Race 12 - Day 9
Crew Diary - NEW YORK, USA TO DERRY-LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND
29 June

Lorne Merkur
Lorne Merkur
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Newbie (part 3)

Pronunciation: new.be.

Definitions:

1. An inexperienced new member to a group 2. Doesn’t know sh*t

The 10 things I learnt about life whilst helming:

1. Don’t fight with the Pig- Icebergs are big, deadly and 90% hidden below the waterline; avoid them at all costs, figure out the pig in your life and do likewise

2. Make a plan - NYC to Derry is 3100 Nautical miles. It can’t be done without a written plan of the steps to get there. Goals are laudable; but without the strategy to get there they are laughable.

3. Don’t confuse where you are pointed with where you are going - the compass shows quickly, accurately and easily where the bow is; you would think that is the same to where the boat is going but it's not. Check the GPS heading to get that info. Waves, current and more affect the movement of the boat, beware of how outside influences can affect you in your progress.

4. Be supple and flexible. That plan's a great idea, but unanticipated stuff will come up and you'll need to evaluate, revise and adjust to suit the new reality. Man plans, god laughs, nothing is 100%.

5. Stay focused - it’s tempting to join in conversation, eat, laugh, scratch and check out the dolphins whilst at the wheel but these tend to reduce your concentration on the course. Distracted driving is dangerous.

6. Use the right tools, sometimes it’s wind angle, sometimes it’s destination waypoint.

Be sure you check the correct dial. They say that the most popular tool to drive in a screw is a hammer - it works but there is a lot of unintended damage. So be sure to pull out the tools of empathy, sympathy, kindness and hard work out of your utility shed as often as possible

7. Keep your eyes open. Dolphins are fleeting, as are errant shipping containers.

Keep a lookout for both as the missed joy and sure disaster are avoidable.

Opportunities (and threats) come when you last expect them; stay in tune with what's going on around you

8. Be patient. There is a lag between turning the wheel and turning the boat; wait, don’t oversteer you'll only then need to recorrect. No relationship has immediate, proportionate response to input. Add value; give your opinion.

Wait.

9. Be forthright. While some points of sail and wind conditions demand very slight wheel movements, many require a more robust, clear and determined adjustment. Be sure to say what you mean and mean what you say.

10. Don’t confuse helming with skippering. All this control and power is an illusion. Know that you have no real control; no real power - you are but part of a larger, sometimes unknown un-knowable plan that is never fully revealed. The Skipper's word is law. Defer to the higher power - see #1.

Lorne