What to expect if you are skipper to a older couple or more couples?

As I have already mentioned in a post before details stated below are only my observations that I have gathered through my carrier as a skipper and does not always represent all the groups and there reactions that I am describing. However in my experience those predictions are mostly true.

When you are skipper older couples they are mostly a bit more quitter and relaxed. They do not party often and wake up in the morning so they can enjoy as much of the day as possible. Even sailing is not that intense because they prefer to sail for fun not because of adrenalin or the need to expose them to the sun. They appreciate the sailboat and sailing culture but do not want to push it over the limit.

However some older couples are completely opposite. I once had skipper older couples that have brought a whole barrel of wine to the boat and they were constantly drinking it. Honestly what is the purpose of that kind of action? If you want to get drunk you can do that at home not in such a perfect environment as it is in the open sea. And the alcohol can be even dangerous for the boat, crew and other people around.

What is the good point of skippering the older couples? Definitely they enjoy sailing and will put that in front of waking up late in the morning. They are usually people that you can talk with and by that I meant not just one word. This is probably one of my most favorable groups to skipper.

Skipper

I am a skipper and would like to explain what does skipper does. Being skipper is job where you control sailboat or yacht with a help of someone else or by yourself. Being skipper is a responsible task where you are responsible not just for a boat but also for all the people that are currently on the vessel.

Training for skipper is not easy. Depending on the country where skipper is located, skippered needs to pass basic skipper courses. Some countries have only theoretical exams where you become skipper for vessels as long as 25 meters without passing the theoretical exam. There are also countries where you need to pass separated courses for radio communications.

However one of the most recognized skipper courses in the world is UK RYA (Royal Yachting Association). There goal is simple and in my opinion pretty well thought of making standards for skipper license all over the world. The offer various courses for sailboat, powerboats, yachts, dinghies and so on and have already made a good name.

Skipper

However skipper is not just a "driver" of the boat. Skipper needs to take much more responsibility, sometimes you need to be also a guide, communicative person that can handle a different strange situations or person that can fix a boat when this is needed in bad weather.

Being skipper is not always easy. You need to get along with various people. From people that do not speak at all during the sailing or people who prefer to talk all the time and are sometimes more then annoying. And sometimes you are in a company of people that you do not like away from your friends and family for more then a month or two during the high season. However being a skipper is not always good.

But there are also times that weighted all bad moments with endless sunsets in an interesting company on the sailboat. Being skipper is more then a hobby, it is a life.