Conference unifix::sailing

Sailing lessons are EXTREMELY expensive. Don't even think about taking 
them. We foolishly did, which promptly led to buying our first boat, 
which led to buying our Valiant 32, which led to buying all sorts of 
expensive equipment, which led to sailing to Bermuda, which led to 
thinking about early retirement and circumnavigation ...........

:-)

RE:.0 by 21006::MCKEOWN

> Does anyone have information on the average cost of sailing lessons?

How much do you want to spend?  For about $200 you can get a season of 
lessons at Community Sailing in Worchester and unlimited use of their boats.
The lake is not that exciting,  but the people are very good.

I am sure that you can spend much more:  several years ago I saw an ad for a
class by Dennis Conner (or some one like him:  don't remember and don't care)
that was a couple of grand for a 3 day weekend!  Airfare and lodging extra!


Phil

RE:.0, 

Another inexpensive source of lessons can be local yacht clubs.  Sandy Bay 
Yacht Club in Rockport offers lessons in one-month blocks, usually weekday 
evenings, for maybe $150 or so.  The equipment is pretty clean and good 
(Mercury Javelins, mostly), and if you join the club ($75/yr!) you can 
take out a number of club-owned boats for a small donation towards 
maintenance, usually around $5/hr is what most people pay -- Bullseye, 
Rhodes 19, etc.  Plus the locale is pretty sweet!

Eastern Point YC in Gloucester also offers a similar deal; there must be 
programs like this in several spots along the North and South Shores.  
It's the distinctly non-commercial approach to lessons; most instructors 
are college kids on vacation, many of them certified and pretty good at 
at, too.

J.

    
    My wife and I spent a week's vacation attending the Annapolis Sailing
    School St Croix "campus".
    
    It was a great vacation as well as a complete introduction to sailing
    for the two of us who had never sailed before.
    
    In December, (high-season) we spent about $2700 as follows:
    
    $790 tuition for both of us.
    $750 RT air fare from NY
    $500 room at the hotel next to school (included breakfast)
    
    Several hundred dollars on fine dinners each nite (vacation, right),
    and a few bucks each day for lunch.  Then some money for souvenirs
    for our five kids, etc.
    
    For this we got five days of complete, but basic sailing instruction
    on a 24' proprietary sloop called a Rainbow.  We are now competent
    basic sailors.
    
    We enjoyed learning while on vacation, the physically demanding
    part as well as our instructor drilling us unmercifully, but properly
    kept our minds off work.
    
    We may take more classes from them in the future since we like going
    to warm climates on vacation, and we've been hooked on sailing as
    a result.  They offer a full curriculum of courses culminating in
    a several week offshore cruising class which is conducted while
    you ferry some boats from Annapolis to St. Croix in the Fall.
    
    There is an 800# for Annapolis Saling School.  I'll post it if there
    is any interest.
    
    Bruce

    Hi!  Can you give a little more description of what you have done
    in sailing, and what you wish to accomplish?  Are you interested
    in day sailing or possibly racing (later), or cruising. etc. ??
    

    My wife had a very positive sailing experience last June at New
    England Sailing School, on Great Bay in Durham N.H. The cost for
    3 days of instruction on a Rhodes 19 was around $300, and resulted
    in a certificate from the American Sailing Assn.
    
    We ran into this outfit at the Boston Sailbaot Show. Mal Sandberg
    is the owner. I wouldn't be suprised if he is at the show which
    starts today in Boston, at the Expo Center.
    
    Bill
    

    
    		We can arrange for sailing lessons on Lake Geneva (Switz.)
    at a special low cost fee, which is partly subsidised by our local
    Declub, but the air fare, for you to cross the pond might be off
    putting.
    		However, if you are coming this way, keep this in mind,
    & good luck with your sailing school search.

    Another place to look at, in the Boston area, is right downtown
    at the Boston Harbor Sailing Club.  It has been mentioned a couple
    of times in these notes before, about the club and what they provide
    but if you need more info just let me know.  I have joined this
    year and expect to take a couple of courses.  I hope to enroll my
    daughter in their basic sailing course also.  Will keep posted how
    the year turns out.  I joined the Pearson 26 @ $1199.  
    
    `Charlie'

WRT BOSTON HARBOR SAILING CLUB:

I was a member for a few years, and enjoyed it. You don't need to become a
season member (starting around $600 for 5-day Soling) in order to take lessons.
You can do a month membership and take group or individual lessons. 
A 'course' from them ran around $150 two years ago - plus another $150 or so 
for a month's membership. If you have a boat or access to one, they will 
do the lesson's there, and you don't even need to become a sailing member.
There are (of course) MORE courses you can take after the basic sailing 
course...

Also, there is no licensing per se for recreational sailing. If you are
intending to learn with an eye toward chartering, there is a certification
(ASA I think), which BHSC has courses for, which more and more Caribbean and
Med charterer's seem to be accepting as a reference. Then there is a 
Master's Ticket - but you had better be prepared for a LOT of boating.

    I used this last summer to check around into the sailing clubs, mostly
    3 in the Boston area, Boston Sailing Club, Boston HArbor Sailing Club
    and Coast Sailing School in Marblehead.  They all look very good.  I
    took Basic Coastal Cruising ($125) and NIght Sailing ($95) from Boston 
    Harbor Sailing Club.  I then discovered a brand new club called the
    Avdenturer Sailing Club in Portsmouth RI (on Narragansett Bay).  I have
    since joined that club and have found that I like the offerings of this
    club best.  See my notes in 184 for evaluation of the club.
    
    Paul