ASA Vs "Old Salts"

[rrranch]

People call me an old salt. I qualified officer of the deck on a frigate back in the 80's. Drove a couple carriers and a battleship too, both in the engine rooms and on the bridge. Sailed on a few huge sailing yachts all over the pacific and saw some waves and weather that would make anyone puke. We got our own sailboat finaly last year and boy do I have a lot to learn!!! We haven't taken any Asa courses yet but we will before we go too far on our own. I've got navigation down. I learned pre gps and after gps became popular again but you think I can teach any of that to my wife???? Not happening! I did so many man overboard drills, and lost real people over the side that I can do any of the maneuvers to recover one in my sleep. Even sailing. My kid lost sight of Oscar last week when we did a drill because he was seasick. NOT an excuse. Oscar died. We never did find him. I liked that cushion. My kid is taking the classes with us! Were planning to sail the world someday and I want everyone onboard as knowlegable as I am. I learned a long time ago that I will never know enough or know everything too.

[jackdale]

If you really want to find out what you do not know, try teaching. As a classroom teacher for over 30 years, I discovered "The best way to learn something is to teach it."

[rrranch]

How true that is! I was a good teacher in the navy. NOW, I suck at it. I still argue with my wife about righty tighty lefty loosy. It is so annoying. She was helping me reinstall the standing rigging a few weeks ago after I rebedded all of it. She was turning the nuts from below. After 20 years of telling her she will never again see a backwards threaded bolt I still had to tell her which way to turn them. I give up teaching. She is a college professor BTW.

[zeehag]

does asa teach survival at se along with the theory of sailing? the old salt we had teaching us did that. but, then, he was a relative and wanted to make sure we lived thru our sailing experiences, wherever they may take us. we learned on a 36 ft gaff rigged sloop. we even did overnight sailing....and some storm sailing,and winter cold sailing. but, the man was a captain from merchant marine who had sailed around the world before asa was invented. his grandfather owned a shipping company.

no one ever knows all there is to sailing .... doesnt matter who ye are or who taught you or what and how you sail. there is always something new to learn.