Sailing Schools

[Finbar Beagle]

Howdy,

I just signed up the Admiral and myself to the Delmarva ASA 101 keelboat class.  It is a 2 day class and you overnight on their boat.  Plan is to go to Annopolis sailboat show thurs/fri, and take the course sat/sun.  A mini vacation in October.

My wife has never had a lesson, but then again, I have not been trained on how to operate a vacuum cleaner safely, and I am sticking to that.   I learned when I was a kid in a Monmouth county NJ summer recreational program how to sail, and how to throw a jellyfish without being stung.  Long story.

Goal is to build Wife's confidence level, and to certify for bareboat charters.  I do not want a bigger boat, or at least that is what the Mrs tells me I want.   But would be nice to cruise past the limit of a porta Potti.

So if this class works, next year we will do the Next ones.

Any advice, other than to take it at a different time than my wife? That was already decided as "no" by you know who.

Thanks,
Brian

[curtisv]

My wife and I took the same course in about 2000 but at a different location (Mystic CT).  Its a very good course.  Read the book before you go in and maybe even practice knots.  There is only so much they can do in two days and its best if they can breeze through most of the classroom material and focus on the sailing part on the water.  At Mystic the groups were 4-6 people with an instructor and crew on the sailing part.

[Finbar Beagle]

Yes, we will be payed up with another couple.  Having trouble with convincing wife to practice knotwork, nut we have time.

Glad the marriage survived it...

[Finbar Beagle]

We survived our ASA 101 keelboat sailing course.  We were at the Delmarva Sailing School, Rock Hall MD.  The boat was a Pearson 39 1/2 foot.  Boat was very clean and well maintained, and pride of ownership was definitely there.

The course was 2 days, and we slept on board, in slip Friday night and Saturday night.  We trained on water sat and sun. 

We arrived a little early, to get our pick of cabin, and chose the forward one.  This was a good move.  There was another couple, so they had the aft cabin, which was similar dimensions, but limited headroom. 

Captain Mike was our instructor.  I was very impressed with his knowledge and patience.  I asked a lot of questions outside scope of this basic class, and he answered all.  (I tried my best not to ask when he was on topic teaching).  He asked each of us what our goal for the class was when he first met us, and I believe that gave him the tools to address all 4 of my class, at varying knowledge/experience levels.

The sleep on board was not required, but my wife and I used the opportunity to see if this would would work for us for a bareboat charter, extended cruise.  We learned that we are daysailers, with a rare overnighter.  It would be too much work for us to be in charge of a 'big' bareboat.  We learned that we would be happy to crew if someone else would lead.  All is good.

I really found the class very helpful.  There were many 'ah-ha' moments; I now can rooster tail and Flemish coil my lines, run and check oil on a diesel motor, and know what my be challenging when setting up a stack pack cover system.

My wife gained confidence in steering, and learned basic knots and theory.  She passed the test and we are both still celebrating.  I owe her big time for agreeing to be part.  For the record, she never cried, but I did catch the "look" a couple of times...

The biggest takeaway is that my wife and I now have same terminology, and understand why it is important to try to use the correct terms. 

As a soon to be 55 year old who has sailed since I was 12, this was a good investment.  I plan to take the ASA 103, but I think my admiral has hit her limit. 

[bruce]

Thanks, Brian, for the follow up, it's a delicate balance many of us face. Good you determined that solo bareboat charters aren't a good fit, worth the price of admission.