I'll keep a list here, in this thread, of mistakes I made as a newbie, and will continue to make, in the hope of helping others:
1. Realize this is not Amazon, Apple, or Facebook. There are people and volunteers behind everything at SSS and YRA and they are doing a fantastic, but thankless, job out of love for what they do. They cannot be perfect. They cannot respond instantly. The websites have flaws, there are typos, there will be dead links,
2. It took me a while to even join the SSS. I thought I had joined last year but it turned out that I really didn't understand Jibeset. I had to join and then pay... I didnt figure that out until this year.
3. Read everything carefully and then read it again. I did not read the SIs and NORs carefully enough or at least fully appreciate the true depth of the steps and importance of the timing involved and how each is connected. To do Z, you need to do Y first, to do Y you need to do X first and it goes backwards in time by months if not years.
4. I spent far too much time on getting the boat ready over the winter and did not pay enough attention to paperwork.
5. As an example of #3 and #4, I did not appreciate what getting my Safety at Sea qualification involved. Then, when I finally did figure it out, at first I thought I needed to do a hands-on course and I looked everywhere for one in the Bay Area but there was nothing. Hopes dashed. Then I asked. Turns out you can so an online two-part course and thats OK.
6. So, as I am still learning, you can always ask questions. My life has turned around as folks have stepped in to help me with advice. I was drowning before. So ask, I guess, at least until you ask too much.
7. As another example of #3 and #4, I did not understand the qualifications for LongPac. I thought you had to finish SHF for example. I have been tearing my hair out trying to figure out how I am going to finish SHF before midnight when I am much slower than people who have not made it on a light day.
8. One that you will laugh at. I knew I needed a PHRF certificate and I paid for one. I did not realize you had to fill in an application form. I am still trying to catch up on that one.
9. Tracking. I have no idea what the best or easiest tracking device is. I searched and could not find a simple or definitive answer. I ended up buying as many as I could afford because I ran out of time. I still have not finally figured this out.
10. Safety. I already posted my safety list and I worked through much of this on my own. I just read everything I could. I should have asked. One hour with a seasoned veteran taught me more than a 100 hours on the Internet. For example, I bought a pocket etrier for use at the top of the mast but I hadn't considered that carrying an etrier is probably mush better than the emergency ladder I bought that seemed to be the accepted answer to getting back on board.
I'll stop here at 10 and hope I dont get to 100 as I keep chugging along.
1. Realize this is not Amazon, Apple, or Facebook. There are people and volunteers behind everything at SSS and YRA and they are doing a fantastic, but thankless, job out of love for what they do. They cannot be perfect. They cannot respond instantly. The websites have flaws, there are typos, there will be dead links,
2. It took me a while to even join the SSS. I thought I had joined last year but it turned out that I really didn't understand Jibeset. I had to join and then pay... I didnt figure that out until this year.
3. Read everything carefully and then read it again. I did not read the SIs and NORs carefully enough or at least fully appreciate the true depth of the steps and importance of the timing involved and how each is connected. To do Z, you need to do Y first, to do Y you need to do X first and it goes backwards in time by months if not years.
4. I spent far too much time on getting the boat ready over the winter and did not pay enough attention to paperwork.
5. As an example of #3 and #4, I did not appreciate what getting my Safety at Sea qualification involved. Then, when I finally did figure it out, at first I thought I needed to do a hands-on course and I looked everywhere for one in the Bay Area but there was nothing. Hopes dashed. Then I asked. Turns out you can so an online two-part course and thats OK.
6. So, as I am still learning, you can always ask questions. My life has turned around as folks have stepped in to help me with advice. I was drowning before. So ask, I guess, at least until you ask too much.
7. As another example of #3 and #4, I did not understand the qualifications for LongPac. I thought you had to finish SHF for example. I have been tearing my hair out trying to figure out how I am going to finish SHF before midnight when I am much slower than people who have not made it on a light day.
8. One that you will laugh at. I knew I needed a PHRF certificate and I paid for one. I did not realize you had to fill in an application form. I am still trying to catch up on that one.
9. Tracking. I have no idea what the best or easiest tracking device is. I searched and could not find a simple or definitive answer. I ended up buying as many as I could afford because I ran out of time. I still have not finally figured this out.
10. Safety. I already posted my safety list and I worked through much of this on my own. I just read everything I could. I should have asked. One hour with a seasoned veteran taught me more than a 100 hours on the Internet. For example, I bought a pocket etrier for use at the top of the mast but I hadn't considered that carrying an etrier is probably mush better than the emergency ladder I bought that seemed to be the accepted answer to getting back on board.
I'll stop here at 10 and hope I dont get to 100 as I keep chugging along.
