But from flat calm conditions on the first day, the novice sailors had to contend with Force 7 gales as the course progressed.

The smooth waters make the British Virgin Islands ideal for novice sailors - and nervous passengers.

Coney is killed during the escape, however, and the novice sailors soberly set sail for Okinawa.

At this distance, there was no way to tell that he was not a novice sailor.

Known within the syndicate as the green crew, the novice sailors have put in more than 8,000 hours on the water since then.

Many books and training DVDs are also available, allowing the novice sailor to reinforce the learning in their own time.

The crews cannot be professional, and are made up of novice sailors who pay for a berth.

Each yacht is crewed by a professional skipper and paying novice sailors.

Or the novice sailor who cheerfully packed his family off on a sailing excursion to Catalina in a gale, nearly killing them all.

These would generally be considered novice sailors, though in Europe pay-your-own-way is more acceptable, even for skilled crew.