Getting worried about taking my ASA 101 exam

[Narfi]

Back in my test taking days, I would prepare and study as hard as I could in the days or weeks leading up to the test, but the night before was a break. Go out, have a nice dinner(but not too heavy) go home have a drink (just 1) and go to bed early.

The theory was that either I had learned the material already, or I wouldn't. The stress of the test was the only thing that could hurt me, and the ritual of intentionally de-stressing with a night off and a good night sleep always did well for me on test days.

[AKA-None]

I still say the words out loud even single handing. Then if I’m on a crew I never have to think about it. All about habits.

[ChrisJHC]

Originally Posted by Midwesterner

And sailing into "irons": How long has it been since there was any iron rigging at the bow of a sailboat?

I think you’ll find that the expression is “in irons” and refers to the fact that you’re trapped and have difficulty turning one way or the other. More like being handcuffed/manacled.

[Rob_P]

Sadly, I didn't pass.

On the good news front, I didn't fail either.

Instead, something came up for my instructor and I got bumped to Sunday morning at 10. Woot! More study-time!

On the bad news front, what a mess I made of the lesson. First it was a Chinese jibe when I couldn't figure out what the heck to do, where the wind direction was coming from, OR the commands for tacking the boat. Poor Rail Meat got keel hauled on the first pickup attempt when I ran over the sad sack. Hypothermia had already set in when I missed the second pickup attempt and the buoy was face down in the water. He drowned before we could get back for the third attempt. We barely got his waterlogged body back into the boat before calling it quits.

It was awful and I need more practice at it. At least now I can rent the boat and go do that (IF I can find someone who will sail with me - no solo allowed).

Only 1 more lesson to go (lesson 6) before the night sail prep class (Lesson 7) and then the night sail (Lesson 8). Those are pre-scheduled and only 1x per month each. The next one (Lesson 7 night sail prep) is early next month, probably before the 10th. The one after that is the actual night sail (Lesson 8) and that's around the 20th.

Then it's the last "class", which is the confidence sail, then graduation. After graduation I can charter (still no solo sailing though, so I have to find someone to sail with).

[dan104]

Funny thing, I worried about my 101 test, re-read the book the night before, Got to class expecting to sail found test right away (I was still asleep I think.. I am not a morning guy). Quick 20 mins passed it and then went sailing for the day.


two Years later took 103,104,114 all on a 1 week sail. two days in we started taking tests at night. read the 103 book which was just review as I had been sailing my own boat for 2 years, 103 took a bit of work due to worry's. Same for 104 although the navigation stuff was interestingly tricky. For the 114 we were in Jos Van Dyke and the question was go to dinner and come back and take test (after we had a chance to study) or take it before dinner having just skimming the book. If we took it before dinner we could drink and Capt said we could take it again if we failed the next day.



No question what to do, did 15 mins reading book, took the test got 98 went to dinner and drank, another pair took other option and spent 2 hours studying for test they passed with low 90's while we lounged on deck looking at stars and sipping rum.

[Pingpro]

My wife and I actually failed the ASA 101 course 15 years ago... We couldn't believe it. aced everything but failed the knot portion and the WAY too serious captain failed us. As many of you predicted above, we stopped taking courses. Just now getting back into sailing. Probably not the response you were looking for, but the test is super easy, just practice your knots.

-Christian

[NormanMartin]

Been teaching that course since 1985.

Most common problem: overthinking the solution.

[sail4evr]

Take up knitting!

[dannc]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

Oh...for give him. He probably took the test in the days that they gave you a trophy and a pass just for showing up so that his feelings would not be hurt.

Abe

We were watching an episode of The Andy Griffith Show this week....

For those who do not know, The Andy Griffith Show was a TV comedy series filmed in the 1960's about a sheriff in a small, North Carolina town, his son, aunt who took care of them, and the characters in the town. It is an excellent show and still funny 50-60 years later. Funny thing, is that a sheriff is an elected position, and in North Carolina, one of the most powerful office in NC but they cover a county, NOT a town. A town would have a police chief.

Anywho, the episode was about Andy's son Opie(Ron Howard) entering a race and loosing. Looses badly. Opie takes the loss hard, and as my mother in law would say, shows his a...ss. The episode is all about winning, loosing, and learning to loose and win gracefully. As Andy explains to Opie, you are going to have many losses in life so you better learn how to deal with them...

Yep, life is full of losses.

Later,
Dan

[dannc]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

I still say the words out loud even single handing. Then if I’m on a crew I never have to think about it. All about habits.

My tractor has stickers all over it written by lawyers. However, one of the stickers has stuck with me, "Safety is a habit" it says. This is really true in so many things.

If one does things over and over, they become a habit. This is good as long as one has learned the correct, safe habits. This is bad, if one has not.

I use a chain saw from time to time and it is the most dangerous thing I do. If I listened to the safety people, I would only use the saw another person around in case I have an accident but then I would never get work done.

When running the chainsaw, I wear a helmet, which as a face guard and hearing protection, heavy leather gloves, eye protection, boots, and safety chaps. The chaps are design so that if the chain saw touches them, the chain clogs up and stops. Hopefully before serious injury time.

I wear that safety equipment without fail. No safety equipment, no operating the saw. Just that simple. One day, I was putting on the safety equipment and got side tracked by something. Start to walk off to work the saw but something was not right. The little man on my shoulder was tapping the helmet quite loudly. What was wrong? I actually stopped walking to check things out. I had forgot to put on the safety chaps.

Having formed a safe habit of putting on the safety gear, let my subconscious mind, aka, the little man on my shoulder, know something was not right and he let me know.

Safety is a habit.

We are doing this on the boat we charter. Other people take the boat out, and what we have learned, the hard way sometimes, is that they don't always leave the boat as they found it. Over time, we have added to check list the things to check before leaving the dock. Habit.

Later,
Dan

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by dannc

We are doing this on the boat we charter.

Later,
Dan

Trying to imagine sailing in safety chaps...

[lambrettaman]

Originally Posted by Rob_P

The sailing part I can do, but the information from the books isn't staying in my head. I keep rereading the books but I'm not retaining the information. It's like my brain is full.

I used flash cards when I was studying for my 101,103,104 combo pack of training. I downloaded an app although I don't recall which one, with the intention of creating my own. Luckily, the app had user generated packages of cards and someone had made and uploaded a set for the ASA courses.

[Rob_P]

Originally Posted by lambrettaman

I used flash cards when I was studying for my 101,103,104 combo pack of training. I downloaded an app although I don't recall which one, with the intention of creating my own. Luckily, the app had user generated packages of cards and someone had made and uploaded a set for the ASA courses.

I've been doing "flash card" questions on the internet as well as re-reading the book. My answers have gone from around 60% correct to above 90% correct. I'm still stressed but not as much as a week ago.

The knots aren't much of a problem although I did get the "you tie your bowlines funny" comments again yesterday.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Rob_P

The knots aren't much of a problem although I did get the "you tie your bowlines funny" comments again yesterday.

Have you tried The snake comes out of the pond, goes around the tree, and back into the pond.?

Also, I can't overstate the benefits of something like this, so that in your downtime, you can practice your knots.

[Rob_P]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

Have you tried The snake comes out of the pond, goes around the tree, and back into the pond.?

I pay out about a foot from the bitter end, pinch the line with my left fingers, make a loop, shift my pinch to now hold the loop with my left fingers, run the bitter end up under the bottom of the loop, over the top of the loop, behind the "tree", and down into the hole.

It's correctly tied, I just "do it funny" although I cannot figure out what that means since it's the correct "boy scout" way to tie it.