Yachting Monthly 0shares After a long break the skipper may need to knock the rust off a few skills, as well as getting the boat working, says James Stevens It is great to blow the cobwebs away. Executing shakedown skills and drills with your crew will get you set for a season afloat. Credit: David Harding Shakedown skills & drills for the start of the season Come spring, when most of us start sailing again, we suffer from a bit of skill fade, especially this year after being locked down for so long. Theory knowledge which was red hot the day we took the test is probably not so near the mark.