Sailing School choices on Chesapeake

[Advocate777]

Feedback requested please-

if you are familiar with Chesapeake Bay sailing schools would you recommend

a.) a 3-day keelboat course at BaySail in Havre de Grace for $550 on a Capri 22

or,

b.) a 4-day keelboat course at Maryland School of Sailing in Rock Hall on an Island Packet 32

if you could only afford to do one or the other. For a Newbie.
Any feedback most appreciated

[arknoah]

It’s not clear if you would be doing just the ASA 101 course at the Maryland School of Sailing and Seamanship or both courses, but they’ve always spoken of themselves as more rigorous as other schools, for what that’s worth. I can tell you that at one time, their head instructor was David Appleton, who was my instructor for ASA 101 and 103, and he’s pretty good. You can still see his bio if you google his name along with Maryland school, but from the direct school website, he’s not listed anymore.

The area you would be sailing with for both Rock Hall and Havre de Grace is really nice. As for the boats, I learned on a C&C 29, and felt it was great having a vessel that was large enough that I wouldn’t be too scared (it worked -- kinda) rather than a really small boat. On the other hand, a somewhat smaller boat isn’t as overwhelming as a big one. Other folks who have taught sailing or sailed much longer may have more specific or stronger insights.

[mgmhead]

An extra day...a bigger boat...a better sailing area... I'd go Rock Hall myself.

[Advocate777]

Thannks--I'm gonna go with Rock Hall

[Yorksailor]

$550 for a three day course on a 22 is outrageous...for that you could get 3 days on my 55, in the Caribbean, and I would buy the food and the beer!!

Phil

[badsanta]

By going to Rock Hall you can stay on the boat at night, no hotel bill, and you can continue with classes through all ASA including off shore and Caribbean, if you want to continue. I took classes at other schools and found it hard to transfer classes. I wish I had gone here for all my sailing. I have enjoyed them very much.

[moorehal]

The Maryland School of Seamanship is the "gold standard" of sailing schools. In reading their website they teach their ASA 101 course over a four day period at a cost of $950, not $550. However, a 30 foot plus boat with inboard propulsion is a bit much for a novice sailor. Most sailing schools and yacht clubs teach introductory sailing in something smaller. They seem to offer a 101, with possible 103 challenge, but I don't think that you fit into that category.

You may want to check out Navy Pax River Sailing Club (www.navypaxsail.com) or Pentagon Sailing Club (www.pentagonsailing.org). Both clubs sail on the Bay.

Navy Pax teaches the 101 in Catalina 16s, which are very solid keelboats with no auxiliary propulsion and teaches 103 in Catalina 250s.

Pentagon teaches its combined 101/103 class in Capri 22s with outboards. They do this on the Potomac River. They teach their higher level classes on the Bay out of Annapolis.

I don't know where you live, so I don't know how driving convenience figures into it.