Page:Yachting wrinkles; a practical and historical handbook of valuable information for the racing and cruising yachtsman (IA yachtingwrinkles00keneiala).pdf/176



the owner comes alongside. No matter how warm it may be, do not receive him in your shirt-sleeves.

4.—Have a memorandum of all the stores in your department. Do not rashly answer, "There is none on board," without consulting your list when asked for an article required.

5.—There are yachts afloat whose owners are run by the sailing-masters. This yacht is governed differently.

6.—If the sailing-master is at any time dissatisfied with the owner or the yacht he has an unfailing remedy, and the sooner he avails himself of it the better.

7.—The owner trusts that pleasant relations will always prevail between the sailing-master and himself.

Having secured your skipper let him ship the crew. If your yacht is a large vessel you will need a mate. In the interest of harmony it is advisable to let the skipper have some say in the matter of his selection. It will be advisable to look over his credentials, with a view to finding out if he is competent to take charge of the vessel in the event of any accident befalling the captain. If you contemplate a blue-water voyage, be careful that the mate is a navigator and has the requisite license. If deprived of the services of your skipper by any unforeseen cause, it would be awkward to find yourself, say, a thousand miles from land, with nobody aboard capable of finding the vessel's position otherwise