Crew Sailing Self Assessment Tool
Please rate your sailing skills to classify yourself. These questions are not meant to be intimidating. PCYC skippers may ask for a rating as assistance to building a balanced crew. Place a tick mark √ next to the questions you answer YES and be completely honest. The intent is to help you increase your knowledge, skills and enjoyment.
Add up all of your “YES » answers and circle the rating that most closely applies. Scores are at the end!!
General Information
- Have you ever been on a sailboat before?
- Do you have your PCOC?
- Do you have appropriate sailing gear, e.g., deck shoes, gloves, foul weather gear, etc.
- Are you subject to sea-sickness?
Boat Operation
- Can you furl a sail?
- Do you know port from starboard? Bow from stern? Fore from aft?
- Can you secure a line to a cleat properly?
- Can you attach a fender properly?
- Can you wrap, tail and crank a winch?
- Have you been on the foredeck when the boat is underway?
- Can you tie a bowline?
- Can you tie a figure 8 knot?
- Do you know what halyards and sheets are?
- Can you attach the sails/sheets or halyards without instruction?
- Can you attach the sails/sheets or halyards with instruction?
- Do you know what the forestay and spreaders are?
- Do you know what cunninghams and boom vangs are?
- Can you trim sails properly without instruction?
- Can you trim sails properly with instruction?
- Can you describe the terms head, tack, clew, luff, foot, and leech?
- Do you know what leeward and windward are?
- Do you know how to cast off?
- Do you know how to handle docking lines?
- Can you set an anchor?
- Can you head the boat into the wind for raising the sails?
- Can you change the jibs/reef the main in heavy weather?
- Do you know what “head up” and “bear off” mean?
- Do you know what a run is, a reach, a beat?
- Can you tack/jibe a boat?
- Can you attach spring lines?
- Can you handle the tiller/wheel while going downwind?
- Can you handle the tiller/wheel going upwind?
- Can you handle the tiller/wheel in heavy weather?
- Do you know what a weather helm is? A lee helm?
- Can you sail a boat by the tell-tales and/or wind-vane?
- Can you operate an outboard engine?
- Can you operate an inboard engine?
Navigation
- Can you read a compass?
- Do you know the difference between a heading and a track?
- Do you know basic right-of- way rules?
- Can you be on the tiller or wheel for short periods of time?
- Do you have knowledge of the basic buoying system; e.g., “red right returning?”
- Can you read a chart plotter; e.g., Garmin, Raymarine?
Safety
- Can you put on a PFD (life jacket) properly?
- Do you have a radio operator’s certificate?
- Can you use a fire extinguisher?
- Do you know the man overboard (MOB) procedures?
- Can you conduct a man overboard (MOB) procedure?
- If something happens to the Skipper, can you take over the boat operation?
Add up all of your “YES’ answers and circle the rating that most closely applies:
- 0-15: Novice
- 16-35: Intermediate
- 35-49: Experienced