Although this article is written with an emphasis on the problem of human interaction on board (in continuation of our previous topic), it will be of interest to anyone who is forced to come into close contact with other bipeds in a confined space for some time.
If you are planning a yacht trip in a company, you should not rely on "maybe" in matters of relationships in the crew. Even if these people are your best friends or colleagues with whom you get along great. A closed space from which there is nowhere to escape, nowhere to retire is a powerful test of strength even for a married couple, let alone the rest. No wonder this plot is so popular in books and movies.
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So, rule number one: agree on some points while still on shore. If you have things that you treat with reverence and do not want someone else to touch them - tell me about it in advance. Because of joint ownership, conflicts flare up very easily. If you have unusual habits that may affect others (for example, if every day at 6 am you tend to sing the anthem of Russia) — again, do not be silent about them, hoping for someone's natural tendency to telepathy. And most importantly: solve money issues in advance. By how much and what we throw off on the road, who has any wishes for additional entertainment, who is ready to invest in this or that event. Be sure to discuss the culinary aspects: everyone's tastes and needs are different, someone may be allergic to some foods, someone does not tolerate alcohol, etc., but you will have to cook for everyone. It is equally important to agree on some responsibilities in advance: for example, cleaning, washing dishes. It would seem a trifle, but it is with such trifles that personal grievances and conflicts on domestic grounds most often begin. The more clearly the boundaries are marked, the fewer problems you will face during the trip. Experienced tourists will not let you lie.
A key moment for everyone who has to travel, live or work in cramped spaces. Every person should have their own territory. It's not so easy to do this on a yacht: everyone actively interacts with everyone there, it's tight and every piece of the boat is designed to perform as many functions as possible. However, your berth in the cabin is a 100% private area. Even if you share a cabin with a companion. No one enters someone else's cabin without knocking. Make it clear to people that if you are huddled in your "corner", then you do not need to be pulled without a serious reason, even if someone remembers a very funny joke or is in a hurry to share a wonderful photo of the view astern.
Many sociable and open-minded people, going out for the first time (hiking, settling into a dorm, getting a job in a tiny office, it is necessary to emphasize), are sure that these problems will not affect them. And very wrongly. Even the most sociable of us need privacy, we need to be ourselves. Firstly, do not be afraid to lose the image of a "shirt—guy" who is always ready to joke and amuse people. Or an airy, charming, eternally smiling girl. This is a vicious tactic, and it often leads to the fact that you decide never to go on such trips again, for anything. Or just quietly hate others. You have the right to mood swings, to sullen silence, to dissatisfaction with some situation, you owe nothing to anyone (except the skipper, of course, whom everyone on board is obliged to obey in any mood). Secondly, tune in to difficulties and possible conflicts in advance. In an environment of a closed space, any lack of agreement, swallowed resentment can after some time break out into a scandal out of the blue and spoiled nerves. If something seriously does not suit you, talk about it with a person directly, do not pull the cat by the tail.
Leased vessels usually have 3-4 cabins, that is, 6-8 beds. This is not for nothing. The bottom line is that more than 7 people on board inevitably fall into two subgroups, each of which desires do not coincide. Two camps appear, the ground for conflicts arises. 7 people is the limit for creating a monolithic team in a confined space. In the previous paragraph, we indicated that the problems do not need to be hushed up. Now let's remember that sometimes it's better to chew than to talk.
Even in a peaceful cozy office, intrigues and conversations behind your back can destroy a favorable climate. On a yacht and in general on any trip, this effect doubles. Do not discuss someone's ridiculous appearance or an obvious blunder - sound insulation on yachts is, frankly, weak, unless we are talking about a catamaran or a very large boat. Don't make fun of your friend to show off your wit. Don't be intrusive. Don't bother everyone with excessive, petty guardianship — it can incredibly, fantastically infuriate people, even if you do it from the heart. Don't be a snob and a hypocrite ("How can you take food from a plate with your hands?!"). Try to keep positive and maintain a good climate in the team. If it's really hard, it's better to write down your sarcastic thoughts on paper or on the phone. And most importantly, "don't" — never bicker with the captain (skipper). Yes, this is a hired person, he will try to politely and correctly express his requests. But the skipper is not the maintenance staff. He is responsible for you with his head before all judicial and heavenly authorities. And he knows exactly when a situation becomes life-threatening, even if it seems to you that everything is fine, and the captain suffers from paranoia.
Any crew, any tourist group is a temporary group. We join there voluntarily. We are united only by a commonality of interests: in this case, joint leisure activities. Therefore, the internal structure and relationships here are determined only by the personal qualities and character of each of us. During the journey, the group absorbs many aspects of the personal life of the participants, and this is not always pleasant. Do not disdain the fashionable term "psychological compatibility". Think ahead: what is your role? If you are an informal leader, are you ready for the fact that not everyone on board will listen to you? If you are an ardent individualist, ask yourself: are you ready to be in such close proximity with these people, to compromise, to tolerate someone's weaknesses? If you do not like to make decisions and take on extra responsibility, then will you like a situation where you will be expected to take active action? Try to find out as much as possible about the people you are going to charter with. Experienced yachtsmen say: "There is no better way to learn everything about a person than to go sailing with him." And yet, it is necessary to start preparing morally in advance, knowing your weaknesses and figuring out possible solutions to conflicts.
The enclosed space still played a cruel joke with your friendly company. The conflict begins. Well, try to behave with dignity.
1. More humor and skepticism. Don't take other people's words to heart. No one can try on your life, it's just another person's opinion. More self-irony and less pathos.
2. Do not stand in a defensive stance because of small things. Everyone on the yacht is one team, and no one is deliberately trying to make your life worse. You don't have to defend yourself from each other. If someone attacks you, maybe he just snapped and you need to let him talk, and then calmly find out what the problem is.
3. Be able to learn a lesson from the situation. If someone annoys you, think about it: why him/her? You are touched to the quick by someone's words - why? Do you have anything to hide? Or maybe you provoked someone to aggression yourself?
4. Re-read the previous paragraph about the roles in the team. This whole situation is temporary, soon you will return to solid ground, home. After all, you are on a yacht, under snow-white sails, among blue waves, surrounded by beautiful landscapes that you may never see again in your life. Surely some stupid skirmish could be worth these memories?
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Of course, not all aspects of relationships in a tight space are affected here. We will not get into the wilds of psychology. We did not try to list all possible unpleasant situations, but only wanted to indicate the general outline and share our experience on how to avoid such situations and what to be prepared for.
