RYA Level 2 - one week on.

So how much can I remember seven days on?

Starting Off. Check the boat sides for damage, check the stays and shrouds, tip the boat and drain any water in the buoyancy tank. Rig the boat on land, always with the boat pointing towards the wind, prefereably without stepping into the boat, but if you do step in, stay forward of the tipping point.

First raise the Mainsail as far as it will go, then attach the boom (gooseneck), then tighten the outhall before tightening the kicking strap.

Keep the boat pointing into the wind as you wheel it into the water, with an onshore wind you have to get quite wet. Once in the water hold the boat by the bow, or by the windward shround. If launching solo, hold the end of the painter or tie it to a post or jetty, as you pull the trolley clear of the water.

When on a reach, set each sail slightly tighter than the point where the luff of the sail begins to flap, keep testing as the wind direction changes. Set the dagger board half down.

On a run, raise the dagger board completely. You do not need to avoid leeway slippage, and there will be less drag, and less chance of capsizing in a gust. The sail here acts as a kite, at other points of sailing as a wing. On a dead run, try a goosewing, pushing the jib out on the other side, but beware of jibing invountarily. To avoid a dead run, steer the boat just closer to the wind from the point where the jib flaps in the shadow of the mainsail. Keep testing for change of wind direction. In heavy winds, it may be necessary to sit aft in the boat to keep the trim OK.

On a close haul, have the dagger board fully down, pull both sales in hard, and steer the boat slightly away from the point where the luff begins to flutter. Keep testing the wind direction. Watch out for gusts, and keep the boat balance using three methods, leaning out, loosening the main sheet, turning into the wind, reversing after the gust dies down.

To stop the boat, let both sales flap, feed out the sheets or push the boom out if need be. Turn into the wind so that the mainsail flaps free of the shroud, but not so much that it flaps over the boat, or that you go about.

To heave to, lower the dagger board, and back the jib, so it is cleated on the windward side. Once the boat is still in the water, push the tiller towards the flapping main sail, so that it is working against the jib.

To get out of irons, boat not moving and pointed directly into wind, tighten the jib only, until the boat has turned away from the wind, or raise the dagger board, and the boat will pivot on the rudder. A third option is to sail backwards, by holding the boom out.

When approaching a windward shore, you need the mainsail, not the jib, you also need the dagger board for as long as you have the depth. The helm can jump out at the shroud on the shore side as soon as it is shallow enough.

When approaching a lee shore, stop some distance out and lower the boom and mainsail. Bring the boat in on a run using just the jib. Raise the dagger board. Turn to the wind as it becomes shallow, and the crew jumps out on the deeper side, and hold the boat at the windward shroud.

To set off from the lee shore, the crew holds the boat while the helm raises the mainsail singlehanded. The crew gives the boat a push, climbs in and lowers the dagger board. Once away from the shore, stop the boat and fully lower the rudder, or lower it as you are moving if you can risk the unintended steering that may result.

For man overboard, identify the reach line, which allows you to approach on a reach. Free the jib, and using mainsail only position some distance out along this line, and approach on a reach. Turn onto a broad reach about four boat lengths away, and then turn sharply into the wind when downwind of the man, steering the boat as it slows just downwind from the man, whom you drag onto the boat using the buoyancy aid straps at the windward shroud, bouncing him up and down in the water if necessary to get the lift.

Following a capsize, meet at the stern, and decide who does what. Crew ensures the dagger board is fully down, locates the jib sheet, and throws it over the boat to the helm who goes to the dagger board. Crew gets into position to be scooped up. You can communicate at the dagger board. The helm climbs onto the dagger board and pulls on the jib sheet, righting the boat. Crew pulls the helm onto the boat.

Avoid collisions at all costs; give way to comercial shipping; power gives way to sail, sail gives way to paddle, paddle gives way to swimmers; port gives way to starboard, windward gives way to leeward, overtaking boat gives way.