Where to sail? Licenses?

[Chuteman]

SD:
Agree at least in San Fran...you gotta prove it if 1st time here / at their facility.
Funny (or not) Other places around the world no one has asked me to do it yet but they do ask for full documentation.

Kinetic - sure stop in after one of your jogs...........ask for Antonia or Max.
Yup marina is active with school, charters and club activities plus Berkeley yacht club across the way that holds Fri nite beer can races in summer & Sun chowder races in winter.
Cal sailing is another busy club on the other side of the penisula with dinghy school, charters, windsurfing, etc
Opportunities everywhere

[kinetic]

I've gone to the Cal Adventures twice now on their Coronado 15's. Lots of fun! I steered for the first time today, it's so challenging =) I actually slipped out of the boat by mistake when we hit a wave, haha =) Great, murkey sludgy sf bay water =P But itw as alright. It was low tide, our center board hit a bunch of rock and was halfway up most of the time. Can't wait to go again.

[Chuteman]

K - That's great = Cal Advenures / Sailing. Had a very good buddy who went up thru their program & is qualified as an instructor. Many great sailors started in very small boats which provides them tremendous "seat of the pants" feel for sail trim, heel & steering..................those lessons will be invaluable as you move up in size.

[jughandle]

The information has been great, but I am wondering is there any cheaper way than going through the schools? For three days with Steve Colgate, it's going to cost 1K. I can read books and learn the basics of what and where, but the hands on part is what I am really interested in without spending so much money. I do like the Fast Track a lot but once again, the cost seems really high.

Before my other half and I spend X amount on a 45footer, I would really like to know if this is something that is going to be an adventure of a life time.

[Chuteman]

Jugh- You mention a 45' boat that you plan to buy for X $$.
Do you (or sig other) have any boating or sailing experience?
Where do You plan to sail the boat?
Where do you live now?
How much do you think is fair to spend for training?

Only ask to judge the possibilities of alternatives..........like the one Kinetic is using which is really inexpensive compared to bigger schools.

But in the end the money spent to learn & practice could be cheap insurance for your 45' yacht & two lives.

[sailingdog]

Skimping on training, if you have little experience is a good way to end up a Darwin Award winner. If you can afford a 45' sailboat, then you can afford ASA 101-104 courses for you and your sig other.

[jughandle]

Sailingdog-good point. I'm a cheap pilot always looking for a good deal. Right now I am based in ATL, and the other half is retired fiddle farting and trying to find the right boat. He has way more experience than me so I'm just trying to catch up with him. He hasn't actualy sailed but knows power boats more. Owned a power boat in the past.

Not exactly sure where we want to go, but last year we both went to Phuket, Thailand to check out a Liberty. Anyway, we both really liked it over there and am contemplating living over there if we find the boat over there. He was really interested in the Liberty but can't seem to find the perfect one and there are only 31 of them made, so now he is interested in other ones.

I've looked up some good schools now around south florida. St. Pete seems to have a lot of schools. Probably that is where I'll get most of my experiece

Oddly, I got this old book called Champman Piloting, but it's rather old....interesting though and informative on the old school stuff. Have any of you heard of it, and what do you think?

[hellosailor]

Well, if you get a USCG Captain's License...I think most charterers would happily rent you a boat. But aside from government licenses, there are only private certifications and the ASA ones are probably the most universally recognized in the US, although some private sailing schools (like Colgate's Offshore Sailing School) have been around longer and may be equally accepted. Colgate are also business partners with The Moorings, a major charter company, and get preferential treatment (i.e. a discount rate & recognition) from them.

Any "basic" sailing course may still not get you enough paper to satisfy a charter company though. Expect to take some type of basic plus advanced course at a minimum, unless you're planning to sail daysailors. You might try contacting some of the charter companies you are interested in dealing with, to ask what they will accept and what they'd prefer. You'll find that even if you've been sailing for a decade on your own boat, some companies will ask you to take a check-out sail with one of their own staff before they'll let you take out a boat.