Testimonials

Hi, Terry!

You asked me to send you an e-mail of "feedback" concerning the C7 / C8 / C9 courses.  Sorry for the delay, but I had a lot of things to catch up on when I arrived back in France... plus the fact I am finding settling in again quite difficult, after the happy months spent in Sydney.  I became attached to the place, the people, the routines...and especially the superb sailing, along with it's good company, the great fun......and last but not least, the sailing's fabulous food and never ending stream of "happy hours!"  I really do miss it all....but know I can always come back?

Pacific Sail's C7 Offshore to Pittwater and back to Sydney was no disappointment.  "Kioni" was an excellent boat to sail on....the number of crew and instructers didn't make the shared environment too crowded.....which can often be the problem on so many cruises!  The atmosphere was good right from the start, with everyone at ease with each other....and anxious to learn.  And learn, we certainly did!

There was a well calculated sharing of duties, navigation, planning and helming offered to each student, so that everyone had a turn at everything that makes up a typical voyage out on the briney!

Despite the fact that the run up to Pittwater was made under rougher conditions than some of us had anticipated, unfortunately leading to some seasickness, the experience proved to be surprisingly useful and reassuring, in that due to the freak change of wind direction followed by that spectacular night electrical storm, we were exposed to conditions that we hadn't all previously experienced.....so, many things were learned and self confidence built up!  Now, after that event, as far as I am concerned....let it blow!  I want more of it!.......and we got more of it...on our return trip on the C8 course! 

It was a great experience, gained direct from nature, whilst feeling safe and secure under the professional and competent guidance of our so incredibly relaxed instructors!  These two C7 and C8 offshores improved my personal self confidence and my confidence in others around me.   If it had all been fine weather "motor sailing" we would have gained much less out of the voyage than we actually did by experiencing the whole range of weather and sea conditions.

It was interesting to discover how the content of the C7 course was packed out with useful and varied tasks, duties and manoeuvres, so that not a minute of tuition time was wasted.

Thank God we had "happy hours" to look forward to for relaxing! 

Most of the student crew had plenty of sailing experience and, as I overheard in conversation, thought they "knew it all"...until Terry and Gunnar politely pointed out errors in their ways!  We all benefitted enormously from having our faults criticised and corrected "in public", by being given patient advice in a way that fixed itself in our minds and proved useful during the rest of the voyage.   Even the guys with full log books discovered they still had things to learn and had been surprised to discover how many things they were still doing wrong!  We effectively learned from each others' mistakes in addition to the barrage of very professional instruction being thrown at us by our mentors!

Terry's teaching methods were informative, serious and occasionally stressful but nicely interspersed with sardonic, true Australian humour to balance things out!   The calm attitude and extreme patience shown whilst teaching, particularly in the case of Gunnar's personalised technique, ensured that we were all at ease and relaxed enough to absorb the information being delivered.  We did, however, all try to be on our best behaviours because we knew these two guys could be hard if it became necessary!

At Pittwater, the "fine tuning" sailing and "keep cool" exercises were particularly rewarding.  Everyone said they had learnt hints and tips that would stay with them for the future.   By the end of the trip, all of the crew were unanimous in that they had gained a great deal of practical knowledge that would help them to be better sailors in the future....and that we all still continue having new things to learn!

Now, on to the C8 Offshore trip to Port Stephens!...  At first, it was a disappointment to be downgraded to a smaller boat, "Chorse", and form a smaller crew.  It was more cramped in living space, certain things electronic were "not working"....in particular the speed log was out of action, so that navigation calculations for planned exercises were not possible.  With the possibility of heavy weather sailing imminent, it was disconcerting to discover that the mainsail could only be reduced by two reefs and there was no storm jib....indeed no set of storm sails either!  Despite all of this, these problems made the voyage even more interesting because we were obliged to adapt and compromise.....there is always a solution to most problems.  For one example, as Gunnar told us, if the conditions became really bad, we could sail using just the headsail.  Non operating electronic equipment would be replaced by good, old fashioned "dead reckoning".  Being a smaller boat, it moved around a bit in the heavy weather!....great exercises in steering were, therefore, forthcoming!  So we knew the trip would be a ball, whatever!  Anyway, Gunnar had everything under control....so we had nothing to worry about.

The size of the boat meant only one instructer on board, with Terry being left behind....would "happy hour" ever be the same again, we asked ourselves! 

It also meant that we were risking our lives to the unknown cooking skills of Gunnar!!!  It proved, however, to be a pleasant experience, with a well varied menu prepared with the love, skill and dedication of an accomplished chef who would have done the Vikings proud when they were off raping and pillaging!  The latter was not in our syllabus...though it might have been fun!...especially if combined with "happy hour"?   So it was to more serious tasks that we orientated ourselves en route. 

The very nature of the C8 course provided valuable experience in navigation, passage planning, pilotage and in particular...a considerable number of hours night sailing....something I enjoy immensely!  There is a certain "magic" to night navigation that is lacking during the day.   One can't see anything, so the anxiety level becomes reduced.  Also, the skipper can't see the mistakes crew members make in tying knots or doing menial tasks on the darkened foredeck...one can get away with murder, whilst night sailing!  But it certainly keens up the senses and alertness whilst on watch..... With a fair wind, gentle swell, full moon and a beautiful starry sky everything was made for perfect night sailing....a real pleasure!

Seriously, however, night sailing....and especially the night entry in to Newcastle port was particularly demanding and rewarding.  Under the eagle eye of Gunnar, we couldn't go wrong!  Although, he would let us go wrong occasionally and only point out our mistakes before we hit a reef, coal transporter ship, or whatever.....and then ask us what we were going to do to get out of the shit!  A great technique that gave us practical experience that one cannot get from a page in the textbook.

Pilotage in to Port Stephens was an interesting challenge...particularly as it was my own personal pilotage plan!  It certainly kept the crew busy and we arrived at the marina, fortunately, before the mutiny had time to manifest itself!.....

Macquarie Lake, under very fine weather, gave us other problems to negotiate due to it's limited entrance channels and numerous sandbars.....now we all know how to dislodge a boat from a sandbar by piling crew up on to the overhanging boom! An amusing exercise.....but it would be a different story in rougher conditions....however, a good event to participate in.

As the weather worsened during the return trip to Sydney, plus the freak "new" northbound offshore current that had developed, we had ideal opportunities for improving our heavy weather helming techniques!  The return trip was exciting, educational and rewarding.  During this voyage, every crew member had plenty of time individually allocated for all duties, navigation and helming.  For this reason, the general result was most satisfying.  And Gunnar's cooking really was very good....plus the fact he acknowledged "happy hours" with a religious dedication.....so, no complaints there!

To recap, the C7 and C8 courses combined make an excellent vehicle for expanding one's sailing skills, improving self confidence and confidence in fellow crew members under a variety of sailing conditions.  Most aspects of navigational and sailing techniques necessary for offshore sailing are adequately covered and the courses should be a "must" for anyone who takes their sailing seriously and wishes to improve their personal sailing performance.

Thank you, Pacific Sail, for this ultimate in Offshore Sailing experience!

As for the C9 Coastal Navigation Course, again, there was no disappointment where the content and teaching methods were concerned.  All necessary aspects of offshore navigation techniques were competently presented, with all necessary equipment and text books, chart etc being supplied on the first night, eliminating any hassle over individuals having to search for and purchase their own working packs.

Peter started the ball rolling, first night, but seemed to chicken out when he saw what a load of dummies were in the classroom (?).....handing over to Ian, whom he no doubt considered as more ideally suited  for coping with such a challenge!   (Joking apart, though...the students were not all dummies!)

Ian's competent, clear, witty and often extremely relaxed attitude proved to be effective, with the work planned for each session running to time and plenty of extra capacity incorporated for questions from students to be answered...and other random deviations being allowed for! 

Ian's teaching methods were thorough and totally adequate....the rest being up to us!   I personally found the classwork usually easy enough to cope with and didn't have too much problem with the homework, achieving satisfactory results in most cases.

I would like to point out one personal observation, however, that may be useful to consider.  As it is sometimes possible to complete homework tasks incorporating errors that are not pointed out until the following class session, it would have been useful to have answers to the questions incorporated on the homework sheets....in line with the exercises provided in the TAFE Coastal Navigation Exercises. 

This, I know, is a debatable point....but in my own case, spotting my own errors early on in the exercises would have been preferable to waiting for the next class session...from whereon the new material had to be assimilated, causing one to unwittingly deviate from returning to analyse adequately the errors made in previous exercises.  This is merely a personal observation, based on having used the TAFE presentation, that I found to be helpful and efficient, in my personal case....especially where a dummy is concerned!

As for the exam part....I was most dissatisfied with my surprisingly dismal performance!  It was disappointing considering that my performance in practical offshore navigation, theory classwork and homework had been, up until then and as far as I could evaluate, satisfactory?   I must emphasise that the last time I went for a written or practical exam was some 44 years ago!   Guess I've just "lost the touch".....put it down to nerves, creeping old age or whatever?

Personally, if there had been more time and a wider range of questions to choose from, I feel I could have done better.  The questions I could have really done well on just didn't turn up...and there was no choice!  As for the questions I should have tackled without problem...it was afterwards that I couldn't understand why the information I knew so well just would not come out of my memory banks when needed! 

I won't search for excuses, however, just that I seemed to go to pieces last minute!  At least I had resigned myself to the fact that, should I fail, I would abandon sailing....and take up Skydiving!.......If Terry's cooking hadn't killed me....jumping out of a plane wearing the only faulty parachute in the club (marked "Mike") probably would!  Story of my life, really...

One very positive fact, passing the exam or not, the information learned during the C9 course and the excellent practical experience gained on the C7 and C8, courses cannot be taken away from me.  I have all that I have learned to take with me and put to good use during future sailing....if I survive the Skydiving!

Summing up this C9 Theory course leads me to the observation of seeing the importance of linking the C9 work to the practical sailing experienced in the C7 and C8 offshore courses....it is obvious that all three courses go hand in hand, one complementing the other.  No disappointments concerning the C9 course, it's contents or teaching methods.

I also greatly appreciated the exciting experience of joining the "Cadenza" racing crew for those races on the harbour!  There, I picked up more hints and tips on "fine tuning sailing" in four hours than probably in four days of gentle, cruise sailing!  Crew ambiance was extraordinary, hospitality second to none and the experience has given me an interest in race sailing that I didn't have before.....really great!

Thank you "Cadenza" and your crew!......

Well.....that finishes off my "feedback" session!  I hope it will be useful to you....if you wish to use any comments in whole or part on your website or other documents, please feel free to do so.   I will be sending on some photos taken during my visit in due course.

Thank you for your personal hospitality and very professional services offered by Pacific Sail...I have never been disappointed during previous visits and this last one is no exception.  A special thank you to yourself and your super team for having helped to make the two months I recently spent in Sydney such a pleasant experience.

When you get around to posting my logbook back to France, could you please include the chart used for the classwork in the envelope?....It is a good souvenir to keep...and is already folded in to A4 envelope format!   Thanks in advance and looking forwards to hearing from you in the near future.

Please keep me informed of what happens at Pacific Sail in the future...newsletter etc, and in particular, how your Racing Sailing project progresses this year!

Bye bye for now,

Sincere regards to everyone aboard "Pacific Sail"...

                                                                          MIKE  HOLDING

P.S.  I am not a "groveller" by nature...but think that this time, you guys deserved it!

Ask a question or reserve your place by:    Emailing      or call us during business hours, 7 days on  02 9326 2399