Crew Training

Training is an important part of what we do, and training safe and competent sailing crew for Suva is one of the critical missions of the WIMHF and the Training Committee.  Crew member training is an ongoing process throughout the sailing season as well as during the off-season.  No matter what your level of sailing experience or knowledge, the Suva training program is designed to fit the needs and requirements of the foundation and to produce sailing crew capable of providing a safe, educational, and memorable experience to all of our guests.

TRAINING SCHEDULE

Crew training is held weekly from March through October - currently on Monday evenings from 5:30-7:30pm. We begin the season with classroom work during March thru April, usually at the Coupeville Library.  From May 1 onward training events involve sailing Suva from her berth at the Coupeville wharf.  During the sailing season, there may also be special training events such as transits to chartered destinations, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, schooner races, and other events.  Every time we are on the vessel, we are training!  During the off-season, training is available through volunteer time on various maintenance projects required to keep Suva ship shape and in safe operating condition. 

Crew members are not expected or required to participate in every training event! You will be provided with a Crew Handbook and a Personal Qualification Standards sign-off booklet to mark your progress from Apprentice to Deck Hand to Bosun.   Experienced sailors can expect to qualify as Bosun pretty quickly, and even members new to sailing can rapidly progress through the training requirements!  As your skills increase, so will your opportunities to crew aboard Suva! 

Our season training schedule is available here:   Suva_Training_2024_Asof_20Apr24.pdf.  UNDER REVISION

11 March 2024 Season Kickoff Meeting Presentation: Season_Kickoff_11Mar2024.pdf

25 March 2024 Suva Training

8 April 2024 Training Presentation: Suva Systems (a pictorial)

• Crew Personal Qualifications Standards (PQS) Booklet download HERE

• The Crew Handbook is in the works!  When it's complete, you will be able to download a copy here.

• General sailing and some Suva specific information is available in our Crew Knowledge PDF, available HERE.

• Our Tasks for Sailing Suva PDF highlights the steps necessary to Prepare for Departure, Departing the Dock, Raising Sails, Returning from Sailing,  returning to the Dock, and Securing from Sailing.  All of these steps will be covered during crew training.

• Running Rigging Line Arrangement and Mooring Rigging Line Arrangement diagrams located HERE.

• Suva Station Bill (M.O.B./Fire/Flooding/Collision/Abandon Ship) located HERE.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

CPR / AED / First Aid training is offered to our crew on an annual basis.  Our bosuns and captains are required to be CPR certified; however, we encourage all of our crew to participate in this training.  This training is normally offered at the very beginning of our season (usually in May and/or April).  Our training coordinator can assist crew members with getting scheduled for this training.

Once you become a crew member, you are able to access our "Crew Only Documents" page Here