CREDIT: 59 NORTH
with Nikki Henderson
Learn how to approach, manage, and plan for any unexpected emergency at sea.
On going to sea, there is only one thing a sailor can expect with certainty: the unexpected. So, the best sailors in the world aren’t so ‘experienced’, as they are ‘prepared’ to face something they haven’t seen before. You don’t sail through emergencies unscathed due to luck. Success in any emergency situation is the result of good preparation, building a solid strategy, and following a well-thought-out plan. In 90 minutes, Nikki will walk you through her fool-proof method for dealing with and preparing for emergencies so that you, too, can handle them like the pros!
REGISTER NOW
Online class overview
This is designed for anyone who is learning, planning, or dreaming of going to sea. There is no stipulation for experience on either end of the spectrum. Just an interest in learning how to go to sea safely, and stylishly so that you - and your crew - want to go back for more.
You will learn how to handle any emergency situation at sea with poise, efficiency, and skill. You will be introduced to frameworks to follow in any unexpected scenario to help you stay safe and reduce the risk of the situation escalating. This will be applied to a few real-life ‘what if’ examples, such as rig failure or a halyard snapping, so you can understand how to use it. Nikki will give you a flow chart to follow if you ever want to learn how to build your own unique emergency plans applicable to your boat, crew, equipment, and voyage. And it’s of note, that whilst the focus is on procedure and practical planning, this course will also highlight how to cope with the human side of emergency planning and management such as how to keep people calm, how to delegate in fast-paced situations, and how to ensure that your crew want to set sail with you again even after disaster strikes!
List of topics:
‘Making the case’
- We will begin with a story, to highlight the crux of this Online Class: The benefits of asking yourself ‘what if’ and planning for the unexpected.
‘The approach’
- I’ll introduce a framework that sailors can apply to all emergency situations. In other words, what’s the strategy for emergencies?
‘Situation Management’
- The initial response. How to cope with the immediate aftermath of any emergency?
- Emergency Management. How to go about handling an emergency? What to do first? What are common mistakes made?
- ‘The Aftermath’. What happens after emergencies? How to recover? How to turn them into learning experiences? How to make sure your crew want to go to sea with you again!
‘Asking ‘what if’’
- We will put theory to the test by applying this to a real-life scenario.
Planning for the unplannable
- We will build out a flow chart that you can take home and apply to your future sailing plans to ensure you are ready to sail out into the unknown…
YOUR HOST
Nikki Henderson
Nikki is one of the most experienced and influential offshore and ocean skippers you will come across.
For over a decade, Nikki has coached, skippered and led amateur crews in the most extreme offshore and ocean races in the world. That includes leading her team to a victorious 2nd place in the Clipper Round the World Race, just two days after her 25th birthday. She then sailed halfway around the world again, this time skippering the infamous Maiden throught the pirate infested waters of East Africa on the first leg of her world tour. You might have seen her on Sailing La Vagabonde’s Youtube Channel, where she supported the couple on their unseasonal Atlantic Crossing to deliver young Greta Thunberg to the climate conference in Europe. Or maybe you followed her on one of her numerous other ocean adventures: 12 Atlantic crossings, a Sydney Hobart, three RORC Caribbean 600 races, 2 Rolex Fastnet races and even 2 entries into the Race-to-Alaska’ races, one of which she won.
Nikki is a passionate teacher, inspiring leader, motivating speaker and head turning author. She often hosts episodes of On the Wind with 59 North. You can enjoy her regular column in Yachting World in which she steers the hearts and minds of the sailing community. Stay tuned for her upcoming debut book.
Be sure to check out Nikki’s most recent project: SALTED: her new ‘learn to sail’ subscriber platform which she describes as: “An unpretentious, upbeat community inspired by sailing. A newsletter that will empower you, and educate you, to think differently about not just how to sail, but also how to live your life.”
CREDIT: 59 NORTH
ONLINE CLASS REGISTRATION
ThursDAY, MAY 8TH, 2025 @ 4:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM ET (90 MIN)
Regular Price
$39
ASA Member Price
$29
ON-DEMAND ACCESS
All registrations include unlimited on-demand access to the recordings of the live online class. So if you are unable to attend live you can still register and watch at your leisure.
ASA MEMBER DISCOUNT
American Sailing Members can claim their discount in the Member Portal. If you're not a current member then for only $59/year you can join or renew today!
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