His rich Yorkshire accent is littered with the expressions that youth sailors over the last two decades have come to expect, respect and cherish.

''Save this one between your port and starboard ears and don't let it out.''

''You'll be right there in the chocolates.''

Boats of any type are ''ships'' or ''ferretmobiles'' and anyone falling vaguely within the youth age range in which Jim Saltonstall, MBE, operates as probably the most successful and most productive sailing coach around the world at the moment is a ''ferret''.

This month's schedule for Saltonstall is the most ambitious yet. A line on the map of the UK linking each of the summer's RYA recognised youth class national championships seemed like a good idea in the trawl for the talent of the future for the Olympics of 2004 and beyond, but the RYA's senior national coach has had to drive that line.

As he visited the Mudhook Yacht Club's Schools and Cadets Week last Wednesday he was straight from the Mirror UK Championships in Plymouth and prior to that the Volvo Youth Week at Hayling Island. He then was about to take in the the Laser UK Championships in Abersoch, the Optimist UK Nationals in Pwlhelli, the 420 UK Championshipsat Llandudno today, then next week the Topper Nationals at Felpham by Bognor Regis and the 405 Nationals at Weymouth later this week.

''In 21 years of coaching this is the first time I've set out to visit all these championships in the same two weeks. In general I'll not know about 30% of the sailors there and this is a real PR exercise to get the message over about what we can now offer in terms of support to members of the GBR squads in RYA recognised Youth Classes,'' Saltonstall says as a prelude to his illuminating debrief to the Scottish youngsters gathered at The Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club.

He has masterminded Britain's two wins and one runners-up placing in The Nautica Cup - the overall top team award for the Youth World Championships - in the last three successive years. These results contain an impressive catalogue of individual performances over the last 15 years and complement dozens of individual world and European championships along the way which continue to make Britain the leading force in youth racing.

Saltonstall was also the senior coach chosen to look after the successful Olympic squad in Savannah, Atlanta. As three of the squad, the vast majority of whom were former GBR youth team ''ferrets'', lifted silver medals he was delighted with their performance and warns that the British Team that goes to Sydney in 2000 will be every bit as strong, ''probably stronger.''

Whether he is offered the same role again is open to the selected athletes themselves. The 18 will once again have the biggest say in who the support staff of seven are for Sydney.

''Obviously it's a great honour to be selected and that is the way it should be. The sailors have to have support from people they respect and have faith in, but the downside, if you like, in not knowing is that I would be doing much, much more in that context than I am now.''

He is not complaining. With limited resources British youth sailing has become the envy of the world - and in no small way thanks to his methodical yet inspirational approach, and vast fund of knowledge which he imparts with a matter-of-fact frankness punctuated by his own curious terms. Now the fruits of Britain's success on the World Youth and Olympic stage are being realised in terms of cold, hard cash. When once he had to run the GBR Youth teams on #60-70,000 a year, now thanks to Sports Lottery Funding, sponsorship from Volvo for at least the next three years and support from the The United Kingdom Sailing Academy, his youth sailing budget has nearly trebled.

''Now that means that we can support GBR squads with coaches and grants in each of the nine RYA recognised youth classes (Optimist, Mirror/Cadet, 405, 420, Laser Radial, Laser1, Topper, Youth Match Racing). That means meaningful travel grants. It means that when young sailors reach a certain level their sailing should start to cost them and their parents nothing.''

Ironically, his personal feeling is that Scotland is probably now lagging behind in terms of producing the levels of talent it has in the past - a sad scenario when for the first time he speaks of grants which might take the serious sting out of the extra travel south which has worn down so many you sailors.

''In the bigger picture the clubs up here really need to be out there promoting themselves in the local schools to bring in new blood. What they need to be realising is that it's a competitive world in terms of what sports are attracting youngsters nowadays, and sailing has to be on offer.''

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) - Saltonstall's paymasters - itself has come a long way. In 1977 when he was recruited from his role as the Royal Navy dinghy team's chief coach, from a team which contained David Howlett (Finn Gold Cup winner, and now one of Britain's most successful Admiral's Cup sailors), Jo Richards (fourth Flying Dutchman in 92 Olympics), and double Olympic Gold medallist Rodney Pattison the staff was eight, now it's the biggest UK sports governing body of its kind with a staff of 85 and a turnover of more than #5m.

While money is now coming in to the sport at an elite level to allow the sailors to fund themsleves and their campaigns from sailing only, he does not support any belief that young sailors should be full-time.

''It shouldn't be that way and doesn't need to be. Outside stimulus and interests are vitally important, whether that's a job, social life or education other sports or interests - there has to be something more. You have to be able to take your mind away from the game. It's about lifestyle management and self-preparation, an organised life well mapped out. We've had a youth world champion go on to take a first-class university degree and go back to sailing. It's about management and motivation.''

His next major objective is to build up the youth match racing discipline in the UK, the duelling that he reckons embodies a sailing culture in which we are 20 years behind New Zealand. Biggest step on this ladder will be the provision of a flight of six Isis 21 keelboats at Grafham Water from next Spring of 1999. They will be available to regional squads.