Flotilla – Part 5.1
Table of Contents
Morning assembly 1
First Briefing 1
Our Boat 2
First Radio check 3
N>B., ‘Over and Out’ 3
First Sail 3
Day 1 – Monday
We are now both qualified to join the next flotilla -along with all the other qualifiers.
Otherwise, I would have gone by myself. – Only joking!
Two days free – pool, beach and bar – and then joining the fleet – with our own yacht – for a about five days anyway!
Morning assembly – in the bar again.
Hard to say exactly how many people. But we are soon told that we have a flotilla of eight yachts – so 16 sailors. Plus, the lead boat – now introducing themselves –
Skipper – WOODY (never told his second name)
First Mate – BRIGITTE – our trainer – pure coincidence – but suits us.
Engineer – PETE already had greasy hands.
First Briefing
Some information from Woody – timetable for first 2 days pretty fixed – thereafter, more flexible – depending on the weather.
we leave Nidri after lunch – and a boat safety check for each pair as we boarded, and Instructions given for a radio check before we move – as was done every morning when on flotilla.
Relatively easy sail planned today – just to settle in the rookies.
Going south to big Vathi (there is a small Vathi) – maybe two or three hours.
Weather forecast for the pm – light winds – force3 – 4. – ideal for starters.
We can follow the lead boat – which has a very distinct banner flying from its mast – which they referred to as their ‘Battle Banner’.
They will berth first and radio to call boats in separately – we had – in our training week – rehearsed their hand signals as they guided us in, and they were ready to take our ropes and tie us up – the boat, that is!
Once settled – they have a local restaurant booked for the group – as a ‘get to know’ session.
If interested – cost is ten Euros per head – including a drink. – please register with Brigitte before we set off.
Not compulsory – so feel free to wander and eat where you choose.
Any questions? …. None – and off for lunch.
Found Matt and Karen and joined them for lunch – plus, just a small beer!
We both book in and pay for the communal dinner, of course. – and a chat with Brigitte.
Our Boat
Notice board lists the boat allocations. – all ladies names.
We know this is going to go well when we see the name – we get ‘Roxanne’ – just raunchy enough for us!
Find the boat amongst all the others. Bit of an improvement on the training boat i.e. looked pretty new – and a wheel in the cockpit with a console of navigational aids e.g. GPS, digital compass and depth reader.
Brigitte turns up for the safety check – the crew are spreading out to cover all boats quicker – told nothing we didn’t know.
what we did need to know – fleet radio – operation easy enough – more importantly the lead boat and the flotilla all on the same frequency – which at the moment was – 69,
She did give us some advice – we are her favourites! The whole fleet on the same frequency means that, every boat on flotilla hears everybody else’s exchanges – so don’t slag anyone off!
That’s another safety check!
First Radio check
Just requires getting online – ‘This is Roxanne looking for a radio check’ (I felt like a pimp!) and the nearest to their radio – could be any boat in the fleet – picks up and responds – ‘Hello, Roxanne -this is Abigail – receiving you loud and clear’ Roxanne’ and sometimes adds- ‘please confirm reception’ and me – ‘Thank you Abigail -this is Roxanne, – got you loud and clear – have a good day’.
‘Thank you, Roxanne, – you to’. Out’.
N>B., ‘Over and Out’
That last ‘Out’ is important – sounds simple but – one of our tips from Brigitte when training – the lead boat would impose a fine on any boat who finished a radio exchange with – ‘Over and Out’. – the fine was a round of drinks for the lead crew.
There is a good reason for this – and forget TV police soaps –
‘Over’ – means – ‘your turn to speak/reply’
“Out’ means. I am finished now, bye.’
So ‘Over and Out’ is just a complete contradiction, which can only confuse. Literally means – ‘your turn to speak – but I am off and not listening’ anymore.
Give Woody his due – the first time somebody did it – Woody didn’t fine them – on the basis that they maybe hadn’t been told – but made it clear to the fleet, that the next offence would be punished.
Bit of a joke really – and I never saw the crew buy their own drinks when they were with most of the group on an evening gathering. In fact, I wasn’t aware of a fine being imposed at any time during the week.