John Simpson- Seasonal Instructor
Growing up on the north shore of the Thames estuary in England, John learnt to sail on his Dad’s traditional gaff-rigged fishing smack. Racing mostly GP14 dinghies and camping/cruising on them with friends exploring the East Coast rivers followed during teenage years.
Offshore racing began in late teens and has continued as a passion for most of his life. Starting with the North Sea, East Anglian Series and then being lucky enough to have raced in many different places worldwide.
In John’s twenties skippering a yacht across the Indian Ocean kindled an interest in long-distance sailing. So whilst working for the army running diving craft (including helping lift the "Mary Rose," Henry VIII's flagship) he bought a Hurley 22 ("Miss Content"). Living on the boat in Southampton Water whilst preparing the boat for long passages. He then sailing her on a single-handed Atlantic circuit. After a refit, he sailed across to the Caribbean again, racing and delivering yachts whilst there (including the States). By this time he'd met Janet and been offered a job running a large Danish racing yacht. So he sold "Miss C", came back, married and gained two step-children!
John started sailing professionally now (self-employed), teaching and racing mostly in the UK, this included enjoying some interesting boats like "Jolie Brise," a 1913 French Pilot cutter weighing 55 tons. Together with Janet, they bought "Blauwe Slenk" an old wooden 27ft Dutch sloop, she became the family boat for 14 years.
During a windy November Atlantic delivery on a new wooden Nigel Irens designed 40ft Gaffer called ‘Iris’ from Nova Scotia, John realised he needed a change. So being offered a job as Sailing Coach for the Royal Navy of Oman, running a sizable sailing centre with various dinghies and two Sigma 38’s, was great. Sadly "Blauwe" was sold. After returning from four years in Oman and working free lance for one season, they moved from the New Forest to Scotland and bought a house on the shores of Loch Fyne.
The last five years have been spent teaching different watersports at the Scottish National Centre at Cumbrae. "Working for SportScotland has supplied an ideal fresh challenge with the huge variety of skills needed and has opened up a new and beautiful sailing ground in the Firth of Clyde and West Coast. Winter breaks have allowed me, to start writing regularly for an American magazine, and various other publications about my fascination for adventurous trips in small craft. Even trying to produce a book. This may never be published but has been great fun creating it! Hill walking has also proved, quite a ‘dag’, for someone originally from the flat lands of Essex".
"The family aren't completely boat less either, Janet has a sailing canoe and I've bought a Classic International 14 as a restoration project. More recently I’m planning on sailing an open boat round Britain, driven probably by nearly drowning myself, after capsizing on a winter circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight in my Drascombe Lugger. The kids, now grown up are both architects, Kyra climbs and Wesley windsurfs".
Top Tips.
Most of John’s top tips involve ideas on sound seamanship.
“A good bucket or two is one of the most useful items on any boat. Apart from it’s normal use in washing down, a bucket also can enable the user to fight fire, bail out (a frightened person using a bucket, maybe the most efficient bilge pump, in the world!), and work as an emergency toilet.
Other less obvious uses involve, helping turn an unhandy yacht in a tight space such as a marina. (Attach a longish line to the bucket, stand on the bows and throw the bucket out, pulling it in will help you turn quickly and might save you money on a bow thruster!). Buckets can be used for steering in an emergency, if without a drogue and even to cook a good old fashioned steamed duff (if using the galvanised type) as H.W. Tilman had it”.
“Remember that alcohol and cold water don’t mix. More yachtsmen drown each year in UK rowing back from the pub., than any other way.”
“Carry enough back up gear on a your boat, so that it’s possible to be able to continue navigating safely, having lost all electrical power and practice using it. This can help remind you of your traditional navigational skills”.
All you really need is compass (N.B. the bows can pointed at any object, to obtain a fix from the ships compass, with no hand bearing compass!), lead line, chart, tide tables, pencil and plotting tools.
Speed, and therefore distance can be determined using a Dutchman’s log. “What’s needed to make a this log, is a watch and length of light line 50 ft. long, with a smallish floating object attached to it. Chuck the float overboard and time it’s whole run“.
The following table will give you your speed:
Time in seconds. / Speed in Knots.
30 / 1
15 / 2
10 / 3
7.5 / 4
6 / 5
5 / 6
4.25 / 7
3.75 / 8