The plan behind the story · Joanne Currie and Sue Smith raced across the Atlantic to a piper's welcome in Oban
From the shore to your first night passage: a crewing plan
Twelve weeks over the winter and into spring. If you are getting going, it ends with a beginner's course booked and your first sail done. If you are already active, it ends ready for a live-aboard course and your first passage through the night.
Why this works
Joanne Currie and Sue Smith crossed the Atlantic as crew in the Clipper Race, a race whose sailors are not professionals. The race does not rely on experience. Its training page sets out four levels, 26 days in all, each ending in an assessment of competence, safety awareness and physical mobility. Heidi Brown, who sailed the whole 2025-26 race, began learning on the Columbia River in 2018.
In sailing that ladder of small steps already exists, from a taster sail to a beginner’s course to a live-aboard week. This plan uses the winter to get your body and basic skills ready, so that on the water you spend your time learning, not recovering.
Before you start
- Check your health. If you have a heart, joint or balance problem, or have not been active for a while, talk to your GP (family doctor) before you start the strength work or book a course.
- Find your schools. In the UK, the RYA (the UK’s sailing body) lists clubs and training centres; its Competent Crew course needs no experience. In the US, look for an ASA or US Sailing school; ASA 101 Basic Keelboat is designed for complete beginners. Prices vary: ask what is included.
- Kit for the winter: a 2m length of old rope for knots, a notebook, and something heavy to carry (shopping bags or a rucksack with water bottles).
- Kit for the water: non-slip soft-soled shoes, warm layers, a waterproof jacket and gloves. Ask the school what it lends (lifejackets, waterproofs) and what you need to bring.
The plan
| Week | Do this | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 (getting going) | Two strength sessions: 2 sets of 10 sit-to-stands, press-ups against a worktop, and carrying full bags for 5 minutes. | Twice a week | The NHS asks for strength work on at least 2 days a week. |
| 1-2 (already active) | Three strength sessions with rows or pull-downs, squats and 10-minute loaded carries. | Three times a week | Grip and pulling strength matter most on deck. |
| 3-4 (both) | Learn four knots: bowline, round turn and two half hitches, clove hitch, figure of eight. | 10 minutes, most days | Done when you can tie each with your eyes shut. |
| 5-6 (getting going) | Visit a club open day or book a taster sail for the spring. | Once | Go and watch even if you do not go out. |
| 5-6 (already active) | Book a live-aboard course: RYA Competent Crew (five days or weekends) or ASA 101 (usually two days). | Once | Ask whether it includes a night sail. |
| 7-8 (getting going) | Add balance: stand on one leg while the kettle boils, then try it with your eyes closed, holding a worktop. | Daily | Boats move: balance makes everything easier. |
| 7-8 (already active) | Build carries to 20 minutes and add step-ups with a weight. | Three times a week | Practise putting on waterproofs fast in a small space. |
| 9-10 (both) | Learn the parts of a boat and the points of sail from your school’s reading list or the RYA or ASA website. | Two short sessions a week | Test yourself on a picture of a boat. |
| 11-12 (getting going) | Book a beginner’s course or a block of club sessions for the season. | Once | Ask a club member to show you round a boat first. |
| 11-12 (already active) | Ask your school or club about crewing on a longer passage, including a night. | Once | Aim for 50 nautical miles and two full watches. |
| Season (both) | Sail. After each trip, write what you learned and one thing to practise. | Every trip | Keep the strength sessions going twice a week. |
If it goes wrong
- Seasickness: common, and not a reason to give up. Stay on deck, watch the horizon and keep warm. Ask a pharmacist about remedies before the trip.
- Too cold or wet: add a warm hat and a spare base layer, and keep dry clothes in a plastic bag.
- The course feels too fast: say so, and ask to repeat a manoeuvre. You can do a second course before moving on.
- Strength sessions slip: keep one a week and the carries; that is enough to hold on to what you have.
Track it
Keep a simple log: date, boat, hours, distance, wind, what you did and one note. A log also shows a school or skipper what you have done when you ask to crew. On land, note your strength sessions and the length of your longest carry.
What next
After a course, the next rung is more sea miles: longer passages, a second course, or club racing evenings. Ocean races that take non-professional crew, such as the Clipper Race, set their own training and costs: read their pages closely before you sign anything. For something gentler with water at the centre, read about Fiona Govan’s swimming holiday in Greece.
General information, not medical advice. Check with your GP before starting a new exercise programme.