Page 31 - br-july-2020

July 2020 July 2020

wind. It too is sapping of energy and damaging to safety awareness (with or BERE REGIS
without an ‘autohelm’ to steer the boat).
SURGERY NEWS
So why not stop for a relaxed ‘cuppa’, meal, or spot of ‘shuteye’ (1 person at a
time) with the boat upright and looking after itself? We would like to thank all patients for
Allow me to introduce the technique and delights of ‘heaving to’ (sailors’ the continued support and patience
language for ‘parking’) in a modern yacht. whilst we continue to work and social
distance.
A modern yacht, by virtue of its narrow keel, has no longitudinal stability, as the Although we haven’t yet had summer,
keel acts as a pivot point.
(or was that April and May?) we don’t anticipate a complete return to “normal”
Such yachts also have very little of the hull itself below the waterline, so they get before the wetter, darker days come along. Our main concern is medication
blown sideways quite rapidly if one attempts to ‘back’ the headsail to stop the collection. Amongst the ideas we are considering is an appointment type
forward motion of the vessel (as is the method that traditional vessels with long system. But we would like to ask if you have any ideas on how we can operate a
and shallow keels would use.) medication collection system as we are currently doing through the Reception
window, as we go forward through the year. We don’t want anyone to be
With modern yachts the rule is:
waiting outside in the cold and wet for any longer than is necessary. Please e-
 Roll up the headsail completely. mail nicky.chivers@dorsetgp.nhs.uk or pop a note through the letter box.
 Turn into the wind.
 Sheet in (tighten up) the mainsail ‘rock We are continuing to see patients in the Practice and would like to reassure you
hard’ so that the boom is in the centreline we are still here if you are feeling unwell or worried about your mental health for
example. We are starting to invite eligible patients back into the Practice for
of the yacht.
Shingles vaccinations and smear tests. Other services will follow.
 Let go of the steering wheel or tiller (and
switch off the autohelm) then walk away Stay well, stay safe
from the wheel or tiller.

The yacht will now sit quietly, bolt upright, like the
wind vane on top of the Church and is saying to
the crew “You do want you want, I am stopped
and looking after myself.”
This is the default state to achieve for resting,
cooking, relaxing and for dealing with
emergencies (as well as allowing fussy owners to use the best crockery for dinner
whilst halfway across the Bay of Biscay).
Once you’ve ‘parked’ your boat in this fashion for a quiet, level, lunch in the
cockpit in a fair tide off Portland Bill, you will realise what you have been missing!
In a previous paragraph I mentioned the principle of both persons on board
needing to have identical skills in all aspects of seafaring. There is no place for a
division of skills when two people are sailing together.
Let us address this statement. In my experience of accompanying ‘cruising
couples’ down to the Canaries in the ‘posh’ yacht that the proceeds of selling
their business has enabled them to buy, there is a natural-but highly dangerous-
tendency for the man to do the steering and navigation and his wife to be

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