I've been involved in project management for a very long time. Even the transition from high school to university was, for me, accompanied by a conscious albeit far from professional approach to managing projects. My sailing experience goes back even further. I got my first sailing license in 1989 at the age of 10, issued by the Polish Maritime Club. It was there that I accompanied my father and took my first lessons. As a teenager, I sailed purely for leisure, not competitively. I'm still far from being a professional, but I think I can now honestly call myself a competent amateur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is tourism with a capital T. We\u2019re not drifting from marina to marina on the Masurian lakes, ending each evening by a campfire with a beer in hand. We\u2019re heading out to sea. Visiting Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, or Sweden requires at least two full days of continuous sailing\u2014often even more. We\u2019ll be sailing, and sometimes there\u2019ll be no wind at all. Other times, there\u2019ll be too much of it. That\u2019s why we need to prepare ourselves and our equipment for all possible scenarios. Of course, unforeseen events can always surprise us, but the better we\u2019re prepared, the easier it will be to manage whatever comes our way. In short, a sailing trip is a project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The preparations begin already in the \u201cpre-project\u201d phase, when the first idea appears. It\u2019s a time to roughly consider what\u2019s possible and how the undertaking might be carried out. My ideas for sailing trips usually come to me in April, when the winter season ends. And I\u2019m already excited at the thought of heading out to sea again. But wait\u2026 is it realistic this year? I may already have other plans, and free time is limited. Last year, for instance, I didn\u2019t manage to fit a trip into my schedule because I chose to head for the mountains and climb Mont Blanc instead. Maybe this year it could work? Let\u2019s run a quick SWOT analysis: What do I have? What\u2019s missing? What are the basic chances of success? What are the risks? Until recently, I only had a small inland sailboat, not suited for sea voyages at all. But a boat can be rented. I quickly check availability. It\u2019s there. I don\u2019t let the opportunity slip and make a preliminary reservation. It doesn\u2019t cost anything yet, but I now have a potential plan and timeframe for the venture. Time to officially start the project. s <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have to check the availability of my friends. I\u2019m not sailing solo just yet\u2014they\u2019re the first stakeholders in my project. Naturally, the all-important family approval is already tentatively secured. I call, chat, text - they\u2019re interested. Excellent! Now it\u2019s time to negotiate their availability at home and at work. Some come back with a \u201cno.\u201d Unfortunately, not all \u201cavailable resources\u201d can be allocated to every initiative. Still, enough people are on board for this year\u2019s sailing trip to happen, though it\u2019ll be limited to just one week. We continue discussing what we can realistically achieve within those time constraints. Of course, much depends on the weather, which we can\u2019t predict exactly. But based on past experiences at sea around this time of year, we agree that our goals will be to visit Bornholm and Karlskrona. \n\nOur project is purely social and recreational. Still, even in such a relaxed setting, good communication is worth the effort. So I jot down our agreements in a short message to all participants: the dates, departure and return ports, defined objectives, already-assigned roles, and the estimated overall budget. It\u2019s a simplified version of a project charter. It will serve as our guide during preparation and throughout the trip. \n\nBut that message alone isn\u2019t enough. Not everyone knows each other. Not everyone has the same level of experience. Following best practices, we organize a pre-trip meeting; our own kind of kick-off. It\u2019s a great opportunity for the crew to start bonding. I walk everyone (especially the less experienced) through the current plans and limitations of our project. I explain the role assignments. I try not to be too rigid about it\u2026 though I admit I sometimes am. \ud83d\ude09 The sea is serious business, but it\u2019s important not to lose the excitement for the adventure ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We use the meeting to move straight from the opening phase into the next one: organizing and preparing. The second part of our session is devoted to collecting tasks that need to be handled, essentially defining the scope of the project. Since we\u2019re using a rented boat, we\u2019re spared a lot of the technical prep that would come with owning our own. But past experience has taught us to be cautious. We need to inspect the boat in advance\u2014both on paper and in person\u2014before setting off. \n\nDrawing on what we\u2019ve learned, we plan the remaining prep work: securing updated maps and navigation tools, shopping for food and hygiene supplies, making sure everyone has appropriate personal gear, and more. We divide tasks, schedule deadlines, and agree on when and how we\u2019ll check on the progress of preparations. There\u2019s no need to go overboard with formalities, but even a simple, shared plan helps a lot, especially when everyday life gets busy. Technically, sharing it is easy these days, and it keeps us all aligned. \n\nWe also write down the agreed-upon communication rules and basic principles for our shared undertaking. No one needs to know that these elements are formally called the project management plan and the team charter. We simply apply good project practices, adapted to our informal little adventure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everything is ready. We meet at the designated time by the yacht. Our trip is about to begin. But does that mean we are setting sail right away? Not so fast. The boat needs to be properly stowed, meaning we have to arrange the food supplies and other items in such a way that they do not fly around once we hit the waves and are easy to access when needed. We double-check the equipment and gear. Out at sea, we might not be able to fix even the simplest things, let alone buy anything. Many of us still remember that time a few years ago when we had to return from the middle of the Gulf of Gda\u0144sk to get matches. Smokers had given up the habit and stopped carrying lighters, and at sea we cook only with gas. We also need to check the latest weather forecast. Perhaps it is worth waiting until the next morning to set out, or maybe we will leave that night. The captain makes the call. We are heading out. We are now operating on four-hour watches, so there will always be someone to ensure safe navigation while the others rest. \n\nOn a small boat, the watch system does not have to be as rigid as on a larger vessel. Still, it remains a best practice at sea. Four hours is enough for fatigue to settle in. If the Baltic, as it often does, soaks us and chills us to the bone, we will happily hand over the helm and the responsibility to the next watch and dive into our sleeping bags. Unless of course it is already morning and we are also on kitchen duty that day. In that case, instead of sleeping, we have to prepare and serve breakfast. Right after that we need to clean up and get lunch ready, followed by an afternoon snack and then dinner. If we divide the work well, we might manage to squeeze in a few short naps before it is time to take the helm again. Luckily, tomorrow a new watch takes over the galley duties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life at sea quickly draws us into its rhythm, so different from life on land. Watch duties, sleeping whenever there is a free moment, then back to work again. The mind takes a break from everything back home. Our trip is not a long one. Over the course of a week, we visit two ports where we stay overnight and, if we are lucky, for part of the following day. In port, the watch duties are relaxed. Everyone gets to sleep, and we often eat out. It is always worth trying the local specialties. On Bornholm, that means smoked herring in particular. Karlskrona is a city full of restaurants, including many offering international cuisine. If you ever visit, I recommend the Naval Museum, especially the section dedicated to Polish sailors who were interned in Sweden during World War II. It would certainly be worth staying there longer, but our project is defined by time. We need to return. Especially since the forecast shows that the favorable wind will not last another day. We cast off from the welcoming marina and, passing local coves and islets, head back out to sea. Watch duties again, rest whenever possible, then back to work. But watches are also time for conversation. Some of us rarely see each other on land, and some we have only just met. It has not even been a week, yet through all the shared moments, the effort, and the new experiences, we have grown closer. As is often the case with projects, only much faster, we have bonded. We arrive in Gdynia with time to spare. One last evening together, and in the morning we return the boat. Time to reflect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project was completed successfully. We achieved the goals we originally set out to accomplish. There was still some money left in the trip budget that had been set aside for unexpected events. Fortunately, we did not need to make any emergency repairs or visit a doctor this time. So we definitely have something to celebrate a well-executed team effort. We sit down for a retrospective. We recall events from just a few days ago and reflect on the lessons we have learned. We realize that some of these insights may be useful for future trips. It is worth writing them down and keeping them for reference. After all this is not our last sailing adventure together. Oh and let us not forget about our other stakeholders it is definitely time to let our families know that we have made it back to port safe and sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Article written by: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maciej Krupa<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Project Manager, Senior Consultant, Amateur Sailor<\/p>\n\n\n\n PMP\u00ae, PRINCE2\u00ae, AgilePM\u00ae Accredited Trainer <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Zarz\u0105dzaniem projektami zajmuj\u0119 si\u0119 od bardzo dawna. Ju\u017c moment przej\u015bcia ze szko\u0142y \u015bredniej do szko\u0142y wy\u017cszej wi\u0105za\u0142 si\u0119 dla mnie […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":7561,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aktualnosci"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7560"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7563,"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7560\/revisions\/7563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmexperts.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}