Sailing on Loch Fyne and the West Kyle during a "Start Yachting" course.
Berthing a yacht on a pontoon finger when short handed. Only the helmsman and one crew are needed. The crew ties a bowline to form a large loop in the end of a mooring line, the other end of which is temporarily loosely tied to the yacht's midship cleat. This line will form a midship aft-going spring. As the berth is approached, the crew uses a boat hook to drop the loop over the outermost end cleat on the pontoon finger. The helmsman stops the boat while the crew adusts the length of the spring to allow the bows of the yacht to almost reach the inner end of the finger. The helmsman then turns the helm so as to turn the bows away from the finger (i.e. stern towards the finger), engages forward gear and gradually increases the revs until the boat is pulled alongside the finger by the spring. The helm is then secured with forward drive still engaged. The crew and helm can then step ashore with bow and stern lines to secure the yacht in the normal way.
Recovery of a helicopter winchman from the training yacht. The yacht maintains a constant speed and course to windward and the recovery is made from the yacht's port quarter. This gives a clear view to the helicopter pilot, who is seated to starboard.
Dolphins playing around the bows while beam reaching up the Sound of Jura.
Brief mobile phone video made while sailing north of Rona in a fresh northerly.
19 minute family video of a Competent Crew course. Locations featured include Largs, River Clyde, Millport, Sound of Bute, East Loch Tarbert, Otter Ferry, Kyles of Bute and Rothesay Bay.