Another very important thing that is being overlooked is the importance of feedback with regards to learning. This is why learning to control a car is quicker then learning to control a boat. Learning to control an automobile on solid ground give instant positive feedback. The skills quickly move to a mostly unconscious level.
Same is true of larger ships vs small boats. While handling a small boat may look more impressive it takes much longer to learn how to control a large ship as the feedback is much slower.
Here’s a good video about how it’s not true that you can’t forget how to ride a bike: