Best plan to teach family?

jswwrites · #1 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006

I grew up sailing in FL. My dad was a big ocean racer (SORC, etc), so I never "learned" to sail, I just always sailed! My grandmother has given me her boat, which we are having brought up in the next few weeks from FL, and I have half a family of reluctant sailors (husband and son). I'd say this is because we have power boats, but really, they thought it a bit slow and boring (?!) before we ever had a boat.

Anyway, being a bit rusty myself and also never having learned "formally" to impart the language of sailing, I am wondering about hiring a captain to give us a short course, or taking lessons. Anyone have experience with these?

Our deal is to keep the boat a year, get her back to pristine, and then keep it or sell it. If my daughter and I are the only ones who like it, I don't think my husband will agree to the expense of keeping her... so I'm on a mission!

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006

Might want to take a basic Learn-to-Sail ASA 101 type course. This will give you a pretty solid foundation of the language and terms used in sailing, as well as a good basic foundation of sailing knowledge and theory. I'd also recommend you get and read "The Complete Sailor" by David Seidman. It is the book I give to all my new crew to read. Very readable, with good illustrations.

nolatom · #3 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006

Ask around to see if there are any sailors in your port who teach sailing part-time. I'd think it would be more economical to pay one to come out on your boat for a couple of hours than to put everyone in the family in a sailing class. That skipper (who should have experience on similar size/type boats) would need the first few minutes to figure out the rigging and systems on your boat, then a couple of hours to give you the refresher on sailing/terms, and how your boat handles.

If you can't find one, then take the Basic keelboat course mentioned above, and maybe afterwards you could hire the instructor for an hour or two on your boat if he/she isn't teaching full time for that outfit..

CptHank · #4 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006

jsw,

I took my classes with http://www.offshore-sailing.com/ which is a http://ussailing.org/ based organization similar to ASA. They have a location in FL.

I thought offshore did a great 3 day 101 course, with most of the last day being on the boat without the instructor!

Definite confidence builder!

jswwrites · #5 (**permalink**) 09-13-2006

There is an ASA school in Oriental (NC), and I've emailed them. They have a basic keelboat course, and then a whole selection of classes beyond that. I have asked them their advice as far as all of us doing the basic, and then maybe my kids and I doing further classes since we homeschool (don't know how much time my husband will have to devote to them). We can "commute" via ferry - probably an hour altogether, but not bad for just 2 days at a time. I couldn't find any local skippers...I wish my dad would come from the mts to do it, but he's had some health issues so that's not going to happen!