Dr. Hab., Professor A.A. Zaitsev¹
Dr. Hab., Dr.Sc.Psych., Professor A.B. Serykh²
Associate Professor E.V. Kharisov^1
1Kaliningrad State Technical University, Kaliningrad
²Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad

Keywords: sea cadets, sea-service-specific physical training, sailing practice.

Background. As things now stand, it is the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW-78/95) that regulates the sea crew testing and certification procedures and requires every crew member being tested in practical service on marine vessels, including sailboats. It is commonly believed that the service skills may not be sound enough unless duly perfected in a real sea service. This is the reason why most of the sea nations still hold their fleets of training vessels including the sailing ones. Presently the global fleet of sailing vessels is reported at about 300, including five elite Russian sailing ships. The beginner 2-3-month-long sea practice is now obligatory for the second-year curricula of the professional seafarers’ training establishments. The sea service training practice on cadet sailing ships (CSS) is particularly demanding for the crew members’ physical and mental qualities and skills.

Objective of the study was to develop and test benefits of the pre-sailing training model to train sea cadets for the service on a sailboat.

Methods and structure of the study. Any analysis of the sea service skills on the whole and the sail setting/ striking service in particular show the seafarer’s dexterity and courage being ranked among the top priority qualities for the service. Cadets are normally split up in the sails service crews with a special attention to the above qualities. Of special interest for the study in this context was the cardiovascular system performance when the seamen climb to the crow’s nest and cross-trees, with the cadets’ heart rates fixed for the study purposes prior to the climb, on top and back on the deck.

The test sample was classified by the cardiovascular system responses to the service stresses associated with the climbs to the crow’s nest and cross-trees into the following types:

• Balanced type, with the pre-climb HR varying within 80-90 beat per min; and the climb HR growing up to 120 beat per min due to rather physical than emotional stressors;
• Adaptable type, with the HR tested to grow in the pre-climb and early climb phase to reach its maximum (up to 130 beats per min) on top, followed by a phased falling of the maximal HR with every next climb;
• Inadaptable type tested with irregular HR variations prior to, in and after the climbs, with the pre-climb HR often coming to 120 beats per min followed by up to 170 beats per min on the top, with the maximal oxygen demand often associated with relatively modest physical workloads. Every cadet classified with this type based on the HR tests was later on released of the service on the poles.

Study findings and discussion. Analysis of the sea crew performance in the sails setting/ striking service shows that the service also requires high strength and endurance, and this was the reason for us to test the external respiration rates and strength rates in the key muscle groups prior to and after the sailing practice: see the test data in Table 1 hereunder.

Table 1. Critical physical qualities test data prior to and after the sailing practice

As demonstrated by the above test data, the absolute and relative hand strength rates vary around the mean value and show an insignificant growth as a result of the sea practice – that may be interpreted as indicative of strength being high enough for the sales setting/ striking service.

The absolute and relative deadlift strength rates were tested to significantly grow during the practice. The pre-practice dorsal muscle strength test rates were found within the range of the ‘mean’ values, then they significantly grew up for the practice time, with the post-practice rates varying within the ‘high’ values. It may be therefore stated that the dorsal muscle strength may be ranked among the most critical physical qualities for the sea service and, hence, the dorsal strength building exercises shall be in high priority to in the sea cadets’ physical trainings prior to the practical sea service on the CSS.

The vital capacity rates and vital indices were tested to significantly grow for the practice time and, therefore, the pre-sailing trainings are recommended to be designed so as to reasonably prioritize the endurance training practices.

In the context of the modern requirements to the strength and endurance building components of the practical sea service on the CSS, the relevant physical education programs need to be updated to make an emphasis on the rowing machines assisted practices most efficient for the strength/ endurance and vital capacity building purposes.

Thus the sea cadets’ service profiling analysis and service-specific qualities tests under the model testing experiment showed that the individual fitness for the sailing practice may be classified into the following elements:

• Mental fitness including (1) volitional qualities (courage and determination); and (2) teamwork qualities (cooperation and mutual understanding);
• Physical qualities including (1) strength (maximal strength and strength endurance); (2) anaerobic-lactate and anaerobic-aerobic endurance; (3) dexterity, in practical service skills; (4) statokinetic balancing skills, with tests on a narrow high beam;
• Immunity to sea sickness including tolerance to vessel rolling, pitching and jogging; and
• Practical service skills including the teamwork, climbing and cargo handling skills.

Furthermore, the study data and analyses demonstrate that the pre-sailing practices need to be designed with an emphasis on the following mechanisms for success of the training process:

• Energy supply sources for the muscular works in anaerobic and combined modes;
• Overcoming, ceding and isometric muscular work modes; and
• Interaction of the vestibular, visual and kinesthetic systems in the movement control and postural control functions.

Conclusion. The model piloting experiment provided the grounds for the key pre-sailing training tools and components being prioritized as follows:

• Overall endurance trainings with application of the indoor anaerobic and combined training simulators;

• • Statokinetic balance training assisted by training machines;

• Immunity to sea sickness building training machines assisted practices to closely model the service-specific intra- and inter-analyzers and super-sensor conflicts;

• Strength building trainings with versatile grips;

• Active/ team sports;

• Courage cultivation and training tools; and

• Sea obstacle courses for practical training of the sea service skills and abilities.

References

1. Konventsiya o trude v morskom sudokhodstve. Bill o pravakh moryakov [Maritime Labour Convention. Seafarers' Bill of Rights]. London: International Transport Workers' Federation publ., 2006, P. 16.
2. Zaitsev A.A., Soroka B.V. Teoriya funktsionalnykh sistem -metodologicheskaya osnova organizatsii dvigatelnoy deyatelnosti v fizicheskoy kulture [Theory of functional systems - methodological basis of organization of motor activity in physical education]. Izvestiya Baltiyskoy gosudarstvennoy akademii rybopromyslovogo flota: psikhologo-pedagogicheskie nauki (teoriya i metodika professionalnogo obrazovaniya). Scientific peer-reviewed journal. Kaliningrad: BGRF publ., 2015, no. 1 (31), pp. 142–148.

Corresponding author: levanova.46@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of a special pre-sailing training model to train sea cadets for the service on a sailboat. The sea cadets’ performance profiling analysis in practices on a sailing boat plus the sea-service-specific qualities tests showed that the cadets’ fitness for the service shall include at least the following elements: mental fitness (volitional qualities and existential values); physical qualities (dominated by the anaerobic-lactate and anaerobic-aerobic endurance); dexterity (in practical service skills); statokinetic balancing skills; immunity to sea sickness (tolerance to vessel rolling, pitching and jogging); and practical service abilities. The model piloting experiment provided the grounds for the key pre-sailing training tools and components being prioritized as follows:

• Overall endurance trainings with an emphasis on the indoor training machines assisted anaerobic and combined trainings;

• Statokinetic balance training assisted by training machines;

• Immunity to sea sickness building training machines assisted practices to closely model the service-specific intra- and inter-analyzers and super-sensor conflicts;

• Strength building trainings with versatile grips;

• Active/ team sports;

• Courage cultivation and training tools; and

• Sea obstacle courses for practical training of the sea service skills and abilities.