A day in the life of...
 
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Most of us are now doing work totally removed from our jobs on board the Ambers'.

Can I request that you knock up a small dit entitled……
"A day in the life of……….."
We are interested…….please e-mail the webmaster

Ray Taylor


January 2008

A Day in the Life of a Water sports Instructor
By Nobby Clarke

I have been browsing the web site and noticed the call for contributions under the heading of “A Day in the Life of”.  As I am new to the Ambuscade Association, I thought this would be a good way to kick off and also a means of re-introducing myself to old ship mates.My Final “job” (if you can call it that) in the Navy, was as the Royal Navy Sailing Coach, based at DNPTS HMS Temeraire, I was responsible for promoting Sailing in the RN and looking after all the RN /RM Sailing Centres world wide. I left this job and the Navy in June 95, Without much Idea of what to do next, I put my HGV class 1 License to good use and became a trucker for a year or Two, I also combined this with some freelance work as a Dinghy Sailing and Power Boating Coach.   I also ran a pub for a while!! In 2001 I applied for and got the job as Chief Watersports Instructor and Southampton Solent University, (many may remember it as Southampton Institute). I am based at the Universities Warsash Maritime Academy campus at the mouth of the river Hamble. www.sportsolent.ac.ukMy job is to teach university students who are taking a degree in either leisure management or tourism.  The subjects that I teach are, Dinghy sailing, Keelboat (little yachts) sailing and Powerboat driving. I teach at all levels of competence from novice all the way up to Instructor. I also teach First aid, VHF, and high speed night Navigation.6.5 meter RIB 150hp outboard Max speed 34knots
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©Martin Clarke 10/1/08
My Day starts at 0830 with a daily brief with the Centre Manager and the rest of the team, this when we sort out who needs what equipment and what sea areas will be used. 
At 0900 the students arrive all bright eyed and bushy tailed as university students are!! The day is governed by what subject and level I am teaching, but it usually goes something like this: check weather and tides, test VHF, Check safety equipment, meet the students, brief the students, wake the students up, re-brief the students.  Its then time to get everyone in the right kit, such as waterproofs and life jackets.  Now its time to get to the boats, all our boats are kept on moorings at the end of a 200mtr pier. Once there we fuel the boats, check the onboard safety kit and equipment.Then off we go, usually into Southampton water or the Solent, on water tuition lasts until 1230 the its back for lunch. This is spent munching sarnies at my desk and checking emails and stuff.1330 back on the water to continue with the lesson. 90% of the course work is done as practical sessions on the water with very little classroom theory.  At 1630 its time to pack up the boats, stow all the kit and fuel and make our way back up the pier into the classroom. Just enough time left to review the day and brief what we will be learning in future sessions. Questions and answers are then invited from the students to ensure learning has been achieved.  We usually have an end of day staff de-brief, to ascertain any equipment damage, or student issues.Some of the small Wayfarer Dinghies we use
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© Martin Clarke 10/1/08
Not all my time is taken up with teaching, I am also responsible for the Maintenance of the all the boats.  In total the university has, 1 x 26ft westerly Centaur Yacht, 2 x 24.5ft Hunter Ranger Keel boats, 1 x 6.5 meter Ribcraft, 1 x 5.88 Renegade RIB, 3 x 5.4 meter RIBS, 2 x 4.5 meter RIBS, 2 x Laser Stratos Dinghies, 4 x wayfarer Dinghies, 6 x Picko single handed Dinghies, 1 x Laser 1, 1 x Seahawk 17 dayboat and 7 x Lark dinghies.  Oh and a very temperamental 1960’s Tractor that we use to get the boats in and out of the water, so my days are kept busy with both teaching and fixing things.The Watersport Centre is also used by local schools and colleges, it is also open to the general public who wish to gain Royal Yachting Association (RYA) qualifications, this means that I have to work some weekends. The university’s academic year runs from early October until the end of May, this means that during the summer we are able to offer a large range of courses for all that for me means more weekends and some evenings. However, because I am effectively being “paid” to do my hobby I am more that happy my job. Some of our courses include Day sailing, read this as a trip to a pub! Some courses even include a night passage, read this as a trip to a pub farther away of a trip to two pubs!!We also have time in the summer to take part in local boating events such as the annual “around the Island race” I managed to come 5th in my class last year and 165th overall, not bad out of almost 2000 entrants. Hunter Ranger 245. Her sister is called Aspire to
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© Martin Clarke 10/1/08
So that’s my day in a nutshell, I really enjoy my work and love meeting all the New students and helping them develop there skills. The Watersports industry is quite a close knit community, on many occasions I have been sailing along and I get a cheery wave and a “ahoy there Nobby” from another yacht, its usually one of my ex students, true job satisfaction.Some of my students. Ida, Ira, and Ella. (Dutch, German, and Ukrane!
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© Martin Clarke 10/1/08
Force 8 gale at the end of our pier.
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© Martin Clarke 10/1/08
Me at work. Just before I was goffered!!
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© Martin Clarke 10/1/08
Finally, If anyone would like to view a short clip of what I do for a living please click on the link below, navigate to Watersports and click view video. (Warning, this video contains shots of me in a wet suit and is not to be viewed by the faint hearted!!)
www.sportsolent.ac.uk Best wishes to all Nobby

 

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