First time skipper After completing the RYA competent crew, Day Skipper theory and Day Skipper practical courses and getting a Marine radio operators licence under my belt I thought that chartering a boat would be pretty straightforward. I was wrong. Private charter operators I contacted wanted me to have more experience. I was asked to give the names of two charter companies I'd used before. All I could do was supply the names of my instructors. I don't know if these were followed up but I eventually got the go-ahead after the selected charter operator had checked with their insurance company. I have to admit that I was a little indignant at not being accepted more readily. However, by the end of the actual sailing weekend my attitude had changed. I don't think for a moment that I had been reckless in any way. I had prepared the boat and the crew as well as I could, I had studied the weather and the tides and I had made a passage plan to which we adhered, more or less. Despite all of that, by the time we brought the boat back to it's home port I'd received five blasts from a ferry, been warned by a harbour master to stay put when it was obvious I was preparing to slip and entered a lock so fast I was very lucky to get away with no damage to the boat. The ferry incident was annoying and embarrassing. I had recognised the potential collision but had simply reacted too late and the ferry captain had, quite rightly, issued the five blasts, which mean, "What are your intentions? You're not taking enough avoiding action". As for the harbour master warning me not slip; well, we were tied up to a remote floating pontoon just outside Hamble Point marina. The wind had got up quite strong while we had our lunch and I just wanted to get the boat into a more sheltered mooring. The harbour master said, "Don't risk the boat by going out in this wind" but after a while he agreed I'd be OK just motoring round to the marina. When I entered the lock too fast I was so lucky to avoid any damage. The crew fended us off well but I was very upset to have made such an unnecessary, potentially serious blunder. So, all in all I now think that the boat owner was quite right to be cautious and, although I thought it was a brilliant sailing weekend I know that I had luck on my side. I now want to get in much more crewing experience before chartering as skipper again. annon

Comment from Kevin

Hello first time skipper, we can realate to your story as after a few coarses etc we went on a flotilla and was amazed after the first morning breifing that we were to meet later on this afternoon at the next port of call and just left to get on with it. Needless to say it was an exciting day with varoius mishaps, the final one being arriving quiet late becuase we got lost. a few years down the line we are doing bareboat and the odd flot. The mistakes still happen but less and less frequant. The learning side is so much fun, after the event. good luck

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