Team-Building Sail

A small company in Roanoke chose Let’s Go Sail to work on team-building. They got a full day of activities in half a day on the waters of the York River. Bright blue skies enhanced winds of 10 mph and seas of two feet.

While reviewing a chart of the river, everyone paid close attention to the drill and understood they would be sailing without much instruction. Sometimes you just have to take action. They understood the problem and the decision-making they would have to execute. They adapted well and showed considerable trust. All of these factors contribute to team-building.

“My step-dad Paul founded Pavement Stencil,” explained Calvin Bell. Among other things, he was something of a war hero.” Calvin showed me a picture of Paul’s medals. “I found these after he died, all jumbled up in a drawer. So I put them together in order.” Beneath the Combat Infantry Badge lay the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Korean theater medal, Vietnam medal, and more.

“He joined the Army at 15, lying about his age. He went on to serve in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan before we were supposed to be there officially. Paul was Special Forces.”

To reinforce team-building, we set out to rescue someone at sea. All we knew was that a man was struggling in the water at the buouy R-22. I showed the team a big chart of the York River and Mobjack Bay, and then switched to a larger scale chart of the York to hone in on the buoys. Two members charted the location and compared notes for accuracy. We boarded the boat and motored out of Sarah Creek and made our way out the channel to turn 110 degrees east. As a diversionary tactic, I headed slightly south to see a Navy sub docked at Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. Everyone looked through high-powered binoculars. Very impressive.

As we neared a red buoy, I left it to them to see if it was the right one. Beth Bell was up on the bow with Calvin, enjoying the view with arms outstretched. When Beth came back to the cockpit, I called our marina to ask a prearranged question about who we’re looking for.

“Some guy named Karl,” responded assistant dock master Victoria. I asked if she had any details. “He works for the Gap, maybe. No, wait. He’s from Gap, Pennsylvania.” Everyone heard that, including  Aimee Muse, who by now had changed positions with the Bells and was sitting on the bow. She turned around and shouted, “Karl is our best customer! We’ve got to go get him.”

The sub and the Karl ID were diversionary tactics to confuse the group that the first red buoy they saw would probably be the right one. As we got closer, Aimee peered out. “That’s R-24,” she said confidently, “not R-22.” The jig was up. She went below to check the chart for the direction and distance of 22 and came back. “Let’s keep heading straight east.” Right on.

While proceeding to R-22 a mile south, we turned the boat to hove-to as a way of showing how to stop dead in the water. It’s a cheap maneuver for man-overboard or a hat that just flew off. At R-22 we shouted out for Karl, nowhere to be seen. I discreetly tossed an inflated shopping bag made of plastic and it landed in the water. Man overboard! Man sighted! With a quick hove-to, Calvin took the boat hook and scooped up Karl while Austin Beverge held his waist so he wouldn’t fall in.

On the way back, we executed another MOB, this time properly in a Figure 8 to  approach without banging into the person. Calvin executed another flawless boathook catch.

While the company team was all assembled for the exercise, Calvin and Beth took time out to present Austin with his five-year employment pin. He was astonished and humbled by the award.  "I thought maybe you were going to fire me," he laughed. Paul broke out a bottle of red wine and cigars for the team as they celebrated Austin’s milestone.

Before heading in, Calvin offered a commemorative toast to his step-dad. “First, we pause to remember a highly decorated veteran whose medals didn’t matter as much to him as did his colleagues. He was very matter-of-fact, a sort of black-and-white kind of man. Second, he started our company. He was selling steel coating for paint and thought it was crap. So he started making his own. Eventually he started the stencil company and it grew. Beth and I decided to leave the business in Florida and return to Roanoke where we had family. He said fine, kept the Florida accounts, and eventually we took the rest of the country. Today we have around 6,000 clients, all over the world actually.”

Beth ended the story. “Before he died, Paul told Calvin, ‘You’re the son I never had.” We were all silent.

On a lighter note, everyone performed great on the helm, notably Megan as she multi-tasked by juggling her wine glass and cigar while tacking correctly. “And raising two children!” she laughed.

Viva La France!

Later in the afternoon, a young couple took their three children sailing for the first time. Xavier Larbarriere serves as a colonel in the French Army, assigned to NATO at Norfolk Naval Base. He enjoyed seeing the US Navy sub through the binoculars.

“You know,” he told me in an aside, “Norfolk has more ships and planes than France has in its entire military.” I was happy to describe to the couple the important contribution by the French to the Battle of the Capes and the Siege of Yorktown. I showed them how Admiral DeGrasse outflanked Admiral Thomas Graves off Virginia Beach. Then DeGrasse drew the British south so his colleague Admiral DeBarras could sneak into Chesapeake Bay with troops and artillery for the Siege.

“To think,” Xavier added, “that they court-martialled DeGrasse a few years later for countermanding an order. History is remarkable.”

Amy was conflicted, historically. “I am English by birth and French by marriage. We came here only a few months ago, and our children speak English better than we do.” Amy used to sail, and it showed. She held the wheel with great confidence even as the wind and waves built up under full sail. Their son Thomas did a fine job on the helm as well.

On a more modern note, Xavier asked about the current value of passing sailboats. He was surprised used boats cost so little. “That explains why my friends are buying sailboats here and shipping them back to France for sale.”

Let’s Go Sail                                                            

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