Back to Boat School-Viewing Yachting from Abeam and signed up for a Marathon!
- Melissa Ramm
- Mar 15
- 3 min read
Hi!
Firstly Shaped by the Sea is not dead and I have not left Yachting!
Now that we've covered that...
I decided to go back to boat school (Uksa) when I left my last Yacht this meant taking a serious amount of time off work to expand and grow my knowledge as a seafarer. Completing my final modules towards officer of the watch 3000GT.
Navigation and Radar
GMDSS (might take a google for non yachties)
GSK (Google...)
ECDIS(Google...)
So far I've got one left to go, the creation of this blog is purely due to procrastination whilst studying stability. In the last few months i've been spending a lot of time at the Uk Sailing Academy, where I started my career in yachting. Each of course taught by a different tutor with the same level of passion for teaching about their respective subjects. The knowledge and level of teaching has been better than ever.
Life lately has been full of running fixes, radar plots and late night studying!
Traditional Navigation
The maritime industry is slowly catching up with the rest of the world of technology, whilst many yachts and commercial ships are "Paperless" traditional means of navigation are still taught. Not everyone has made the transition, it's a long process with lots of regulations and standards to comply with. As much as electronic navigation is great and much faster, I feel that as we move into the world of electronic navigation it is an extremely important that we as seafarers do not lose the art of traditional navigation . Even if I did consider throwing my dividers across the room a few times. This is a huge segment of the Nav and Radar course that every officer of the watch must learn to do in order to hold a safe navigational watch.
For those who are "Yachties" in the same process, keep an eye out over the next year as this qualification is changing and it will become " Yacht Officer of the Watch Unlimited" this will mean a more extensive syllabus to bring the yacht syllabus in line with commercial maritime world. Yachts are getting bigger henceforth the qualifications must also.
Being back in the sunny Isle of wight has brought back so many memories of doing my Yachtmaster and what a great time that was. It has also shown me how much i've learnt over the years and what is still to come.
Other than Yachting... but still Yachting...
As many know, I am one third of the team who are are Abeam crew
Not working full time has allowed to really enjoy my freelancing role with abeam in the capacity of Social Media Manager as well as building connections between Abeam and my wider yachting community through the Abeam Ambassador programme. I find it very Interesting to see the industry from another perspective than the crew member.
If you aren't already then Follow abeamcrew on socials @abeamcrew
Pushing outside of my comfort zone...
A few days ago I decided to sign up to Marathon 4 Mental Health. This is a flexible marathon for crew which can be completed between the 10th and the 31st of october. This is in aid of the outstanding charity ISWAN and their yacht crew helpline.
Now! If you know me, you know I go through stages of running, I love it and then I really really don't. BUT!!!! When I saw this I said yes immediately because its a cause really close to my heart and my experiences in the industry.
There is an entry fee, it's not a lot and you can enter as an individual or in a group, You will receive a goodie bag with branded merch to take with you on your run/walk/Hike. As well as raising money to donate to the Yacht Crew Helpline, see all the T&C'S on the website. This project is supported by the incredible team at Sea's the mind who are truly wonderful!
I hope some readers will get onboard. Hehe
To check it out:
Social Media @Marathonfor_mentalhealth
Thank you to everyone who reads this blog, if it helps or guides just one persons carer at sea then its fulfilling its purpose.
As always,
Keep smiling, Laughing and Loving the Sea xo
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