Adventurous Training
Ex NORTHERN CRAFTSMAN Scribe: Sgt Richie Taylor
6 Regiment RLC LAD Sailing Expedition 19 – 24 Sep 21
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x NORTHERN CRAFTSMAN was designed to deliver a challenging yet achievable sailing package for 6 Regiment RLC LAD. 10 Service Personnel arrived in sunny Gosport, Portsmouth, where we stayed the night at Fort Blockhouse, before meeting up with our skippers on Monday morning. That evening, we all enjoyed a pre-sail meal after the long drive down thinking it might be our last good meal of the week, how wrong we were!
The Craftsman Crew enjoying the view: Cfn Stokes, WO1 (ASM) Radford and LCpl Moore
The Seahorse Crew consisting of Maj Triblenig, Cpl Taylor, LCpl Devlin, Cfn Hubberstey, Cfn Coulson and Cfn Smith 30 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk
Enjoying the Poole Harbour sunset Upon meeting our skippers, we were given a tour of the boats and our mandatory safety briefs. We then quickly set sail as our instructors unloaded their wealth of knowledge upon us, much to the bemusement of some as they sat there looking confused. We were split across two boats hired from the REME Sailing Club, ‘Seahorse’ and ‘Craftsman’. Both fantastic vessels and very well equipped. Throughout the week we learned a range of skills which are detailed in the course syllabus to gain our Competent Crew Qualification. We covered multiple knots, crew overboard drills, how to bring the boat to a halt and most importantly, how to make a good cup of Yorkshire tea under sail. Although not ideal sailing weather; calm seas, low wind and lots of lovely sunshine it was ideal for novice sailors and meant no one got sea sick. The ASM was quick to remind us all we were on a tight budget and couldn’t afford any more wind in true Yorkshireman style. After our first successful day’s sailing, we moored up in Yarmouth Harbour where we had to haggle on the price of the mooring fees. We ate on the boat most nights either cooking on the move or
