What I want to know about the sailor step is how do I lead it; I have not been able to figure out how to let my follow know to do this step.

"Dancing is a contact sport; football is a hitting sport" - Vince Lombardi

I find that if the man maintains a solid connection as he does it, I can feel where his feet are going and I have no trouble following it. Slight pressure on my right hand indicating to cross behind at the beginning helps, too.

I can usually lead a lady into the sailor's shuffle if she has tone in her arms, which you will have at hip level in a double hand hold.
After the second triple step,and you are now moving toward the man's right, lower and extend your left arm toward the lady. You will both then find that your legs cross in back of your other legs into the beginning of the sailor's shuffle. Lower and extend the right arm on the next triple step. Do two sets. Come together and do a back rock to get out. Hope this helps

If the sailor step, is the same as the drunken sailor, where you keep your head in the center and your feet do a hook (R), side (L), fall (R) (for lack of better term) to the center.

My instructor usually leads it similiar to toe-heel swivels. Except his hands (this is a two handed lead) are a little wider apart, and instead of tucking me in, he causes me to hook my foot, but pressing me back. But, I have to admit it's more of a signal to me now, since it's one of those moves that your partner really needs to know. I, also, have to mention that I also follow some visual clues, just to make sure that he's not doing a freeze.

Hope this helps.

Just like to say thanks for the tips here.

Actually, I found that if I keep both hands at waist level and use an alternating forward and back motion similar to that used for the sugar push this works.

"Dancing is a contact sport; football is a hitting sport" - Vince Lombardi

That bustamove web site is sooo cool! Thanks, Ghostdancer! Oh and yes, I also know that step as the sailor shuffle...

tango

Although I'm not an instructor, the sailor step (I know it as the sailor shuffle) is led similarly as the chicken walks - where the man slightly and gently turns the lady's hand inward. The hand hold is kept low near the hip area.

I hope this helps,
Hoofer

Just so I'm clear I refer to this move here:

http://www.bustamove.com/cgi-bin/scripts/free.pl?d=ecs&m=6

Ok, Sailor Shuffle...

"Dancing is a contact sport; football is a hitting sport" - Vince Lombardi