Wow the day started out pretty good – with 45 minutes to go before the start of the sail, there was a good wind, and I was also the only person scheduled for the group course! So I was prepared for a private lesson — but then 2 guys came and when they realized it was possible to get out on a catamaran, they joined that group also. No worries, I was sure that we could still have a great time s long as the wind held.

In addition to the usual equipment (mainsail, mainsheet block & tackle, tiller), we also put on the trapese harness (« ceinture de trapèze »). This is a harness that allows you to hook on to a line on the boat, from which you can hike so far out under sail that your feet are on the hull and your body is practically horizontal.

It was the instructor and another student on one boat, and me and another student on our own boat. We had good winds at first, and I Was able to get a lot of good practice in talking upwind on a zigzag couese. In previous sessions each time I tried to tack I would stall out. But I had done a little YouTube research on tracking a catamaran, and I was able to finally tack successfully! The trick (for me at least) was to not turn too abruptly with the tiller — you make a good turn, but not so much that the rudders grind that boat to a halt. And with that little gem, the tacks went great. It was very helpful to have a second person on the boat to handle the job, I think doing the maneuver solo is a lot teixkerr to pull off without losing all of your speed.

With the two of us boats out there the instructor started to use the buoys to set up starting lines and finish lines, and we did 3 or 4 races before heading back to base.

We never beat the instructor, but they had the advantage of always knowing exactly where the course li s were, and we were always guessing did we understand correctly. Anyway it was good fun and good practice…the main pain points were getting a good track to the starting line, and also managing the course lines so that we can enter tight spaces like a narrow corridor delineated by biouys chained together.

I acted as helmsman and crew.and both were good experience. As crew, your main responsibility is handling the job, and being on the corner side of the boat to balance the boat with ballast in the right place.

After we got back to base, the instructor advised us of the proper procedure for executing a tack with two people. Most of the steps and sequence I was aware of. But I did learn one good hint– at what point the jib should be releases and allowed to change its tack. It’s pretty simple — don’t release the working jibsheet until the helmsman moves to the other side of the boat. That is the crew member’s due to release the previously working jibsheet and swap over to haul in the ne working jibsheet.

Well that’s it for for no. A good learning exprall around. I think I am just about ready for a one-on-one course with the instructor now– hopefully in one outing I can validate most of the required maneuvers to get me the « FFV niveau 3 » for small sailing catamarans. We shall soon see!