Paul Exner’s Pro Sailing Tips
You’ve probably tried to imagine what it’s like to sail with people more experienced than you, on perfectly equipped boats, all handled by highly organized teams.
As your experience matures with sailing, I’m sure you’ll find yourself needing to explore other sailing opportunities.
I myself have transitioned between hundreds of different sailing teams as a professional coach.
To elevate your career as a sailboat racer, ocean voyager, enthusiast, or professional — it’s universally understood that your background should include a variety of experiences with several sailing teams who challenged your skill level and encouraged you to grow.
Today’s Paul Exner Pro Sailing Tips provides essential info on how to join your dream sailing team, along with insights on how to build your reputation as a valuable crew.
TIP 1 — Ask yourself: Why leave my current team?
Everyone has ups and downs with their teammates, and we may outgrow a team’s aspiration for ‘success’ finding ourselves wanting more. Sometimes we didn’t know the best way to contribute to a team from the beginning and now we feel our growth potential is unchangeably stunted because our team cannot envision us differently from how they see us.
Quite often, there’s simply something new and cool you’ll want to try.
There are SO many different sailboat designs afloat today, it’s understandable that sailors become enamored by one design or another and hope to sail a different boat with a new team!
In every harbor worldwide we see groups of sailors doing something we think is awesome, like winning races, foiling aboard a cutting-edge machine, or circumnavigating to foreign ports.
It’s expected that a sailor will eventually say, “I wanna sail that boat, over there, with those people!”
But many sailors ponder ‘How do I transition from sailing ‘here and now’ to begin sailing on a different boat with another crew?’
A crew is basically a bunch of sailors who have a common sailing goal united aboard the same boat.
Ask yourself: ‘Why leave my current team?’
Team dynamics are the central focus of all crew work—it’s an easy concept to underscore and bring up in conversation but difficult for everyone involved to manage or improve.
Good teamwork is actually hard to see!
Team members often under appreciate the good times when they have ‘it’ good. Even knowing what’s expected of good crew is confusing to pin-down, especially as we prioritize our own ambitions above a team’s objective or team-up with anyone who lets self-interest side-step team cohesion.
Remember, every person’s individual performance consists of two key components: attitude and skill.
Metaphorically: Everyone has to ‘show-up’ to be there.
You must ask yourself: Have I given my best attitude and skill to my current team?
Ask yourself: Have I contributed to any imbalance of leadership, meaning: did I positively or negatively contribute beyond what was expected of me?
Ask yourself: Have I become pigeonholed into a role that others can’t see me thrive beyond?
Whether we like it or not, we’ve taken part in every team experience we’ve been part of, for better or worse — we ‘lead’ from all positions by doing our job well and by simply promoting an aura of positivity.
Many team captains on any sports team are not the most technically skilled athletes.
Great professional coaches weren’t top scorers when they played—instead they developed a special form of leadership that enabled their team to win championships consistently as their coach or leader.
Talent alone doesn’t make a crew member great; ‘talent’ is often misused aboard sailing teams and may drive an unfortunate wedge between crew members who perceive and resent special treatment given to ‘talent.’ A crew member doesn’t need to possess the most skill to be the Most Valuable Player… The question to ask yourself is, “Am I leaving my team because they don’t utilize my talent; or am I leaving because I’m not afforded the opportunity to develop myself?”
Most people believe: There’s no ‘I’ in team.
Ask yourself: What have ‘I’ brought to the team?
Two common managerial problems I see aboard struggling sailing teams are either an ill-defined distribution of responsibilities, or everyone runs amok as ‘experts’ trying to do everything.
Teams who live by strict role-definitions without marrying the relevancy of individual contribution to actions may have their heart in the right place but still fail—thus, crew must realize that success is also two parts: heart and spirited contribution.
Another developmental problem with sailing teams is having a sailor aboard that’s underutilized—these may be quiet and capable sailors who avoid ‘talking the talk’. In this case, a mismatch exists between success-potential and team dynamics. This scenario rarely gets nurtured beyond the initial onboarding process and results in an unfortunate failure caused by both crew and manager unable to handle the matter—crews in the sport of sailing sometimes give-up and move-on too easily.
Inadequacies with team management combined with a lack of developmental opportunities leave crew wondering if their time could be spent better elsewhere; but, it’s hard to identify these problems in the first place, and even harder for a manager to improve a situation like this.
If you leave your team because you’ve outgrown them, that’s one thing; but, if you’re moving on because you haven’t been a good team member while you were there, you’ll undoubtedly bring your bad habits wherever you go next.
TIP 2 — Crew managers striving to retain good crew and build a cohesive team should also follow TIP 1.
Leaders must lead, and that includes provisions for teaching and nurturing players. Successful leaders bring out the best in their crew, and that takes continual effort.
Set clear and realistic expectations for the team and outline each crew member’s role. To do this, an assessment of core competencies is first required (and that’s a deep topic I’ll not entertain in today’s tips). However, make sure to discuss development opportunities with your crew. Practice often and organize practices so teamwork can be nurtured at a time separate from the main event. Find ‘talent’ in everyone.
TIP 3 — Be professional and have fun
Time is money and sailboat ownership requires considerable finances, logistical prowess, and strong project management skills to coordinate numerous industry-insiders and perform system maintenance. When you approach crewing with a fun and professional attitude, you’re showing respect for the magnitude of the endeavor you have the privilege to be part of.
Sailing attracts people who enjoy dissecting the complexity of things and compiling the ingredients that comprise a brilliant adventure—sailors are not typically satisfied with the status quo which means good crew must put their best foot forward to get noticed. Always ‘show up’ and offer the best version of you. Know your job but remember ‘sailing’ is a vast subject and if you don’t know something, solve the problem like a professional would: bring complete solutions, avoid irrelevant discussion, make the boat operational, and keep going with a positive attitude.
TIP 4 — Sail with like-minded sailors.
It may take a decade (or more) to figure out what your sailing style actually is, or what type of sailing you like best. Sailing is a vast discipline and it’s likely your tastes will mature over time. Be careful you don’t get stuck in the wrong program (for years) not knowing what other sailing styles exist!
Despite a team manager’s effort to build cohesiveness, crew seeking to grow are sometimes at odds with long-term team building goals simply because there’s a limit to the specified positions on a sailboat and it may be inefficient for two people to do the same job.
However, the fact is: we must sail with someone to know if we enjoy the experience or not.
A good fit is great until it’s no longer good.
For example, if you’ve sailed with the same like-minded team for a while and then you eventually aspire to do something different, but your existing team keeps you doing the same old tasks, it’s a clear sign you’ve outgrown your team. If they prioritize cohesiveness above your aspirations—it’s clear in this case that you’ve become less like-minded.
The question we ask ourselves over and over is: at what point are we not like-minded anymore and how should we continue trying to make it work; or when do we break it off and look elsewhere?
There’s no doubt your commitment to a team will showcase your character and partly define your reputation, so honor yourself and build a positive legacy by sticking to your commitments for the timeframe expected. Sometimes life interferes with our plans, but try to follow-through to the end of the team-project by finding open bandwidth in your personal schedule and keep showing up for your team the best you can. Your good track record should give you the confidence to believe in yourself knowing you’ve done the right thing. Even if the current boat you’re sailing aboard could be improved somehow, don’t get discouraged—keep trying for the duration of the expected project.
Everyone on a team seems to align their strongest values around the idea of ‘commitment,’ so, if you keep showing up you’ve automatically remained like-minded in spirit even if you’re compromising your personal aspirations temporarily.
The program you’re in could change for the better simply because you’ve worked harder on your commitment to the team, even if like-mindedness has waned a bit.
I encourage crew to commit to a sailing program for an entire season, or sign-on to a lengthy voyage until it finishes; but, after any endeavor completes, reflect on what’s next on your horizon and be openminded. Great teams should recognize like-minded teammates, and they’ll ask you to stick around if you fit in. Be honest with yourself and make certain you feel ‘compensated’ for your performance—your gut feeling always speaks one way or another to like-mindedness.
At the project’s end, you should make a practice of reflecting on whether you’d do it again and if so, how it could be different. Realize that a crew manager tries throughout the project’s duration to improve everything and here-in lays opportunity to rejuvenate your potential by identifying and changing areas that could be better. Take a close look at your own team and observe how other teams are organized to identify potential areas of improvement which often present themselves as crew-openings you could transition to.
Basically, try to improve your situation and help a team by finding like-minded solutions to problems created by team dynamic inadequacies.
In other words, find ways where your interests and talents can solve problems as a team player.
It’s fascinating how problem-solvers on a team are rewarded more than team players who keep things running smoothly. The truth about sailing is that there are always problems to solve that improve efficiency—and herein lay opportunities for crew transitioning to a new role.
TIP 5 — You’ve set your aim to join a dream team—but how do you get invited to sail with a different crew?
Obviously, if you don’t own a boat, you need an invitation to get aboard.
You could advertise yourself on crew boards to get noticed but that process is a shot in the dark and you have zero control over who may contact you, in which case you’re back at square one. Thus, I do not recommend crew boards and, this approach highlights your lack of options and connections. To join a dream team, crew boards are not a good starting point in my opinion; however, if you’re totally new to town and looking for a ride, maybe try a crew board.
For the record, I tried crew boards a few times and no-one ever called me.
Ideally, you should be proactive and establish the right mix of initiatives targeted to appear on the dream team’s radar screen—only then do you stand a chance to get an invitation.
Dream teams don’t have openings on their crew because their existing crew is not looking to jump ship. Also, there may be competition amongst other applicants for a spot on your dream team because, if you believe it’s a good team, other sailors also think it’s a good team to join — it’s important to understand this so you know the high-level effort you must put forth.
On the flip side, if you’re a manager with crew going and coming through a revolving door on your boat, I’m sorry to say: you may be the reason there’s no cohesion in your program, not the crew failing to meet your expectations. We have to be realistic about why we can’t stabilize a problem rather than deny it exists.
IT’S A FACT: Good crew get invited to join a dream team because the manager and prospective-crew have nurtured a relationship that has established an appreciation for each other’s character and skill-level; and, because there’s a unique problem they can solve together.
To get invited to join your dream team, the following three things (at a minimum) are needed:
- You’re a fun person to be around, and you share like-mindedness.
- You know your sailing-position well.
- The dream team has an opening for the sailing position you’re good at.
YES, IT’S TRUE: Invitations occur because there’s an open position the dream team needs to fill with a crew that fits best.
Unfortunately, you probably feel that the invitation process is out of your control–but the fact is that there’s ONLY one factor you can’t control: the open position.
In rare cases, enterprising people can create their own position (for anything), but I’ll write about how to assert yourself into your custom-created role another time.
Know this: crew invitations are rarely offered to people moving backwards—you have to grow to grow!
So, this leads us to ask: is there anything we can do proactively to get invited to sail on our dream team?
Yes—be yourself and recognize other like-minded sailors (on other teams AND your current team)—these are people you’ll easily relate with. Improve your relationships with like-minded sailors; and, always show-up and sail at a level that continues to demonstrate the best version of you!
Keep growing and demonstrating your skillset and you’ll eventually be in the right place at the right time.
Simple? Yes and no.
Yes, it’s possible to be in the right place at the right time. TIP 6 explains…
TIP 6 — Should I ‘toot my horn’ while waiting to join my dream sailing team?
On a daily basis, the best things you can do to improve your odds of receiving an invitation is: continue doing what you do best and be a fun person to be around. Be true to your beliefs about sailing and seek like-minded crew to sail with. Debrief your own sailing actions introspectively and do things to improve your skill. This takes effort.
HOWEVER, the most important thing you must do is toot your own horn!
Unfortunately, if nobody notices you doing the ‘right things’, you’ll never get discovered by your dream team.
To create opportunities, you should promote your accomplishments at the right times—don’t sail around ‘tooting your horn’ too much or you’ll put people off.
Some people love to advertise themselves and others shy away from the spotlight. Marketing ourselves requires a calculated risk that highlights our favorable accomplishments while balancing where and how we broadcast our message. It’s obvious that effective marketing rarely convinces 100% of our audience, which means some parts of our message are received undesirably. Still, we must ‘advertise’ because without risk there’s little change.
Many people are suspicious of self-promoters because ‘too much talk’ offers no guarantee a promise will be delivered! Crew managers need a BS-detector to filter the fakers from authentic crew. So, promote yourself as a do-er!
But where are the right places to promote ourselves, and when are the right times to shine favorably—what does our dream team take notice of?
Actions speak louder than words—words clarify our actions and reassure the person we’re conversing with that we both see the same big picture.
For example, my words herein express ideas that I’m trying to convince you to follow; but I’m offering my advice only because I’m a proven and respected sailing coach.
Right now, you’re arming yourself with tried-and-true insider sailing TIPS that will help you achieve your ambitions and join a dream team. By reading these tips you’ll accomplish your objective more effectively than someone who does not follow my tips.
You and I are both in the right place at the same time—we’re succeeding together!
‘Tooting your own horn’ is appreciated in ‘sailing’ today and resonates most effectively with our preferred audience when advertised in the right venues.
TIP 7 — What venues showcase your talent where people can see your value as a crew?
- Rigging your boat at the dock while preparing for imminent departure.
- On the water maneuvers (docking, race starts, rounding buoys, collision encounters).
- At the yacht club after the event (passage, regatta, or storm encounter).
Being active in the scene will help you get noticed if you do things properly.
Your actions—how you act, and the result of your actions while you’re IN these KEY places defines you for better or worse!
If you screw-up and hit the dock, or arrive with a broken boat, or drop a sail in the water, or crash into something, you do not appear competent, and you’ll get noticed unfavorably.
If you do things in an organized manner, remain calm and collected, don’t panic, and execute good maneuvers consistently, people will take positive notice.
In the hands-on sport of sailing, good sailors appreciate other sailors who do things well—and they should because sailing is a high-stakes endeavor.
Beautiful boats sitting at the dock that don’t get proven under sail are nothing more than something pretty to look at—beauty is fleeting and it’s never part of an efficient solution.
If you sail actively and do things well, one day you’ll do something worth talking about—you will feel stoked to share your experience; OR you’ll notice something that someone else did well—NOW you have something favorable on the table that’s worth discussing and it’s the perfect time to introduce yourself to someone on the dream team who appreciates you like-mindedly.
Saying “Great job” to someone who deserves it is a good ice breaker but, you will not get noticed with just that; you need to offer substance to the conversation.
We hear dock banter ALL the time which helps you get noticed alright, but who really cares? Your dream team probably won’t be swayed favorably by your dock banter; however, it’s a low-risk and semi tolerable thing sailors do in the community—but dream team sailors are looking for much more to gain their respect.
It’s important to highlight your expertise and behave professionally—say something worthwhile that you feel someone should hear.
TIP 8 — Introduce yourself to your dream team and state your intention.
Build a relationship that becomes founded in oral dialog—you may know who a person is but have yet to have a meaningful conversation with them.
I’m certain everyone reading this article has initiated relationship-building conversations before; but let’s highlight a few things relevant to transitioning to your dream sailing team—what do ‘dream teams’ really care about?
Like-mindedness.
When you have something relevant to say to someone they will listen.
Talk about their situation and what you notice they are doing—hopefully you’ve been paying attention to what they’re really doing because any misplaced topic will go nowhere.
For example, at the dock as you pass by their boat say, “I really like the way you attach your foreguy in its lazy-position; when you guys got that inside overlap on us at the windward mark and set your pole before us, you were fully hoisted and left us behind… Wow, that foreguy connection seemed like an integral part of the whole process!” Yada, yada, yada.
Now you’re IN a dialogue and it’s time for you to be you and make a good impression. Try to close the conversation positively and this is a million dollar process… If you’re able to say, “I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys do next” and get away knowing a connection is made, you’ll be best positioned to maintain a pattern of encounters into the future where you’ll continue to build like-mindedness.
The dream team should know who you are at this point, and they should know a bit about which particular boat you’re sailing; in other words, if you’ve created an inkling of respect by making an impactful reference to something important to them, you’re on the right track—walk away from each conversation by leaving a good impression, while representing your authentic self!
Another fantastic venue to nurture like-mindedness is the yacht club social following an on-the-water event—this offers many opportunities to introduce yourself and make a good impression; but, again you have to be pointed and relevant about what topic you’re using to pitch your conversation.
Let’s say you’ve been counting race-points in a regatta series. You observed tactically how the dream team was boxing out their closest competitor, playing the odds against the other boat and the fleet at the same time… That’s a serious topic that insightfully gets into someone’s head. They’ll definitely remember who you are if you can relate with them on a nuanced tactical level like that!
Again, it’s imperative to close-out these initial conversations by building the relationship so you can share another conversation in the future. NOTE: It’s easy to screw-up your chances if you’re not careful… For example, it would be a faux pas to handle their shiny new trophy and accidentally fumble it out of your hands onto the yacht club floor.
TIP 9 — State your intention to join your dream team — proposals work!
Let’s face it, dream teams are professional-minded and goal oriented—‘ready, fire, aim’ makes you appear foolish.
Depending on the sailing role you seek, your proposal should highlight different focal points. If you’re a Watch Captain, your proposal will be leadership based. If you’re a trimmer, discuss how you’ll compliment the helmsman’s style and include details about running rigging efficiencies and your ideas about sail inventory. If you’re a mechanic, your proposal will encompass tool selection, spare-parts, and highlight your fiscal responsibility.
Preparing an outlined proposal is important well before you feel the invitation is imminent—continually think ahead about how you’ll proactively compliment your dream team.
When the time is right, you could give your proposal in-person using a few sentences in conversation or request a sit-down to discuss a detailed written report—I’ve joined many high-level teams after presenting my detailed written proposal.
Propose your intention clearly and state the benefits you’ll bring—most importantly, communicate with conviction and express a sincere desire to follow through.
Good crew managers are observant—so, if a manager is thinking about inviting you, they’ll also be considering any other commitments on your plate that could conflict with your involvement—prepare a response that realistically portrays the time commitment the team can expect from you.
Prepare in advance how you’ll accept the invitation and acknowledge your aligned interests when they finally say to you, “We’d love you to join our team!”
Proposals work.
Once you’ve introspectively considered all aspects of your aligned team efforts, and you’ve prepared talking angles for each important point in your proposal, pitch your intention. Deliver a 2-3 sentence oral ‘elevator pitch’ stating your desire to join the team—express sincerity and explain how you’ll make their program better.
What the dream team representative says next is a matter of utmost importance!
Be true to your sailing values and most importantly, be yourself.
TIP 10 — You’ve joined the team.
Having sailed actively since 1975 myself, and coached sailors professionally since 1986, I’ve perfected this process and proven these points to be successful many times.
Most importantly, my coaching has yielded the results I promised. This success is the result of hard work by my sailors, and how much I cared about their well-being to find the methods and energy to help them achieve their big goals.
If you’d like me, Paul Exner, to coach you, contact me. I mentor sailors around the world striving to achieve immense sailing goals, and coach them hands-on using an innovative approach guided comprehensively by my developmental resources and talent for interpersonal relationship goal setting.
Feel free to inquire directly: paul@moderngeographic.com or 808.895.9531
Check-out my Heavy Weather Sailing Mastermind—it’s the most in-depth preparatory course on the topic, proven effective for hands-on sailors by immersing them in actual high-stakes sailing in Hawaii’s Alenuihaha Channel.
To your success!
Paul Exner
