Three Tea's 4 me, please.

TTT, some times known to me as VLE's, some mine, some others. I believe a smart skipper learns from his own mistakes, a wise skipper learns from the mistakes of others. Or mis adventures, or incidents, or accidents, or any combination of, or even uneventful water voyages on the high seas. I am big on reading after action reports and cruising journals/logs. I desire to be an alive and breathing skipper. Maybe not so wise or not so smart. Just an average rum of the mill 'Popeye' skipper: I 'yam, what I 'yam, and that's all that I 'yam.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Me, being me. Having fun along the way, dreaming of my dreams float boat, a Nordhavn, whichever, whatever, is attracted to me first as having me as her skipper.   As I understand my definition of a skipper, in it's simplest term for me to understand, is the protection of life, including my own. Then, protection of property, including my own. Follow'd by Fun, adventure, and my final exams: Sea Tests. I am only limited by my dreams, my imagination, my creativity, and my mind which has no known to me limits, thanks to Nordhavn, it's employees and as important to me it's owner's, past, present and future.

Now my Admiral tells me I have a symantic problem with word definitions. She strongly suggests I consult Webster, and visit Webster often. Fine, I say. What slip is his vessel in? What kind of boat does Webster pilot?  She just walks away shaking her head. No ah Webster for me!

VLE: Bill, from Maryland. (write out in detail)

For the purpose of my discussion, There are techniques I believe that can be useful in me, developing the foresight, this is one hallmark of me being a skipper.

Practice Crisis Anticipation
One I will refer to as “crisis anticipation, ca” and it involves me looking ahead as far as I can and asking, “What could possibly change or go wrong that would threaten our survival?”I really do not desire to manage a vessel by crisis. Nor do I desire to have any role in organized chaos.

Think About The Worst Possible Event:

For example, what would I do if I lost the engine underway,
as engines have done in the past? What if my dream boat suddenly stopped, as often happens in high-tech equipment laden vessels in times of rapid change, e.g. un favorable climates or un vessel friendly seas. What if I died unexpectedly or our vessel with all our pictures, and prized personal possesions were destroyed by fire? What if I lost my key? What if I couldn't tap mac? What if I couldn't get any fries with that? Not morbid, just me being me, prudent, exercising caution..

These and other questions can only be asked and considered by me, the skipper, chief cook, bottle washer, and trash taker outer, the person ultimately charged with the overall responsibility for results. The failure to think through possible crises in advance can open me and others to fear, panic, mutiny, yacht see, and confusion if something goes wrong.

Blueprint For A Crisis:

A man with the body of a Greek God or a mad Greek or a Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “Circumstances do not make the man; they merely reveal him to himself.”

A crisis is the genuine test of courage and effectiveness in a skipper. It is my hope I can greatly improve my abilities to function in a crisis situation by thinking, scarry, me thinking, my thoughts exactly, it through in advance and by me developing contingency tactics — just in case.

Determine What Can Go Wrong:

Another of many a technique I will be referring to is known to me as the “master method” of decision making. It involves asking, “What is the worst possible thing that can go wrong in this situation?” Me, being a student, or grasshopper, will ask many questions of as many masters as will communicate with me. The bottom line for me is that hopefully one day I will be on an ocean, for the purpose of getting to the other side. I really do not know which came first? Charlie, the tuna or the tuna salad sandwich.

Once I've asked the questions, I must decide whether or not I can live with those consequences. For example, in the natural course of events, in a major storm, the worst possible outcome may be that I will lose every penny. Can I live with that? Can me, my admiral, our mutt, and maybe a crew or two survive? There are many different types of decisions and one of them is the decision I cannot afford to make. I think most big failures result because someone made a commitment of human resources without carefully considering the worst possible outcome. My point here is that I have made a decision, to cross an ocean, and one day I want to act on my decision, just not discuss it with others to ad infintum. Then and only then, will I know, that me, myself, and I, listened effectively to the masters and/or paid attention in my training.

e.g. wwjd? what would Dr. D.S. do? What would Ken W. do? What would Scott do? What would John do? What would so many others before me do? Maybe, one day I will ask? maybe, if not. The least I owe to each and every one of them is a very heartfelt, freely given: "Thank you!" You inspired, and motivated me. You allowed me and my dreams to be reality for me. Please, just don't do it again. This Nordhavnpassagemakertrawleritis is enough to last me for the rest of my natural life. Keep up the great work and writing though! Thanks to each of you for communicating with me, heart to heart.

My dream boat, a N55, did not make a ripple in my dreams,
more like a tsunami.

This page is dedicated to John and world@sea et al. A small token of appreciation and Congratulations in my own way for his successful crossing of the Atlantic, '04 NAR. For his input. I am responsible for the output putter. It is he that reminded me that I maybe considering a single screw boat. Duhhhhhhh! I confess my original idea was to have a twin screw vessel for many reasons.

To Bill, from Maryland, who I felt his pain as he described to me in detail what happened when he lost an engine running north bound of this island and nursed his pride and joy into the dock at Fernandina Beach Harbor. Friday early am, me waiting for a glimpse of a new N55. Enough said about the loss of an engine. Horrible feeling! Bill and his wife were heading home to Maryland from Ft Lauderdale, when the incident happened. No injuries, no damage, just a man's pride bruised a little. I hope the CAT man cometh and the CAT man repairth, soon.

Thank You Lord

Thank you Lord for the blessings
You have bestowed upon me
Thank you Lord for the praises
That are yet to be.

May I never forget
the Son which you sent
Thank You Lord for Forgivness that you gave
abundently.

Thank you Lord for the ones that loved me so,
Thank you for the love, at a untimely low
May I never forget the Love you sent,
of a love so supreme, so magnificent!

Thank you Lord
Written by Paula Chapman