RHSP 2008 - Training
07 June 2008
• AYC at the dock
by Mike
For the first time we have had the full crew aboard to start the practical on-board training cycle. We ran through all of the equipment operation, instrumentation use, they all got the head lecture and, most importantly, since they had all crewed for me before, they all were introduced to the new equipment that we have on board.
Next Tuesday, weather permitting, we will start actual sail training out in the harbour.
I'm pretty comfortable that this will be a really good crew. We might not be the youngest, or the strongest, or even the most talented, but we get along and everyone is prepared to pitch in and do what is necessary to get the job done. I am very much looking forward to the race and our visit to St-Pierre. Neither Marc nor Art have been there before and to do so as part of an event like this just adds to the flavour of the visit.
Our support crew, specifically the Admiral, Barb, will be flying over to join us on the 16th to be part fo the festivities and to let us celebrate our 30th Aniversary in style in a French Restauraunt. We'll probably do that on the evening of the 17th. That will allow us to join the rest of our crew and the others at the event sponsored BBQ on the 18th and the awards dinner on the 19th. Barb plans to fly back on the 20th and we should be leaving St-Pierre to head back to Halifax as early as possible on the same day. The other guys are planning to cruise the south coast of Newfoundland and then head back to the Bras d'Or Lakes for a regatta in East Bay at the end of the month.
As for us, I will then have one more month at work before I start my retirement leave on 29 Aug. Like I said elsewhere on this blog - "I can't wait!"
06/02/2008 06:20:01
We continue to train for the race.
Although we have all had offshore survival training at some point in our careers, either as part of the Canadian military or from a commercial seamanship school you can always do with a refresher. One of my crew is particularly good a coordinating this sort of thing and managed to arrange a session at HMCS Kootany, the fire and damage control school for the Canadian Navy and with the Seamanship Division for some liferaft refresher training.
Both sessions were more than worthwhile. Besides the fire supression training etc., Kootany has given me a great idea for a crash pad for the boat that I can make and the liferaft drill introduced us to SAS or Ship Abandonment Suits. These are compact plastic coversuits that fit in a backage about the size of a woman's purse and will fit over whatever you are wearing. The idea is that you put it on immediately before you hop in the water and it will help keep you drier and visible. Not only is it bright red, but it also comes with a cosmonot hood with a velcro attachement for a water activated light. Imagine a group of rough, tough Canadian Forces officers and Senior NCOs standing around with a little light bulb on the tops of their heads. Where is a camera when you need one?
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