I was really nervous last night because I knew all weekend that I was going to have to do a figure eight, man overboard drill during sailing class. I wasn't feeling it, and I honestly didn't think I could do it. I practically meditated all weekend on mastering the task. In my mind, I had a picture of how to do it... I had to fall off the wind, travel a safe distance away from the victim, then turn upwind and complete the maneuver by tacking into a broad reach, turning towards the person, and finally luffing the sails so as to slow down to pick up the "dummy" that fell in the water.
Yup. I could describe it, and I could see it in my mind's eye. But up until last night, I had never actually done it. Moreover, since I don't have a sailboat, I could not practice the drill until the actual class. I felt like this was the part of the course that separated the women from the girls. Suffice it to say, I watched a ton of YouTube videos beforehand, and I visualized what to do in my mind's eye. This helped to stave off the anxiety, but doing it would have to wait until class.
Until today, I felt like a wanna be sailor. I was in a place mentally that kept me from feeling like I knew how to sail. While it is true that I have been consistently sailing during race night for about 6 years, I didn't feel like I knew how to sail. For example, I could not drive the boat - without a motor, and I didn't know how to trim the main sail. But today? Today I can say with confidence, that I can, and more than that, knowing that I can do this particular drill, is what got me there. Because I successfully did the figure eight. 3 times!
I personally take issue with the fact that the figure eight method is the best for retrieving a victim in the super cold Monterey Bay. I think it's too time consuming for a person overboard to wait in that water. Not to mention how it would feel to watch the boat go about 6 boat lengths away before heading back again for pick up. I don't even want to talk about hypothermia. The experts say the figure eight is best because there won't be any jibing going on.
Today I see the merit of learning the figure eight drill. It requires the use of so many of your sailing skills, not to mention knowledge of the wind, and navigation, that once mastered, it feels like like you've passed some sort of skills test. As an educator, with roughly 10 years experience, that's where the drill becomes invaluable. It makes you prove to yourself, and everyone else, that you can not only sail, but also possibly save someone's life by performing a figure eight in the ocean. But more than that, for me it was the aha moment I'd been waiting for.
I have come full circle. The first instruction I ever received, in regard to sailing, was on this very topic. It was given to me by my good friend, Robert, over 6 years ago. When I asked him what I could do to assist the crew that day, he said, "Your job is to stay onboard. Just don't fall into the water." He said it simply and mater of factly. And it was good instruction. As sailors, we never want to perform the man overboard drill. But today I realize it's important to learn that if we have to, we can.
*****
Two great links to videos that show how it's done...
Man overboard drill by Olympic Circle Sailing Club (OCSC) Berkeley: http://youtu.be/CEdFkbIYGno
How it looks boat animation by PsychoSnail Sailing: http://youtu.be/VXDIdszPWoY
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