The Creation of the Milky Way - or How To Use the Breakfast Scale for Navigation
Skye Blue sailing
Stephen and Malene
Tue 27 Jun 2023 00:17
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Day 24,
This morning Stephen taught a masterclass in The
Breakfast Scale. This has prompted us to introduce this to Skye Blue as an
important emergency navigational tool.
The Breakfast Scale is used for assessing wind speed and
wave height/pitch of the boat and is as such very useful in case your electronic
devices fail.
Let us explain.
BS0 - Cereal is easily poured. Milk is easily poured.*
Bowl, cereal and milk stays where crew left if without use of slippy
mat. Bowl is easily transported up the companionway and across the flybridge.
Crew can walk straight, holding the bowl, and not spilling.
BS1 - Cereal is easily poured. Milk is easily
poured. Bowl and milk will need to placed on slippy mat if sailing upwind.
Cereal bag is easily placed back in cereal cupboard, and cupboard door can be
shut using the same hand that was used for placing the cereal bag. Crew will
need to hold on to companionway stairs while transporting the bowl. Bowl
may need to be placed on flybridge in order for crew to safely cross. Bowl will
stay where it was placed.
BS2 - Cereal is easily poured. Milk must be poured with
some caution, to avoid spills. Bowl and cerealbag must be placed on slippy
mat, and caution must be asserted if leaving items for longer intervals of time,
especially if milk has been poured.** Milk will need to be placed back in fridge
immediately after pouring, to avoid spills. Crew will need to place feet
cautiously and balance bowl carefully to reach companionway steps. Crew may have
to place bowl temporarily on steps to gain hold of handholds, before attempting
to climb steps. Bowl can be placed on flybridge for crew to access flybridge,
but only so that it is securely leaned on hatch or other firmly attached item,
such that it will not slide. Crew will need both hands to cross
flybridge.
BS3 - Cereal must be poured with one hand while using
other hand to hold on to galley furniture, in order not to loose balance. Milk
must be extracted from fridge before attempting to pour cereal in bowl as bowl
cannot be left unattended once it has content in it. Milk must be placed in sink
at all times when not pouring milk into bowl. It may be wise to consider using
small amount of milk. Crew must secure bowl for the likely event that he or she
will urgently need to hold on to maintain balance. Companionway is approached
and climbed with some difficulty. Bowl can be placed on steps but only briefly
in order for crew to shift handhold. Bowl will need to be securely propped in on
flybridge, either against hatch, if sailing conditions allow so or propped in
under rope. Crew will need both hands and knees to cross the flybridge. Bowl can
only be retrieved from secured position on flybridge, once crew is firmly seated
in cockpit. Spoon must be carried in pocket or hand as it will not stay in bowl
if left unattended.
BS4 - Cereal can only be poured with difficulty. Cereal
bag must be put back in cupboard using both hands. Other contents of cereal
cupboard may fall out during opening. Milk must be extracted from fridge before
attempting to pour. Milk must be placed in sink at all times when not pouring
milk into bowl. Small amounts of milk is paramount to successful transport of
bowl. Crew will need to firmly hold on at all times during entire process as
letting go will immediately lead to loss of balance. If bowl is left unattended
at any time the entire content will spill inconveniently, thus creating The
Milky Way across the aft cabin hatch. How you guys get the bowl to the
companionway and across the flybridge is beyond me. Cereal will fly out of bowl
whilst eating in the cockpit.
BS5 - Bowl lands on floor at least 2 times, even with
use of slippy mat. Both hands will be needed to hold bowl, Both hands will be
needed in order for crew to maintain balance. Bowl must be lifted off tabletop
in order to balance bowl horisontally so milk and cereal can be safely
poured into bowl. Crew must hold on firmly to galley furniture whilst doing
this, or loss of balance is inevitable. If you make it to the cockpit with
enough cereal and milk to call it breakfast, the rest will fly out of the bowl.
Therefore, it may be prudent to be seated, facing the leeward
side. Calculating extra time and effort to clean flybridge, companionway
and galley after not having had your breakfast, is advisable.
*If milk is not used for cereal, BS0 does not apply.
Scale starts at BS1, given milk adds extra spilling hazard.
**If milk is not used for cereal, go straight to
BS3
BS4 is equvivalent to a F5 on the Beaufort
scale
BS5 is equvivalent to a F6 on the Beaufort
scale
In case of F7 on the Beaufort scale and above
cereal in bowls is not adviseable.
All is well and flybridge has had a good clean this
morning.
6:23.8297S 124:31.7252W
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