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1877 Tall Ship ELISSA: Seamanship Training 2008-2009

1877 Sailing Vessel Elissa Seamanship Training And Sea Trials 2008 – 2009

Seamanship Training 2008–2009 will begin on July 19, 2008, and will consist of 19 day-long sessions and one half-day session (Class I), the last of which will be on March 14, 2009. The schedule takes into account holidays, so that there are no more than two weeks between classes.

Attendance: Seamanship Training classes are designed to build upon what was learned in previous classes: Class attendance is crucial to develop the necessary skills, experience, and knowledge. All trainees will be allowed to miss up to four non-consecutive classes, with prior approval of the waterfront manager and the chair of the Ship Operations Committee. All trainees are urged to attend as many classes as possible. Volunteers MUST attend 16 out of 20 sessions.

Crew Selection: Sailing crew selection and allotted sailing days will be based upon the following criteria: volunteer hours, class attendance, availability to sail, test scores, and overall proficiency in square-rig sailing skills. A committee composed of mast captains, sail training administration, waterfront manager, and TSM director will make the final crew selection. In addition to sailing days, volunteers will be scheduled for night watches, dock line handling, and shore support.

Volunteer Hours - Please read this section carefully

  • The minimum number of volunteer hours required to qualify for the sailing crew is 130, accumulated between February 11, 2008 and February 8, 2009. PLEASE NOTE that hours spent in Seamanship Training classes count toward satisfying this requirement.
  • Volunteers will be allotted seven hours for every full day of Seamanship Training and 3.5 hours for half days attended. Partial attendance at a class will be rounded to the nearest half or whole day.
  • Volunteer hours spent in any sanctioned capacity may be used to satisfy the hours requirements for sailing crew.
  • Everyone who intends to qualify as sailing crew must put in a minimum of 10 hours between February 9, 2009 and March 15, 2008, regardless of how many hours they acquire between February 11, 2008 and February 8, 2009. (Example: Let’s say you may have accumulated 150 volunteer hours of ship maintenance by February 8, 2009. You must still put in a minimum of 10 additional hours between February 9, 2009 and March 15, 2009.) PLEASE NOTE: This requirement is easily satisfied by attending more than one training session during this period.
  • Since so much is based on the number of hours donated, it is vital that volunteer hours are recorded in the logbook in accordance with the guidelines of TSM that are posted near the hours logbook.

Work Days: In order to satisfy the minimum requirement of 130 hours to make sailing crew, you should attend all 20 training sessions. To make sure that you meet the essential standards, and since the maintenance needs of ELISSA frequently exceed our minimum requirements, volunteers are encouraged to sign up for additional work days. Ongoing schedules of the work to be done and desired completion dates will be posted during the preceding month.

Review Sessions: We will offer review sessions once a month on a Sunday, starting in August. These day-long classes may be used to make up missed seamanship training sessions (please consult a member of the Ship Operations Committee for details) or to receive further instruction in subjects that prove to be difficult. Attendance may be made up for no more than two absences, but you may attend as many review sessions as you like.

Top Ten: As a way to reward those who contribute hours well in excess of the minimum requirements, the ten volunteers with the most hours contributed between February 11, 2008 and February 8, 2009, will be allowed to invite a guest for a sail during the Spring 2009 Sea Trials. These “top ten” contributors do not have to be enrolled in seamanship training.

Shakedown Sail: All volunteers—not just those who complete Seamanship Training—who are not designated as shakedown sailing crew or included in the top ten above will be ranked by hours contributed between February 11, 2008 and February 8, 2009. Invitations to sail on the shakedown will be offered to these people until we have filled all available slots. Volunteers must, however, have acquired a minimum of 65 hours between February 11, 2008 and February 8, 2009, to be considered for the shakedown sail.

Sailing as a “Standby”: Volunteers who have accumulated at least 65 hours between February 11, 2008 and February 8, 2009 may daysail once, and only once, as a “standby guest.”

Seamanship Training Schedule
Class I July 19, 2008 (mandatory)
Class II July 26, 2008
Class III August 9, 2008
Class IV August 23, 2008
Class V September 6, 2008
Class VI September 20, 2008
Class VII October 4, 2008
Class VIII October 18, 2008 Team Test
Class IX October 25, 2008
Class X November 8, 2008
Class XI November 22, 2008 Test 1
Class XII December 6, 2008 Dickens on the Strand
Class XIII December 20, 2008
Class XIV January 3, 2009
Class XV January 17, 2009
Class XVI January31, 2009 Final Exam
Class XVII February 14, 2009
Class XVIII February 28, 2008
Class XIX March 7, 2009
Class XX March 14, 2009 Final Training Session & Graduation

NOTE: Final crew selection will be made on February 11, 2009.

 

Sea Trials
Make ready   March 15, 2009 (mandatory)
Shakedown/volunteer sail   March 16, 2009
Daysail Period   March 16 through March 25, 2009
USCG Attraction Vessel inspection   March 26, 2009 a.m.
Reopen ELISSA to the public   March 26, 2009, ASAP after USCG inspection





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