their job perfectly.
How you approach the experience may depend on the guests you have aboard. If they show up to the dock wearing a tuxedo, long dress and heels, they are not looking for the "whole Experience".
I try to taylor the experience to the guests. I adjust the boat conditions to what I am observing as we get under way and out on the water.
With guests part of the sailing experience is doing the work of sailing. This means you need to be a bit of a teacher. The guest that is looking a bit green, I get them to the helm and engage them in controlling the boat. I position myself right next to them so I can provide encouragement, instruction, or take over if something is going the wrong way. Standing at the helm with an important task often improves the condition of a guest who is unsure or feeling a twinge of the "Mal de Mer".
In a 22 ft boat, moving about, changing seats, joining the team on the rail is part of the fun. Sailing is not a spectators sport.
I try to taylor the experience to the guests. I adjust the boat conditions to what I am observing as we get under way and out on the water.
- If one of them is hiding in the cabin looking a bit green at the gills I know this needs to be a shorter trip and we need to keep the boat on a level keel.
- On the other hand if they come in athletic gear and have their own sailing gloves, we start looking for the wind and up go all the sails.
With guests part of the sailing experience is doing the work of sailing. This means you need to be a bit of a teacher. The guest that is looking a bit green, I get them to the helm and engage them in controlling the boat. I position myself right next to them so I can provide encouragement, instruction, or take over if something is going the wrong way. Standing at the helm with an important task often improves the condition of a guest who is unsure or feeling a twinge of the "Mal de Mer".
In a 22 ft boat, moving about, changing seats, joining the team on the rail is part of the fun. Sailing is not a spectators sport.
Helming with a tiller from the low side is more a logistical issue for me. (The O’day 222 is a tiller boat.) It requires pushing, rather than pulling, on the tiller to keep the boat “down.” Makes it difficult to control a boat that wants to round up in a gust. You’re pushing up toward the end of your reach rather than pulling toward you; plus, being on the low side you’d be adding to the forces attempting to round you up instead of opposing them, etc.
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Reach, reach, reach and keep the guest seated as much as possible if you want to enjoy the time. No cranking in the jib. Little changing sides, no hiking unless you want MOB practice. KISS!
As a charter boat we go through this weekly. 99% of our guests have never been on a sailboat and only some have been on any kind of boat and those are mostly ferries or tour boats. We get under sail and they get comfortable with the tipping (heeling). As we approach the first tack I explain what is going to happen and how they should shift over to the other side of the cockpit when the boat is level. Obviously, our cockpit is much larger than yours and the boom is above the bimini, so they don't have to concern themselves with that. But, we do keep our sheets neatly coiled and they are told not to interfere with the running of them.
Usually, we remind them what they need to do for at least several tacks, so I see no need to include this in a safety briefing. People in a new situation have short memories, I've found. I use the terms, "Stand by to come about" and "hard alee" so they have that as the notice that the boat is about to tip a different way. Few of our guests actually want to be included in the sailing, but everyone has an opportunity to steer and handle one string or another, should they wish.
Usually, we remind them what they need to do for at least several tacks, so I see no need to include this in a safety briefing. People in a new situation have short memories, I've found. I use the terms, "Stand by to come about" and "hard alee" so they have that as the notice that the boat is about to tip a different way. Few of our guests actually want to be included in the sailing, but everyone has an opportunity to steer and handle one string or another, should they wish.
After a few tacks.. if the wind is gentle, give the tiller to one of the guests and take over the jib sheets. I always love watching a newb feel the boat for the first time.
I had a friend we'll call C. He was the worst sailboat driver -ever! He would just sit staring at the front of the boat, probably wondering why the boat didn't go straight. The sails would luff, maybe change sides or fill and take off. He had no idea. He simply didn't have the attention span for sailing. It was so stressful for me. No more outings with him. Over the years we had fewer and fewer guests who were non- sailors. It was just not that much fun for us. One guest, a female, and a strong one at that, ripped the Jabsco head pump handle, plunger and cover plate right off the head. She brought it up to the cockpit and asked if this was the way it was supposed to be. Ugh. We love her but that was her last trip on the boat with us. Another friend, J, used to bring so much food she would fill up our cooler on the Ranger, or the fridge on the Hunter with her provisions. She is a skinny little thing. But she brought food for an army.
I admire Capta for having (Paying) guests. I'm sure it can be challenging. Any charter boat owner and/or crew must deal with a lot of problematic clients. I'm sure it isn't easy.
I admire Capta for having (Paying) guests. I'm sure it can be challenging. Any charter boat owner and/or crew must deal with a lot of problematic clients. I'm sure it isn't easy.
I agree that the tiller feels and reacts differently depending on which side your sitting... but that should not be an issue for anyone with a little experience.
I often steer from the leeward side on my tiller equipped boat. It's all about what you want to see or where you want your ballast. Rounding a mark, for instance, or improving balance in light air. The point is, if the physics of the tiller confuse you when you're on the leeward side.... well... that's a sure indication that you need to spend more time learning to steer from that awkward position.
If you want to roll tack your boat... which is a handy skill on a 22 footer... you'll need to be able to handle the tiller from the down hill side to help the boat's heel initiate the turn before you jet across during the turn, then back to the new high side afterwards. If you're single handing, you definitely need to be comfortable driving from the low side if you ever want to trim your headsail. If you want to see all three telltales, and the shape of the slot... you can't really do that and make adjustments sitting up on the high side.
One thing our poster should consider is learning to stand up in cockpit and steer while his guests rearrange themselves. Another thing would be for the guests to sit behind the skipper on either side and over the lazarette while he sits near the bulkhead and uses a tiller extension to drive. The might even be able to give him a hand with the winch from there... but in any event he would be able to cross over whenever he wanted while the guests that are only there for a sailboat ride can stay aft, out of the way.
I'm just trying to picture the image of this delicate little thing, swinging part of a marine toilet over her head, and being used somewhere in a TV commercial
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It rounded my eyeballs...I'm just trying to picture the image of this delicate little thing, swinging part of a marine toilet over her head, and being used somewhere in a TV commercial