EP#352 Coaching on Lake Superior with Chelle and Ben
2 July 2025 · 1h 12m · 122 views · Lake Superior
What this video covers
Jerome Rand, host of the Sailing Into Oblivion podcast, travels to Lake Superior to provide on-the-water coaching to Chelle and Ben, who recently stepped up from a Compact 23 to a Compact 25 with an inboard diesel.1:12 The three-day session takes place in the Apostle Islands area near Bayfield, Wisconsin, sailing in the protected waters behind Long Island with winds reaching 18–20 knots from the northeast on the final day.7:20 Key coaching topics include transitioning from an outboard to an inboard diesel — throttle control, avoiding stalls on approach, and understanding how the engine responds — docking practice, reading shallow channels close to shore, and managing a shallow-draft boat's tendency to be pushed sideways by wind rather than pivoting on a keel.23:31 Rand contrasts the Compact 25's handling with his own full-keel Sparrow, noting the different pivot and reverse techniques each requires.36:45 The crew identifies spinnaker handling, particularly an asymmetrical, as a skill to develop for Lake Superior's frequent light-air conditions.17:32 Rand's coaching method is described as observational and Socratic — guiding with questions rather than directing.43:24 The session's main takeaway: docking practice is the skill most sailors skip because they want to sail, which is exactly why it stays underdeveloped.29:20
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