O.K. so every new idea has to have a cute name. This is a simple method for developing interactions between a blind helmsperson and a sighted helper. It encourages the blind skipper to develop his own judgment of the course and point of sail he's trying to follow.
At first, when being helped to steer a boat by a sighted skipper or instructor, it seems obvious that the sighted person would just feed the blind helmsman a string of course corrections. Whether it's "fall off a little" "now come back up" "now you're in the groove" or given in degrees of correction required, all the blind guy is doing is being a rather poor autopilot motor. He isn't trying to make any of those judgments himself. If, on the other hand, the blind student tells the instructor what he thinks is going on, and what he plans to do about it, now there is a chance for the student to develop his own judgment, then act on it, then get corrections only if they are necessary.
It is easiest to begin to learn to steer a sailboat when close hauled or at most on a medium reach. This way changes in relation to the wind will have immediately noticeable effects on the angle of heel of the boat and on the state of the sails. I also suggest starting with a reasonably stiff wind for the boat you're in. A stronger wind makes it easier to detect changes in boat speed and causes more dramatic boat actions.
First have your sighted instructor set the boat up on a nice close beat with plenty of room and no other traffic to worry about. Then get settled in a comfortable helm position and note where the wind hits your face and ears. For this purpose I recommend not wearing any hat at all. If you must wear a hat for sun protection, then I recommend the smallest one you can get away with. Try different kinds of caps and see which ones interfere the least with your ability to find the wind at different angles to your head and to feel wind direction changes.
As you settle down at the helm, and pick up on the feel of the boat, her angle of heel and the direction of the wind, first just hold the tiller dead center. Wait till you think the boat is doing something different. No matter how steady the wind, or how perfectly still you hold the tiller, something will change sooner rather than later. Small waves or wind shifts will make the boat change her angle to the wind. When you feel a change, tell your instructor what you think is happening, and what you propose to do about it. For example, "she's coming up a bit, I'm falling back off the wind." Then, go ahead and make small course corrections and see what happens.
At first of course you need lots of feedback and explanation about what's going on. Eventually the idea is that the instructor doesn't say anything unless there is danger, or unless you, the student, become entirely lost and frustrated. Your instructor will have to modify his normal teaching methods eliminating reference to things you can't see. Jib telltales for example make no noise and are where you can't reach them. You can however feel the angle of heel change, feel the direction of the wind change, and feel and hear the sails luff. If you get in irons, or if you fall way off the wind, as I often do before I notice it, so be it.
As you learn more, often your instructor should let the blind guy mess around as much as is safe before giving corrections. Of course, if there is traffic, or a shore, or if a jibe is imminent, then the instructor must either suggest immediate action or, sometimes, grab the helm and fix the problem.
There is a tendency to ask questions like "what's happening." Sometimes you get confused to the point where that is necessary, but I think that's cheating. Remember it's your judgment we're trying to develop here, presumably the instructor already has his pretty well tuned up. So take your best guess and do what you think needs doing. Of course don't disagree with your instructor, not even after you think you're pretty hot stuff.
There needs to be a deal of trust between the student and instructor. The instructor needs to have confidence in his own abilities to let the student go and work out his own problems. The student needs to have confidence in himself and in his instructor so that he will know the teacher will not let him get into real trouble.
Although I do not practice this method as much as I should, I find that once I get in the swing of it, I learn to make corrections with more confidence because I am making the judgment. Of course, I also learn when I get necessary corrections from my instructor/helper. The amount of correction given by the sighted person can vary of course. At first with a beginner, there will need to be a great deal of correction and demonstration while the student learns the feel of various changes. As the student gains experience, feedback from the instructor will be less frequent.
A small warning here for the highly confident blind sailor. You must trust your sighted companion not to take over unless it is necessary. However you must always realize that the real judgment about boat safety must remain with the sighted person. You cannot possibly know how close you should come to that ship or that shore. No matter what your skills, it is still the case that your vision is, no matter what its measured state, less than that of your sighted helper.
If you have chosen your helper properly you will trust his judgment and turn over the helm or make corrections when he says it is necessary. You need to be ready to give up the helm at any time without feeling cheated or incompetent. Even if, as often happens with me, you are doing okay but wandering back and forth around your course more than a sighted person might, your instructor may need to take over while passing another boat for example. It can be disconcerting for another skipper to be passed by a boat that's not steering a straight course. Rather than scare the other guy who is doing what he should, and scaring your instructor, it is often best to turn over the helm for tight situations.
A sneaky trick for instructors is to ask the student what he thinks is happening. This can be done simply when the student may be distracted, or when something has changed which it is apparent the student hasn't noticed. It can also be done when everything is fine just to keep the student on his toes and keep him from getting too relaxed. Sailing is surely relaxing, but relaxation while at the helm can easily go too far.
Written August 2000. This is an updated and expanded description of a concept we first wrote about in Jazz Cup '94.
Updated 6-20-2005