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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

1911.0. "Intermediate sailing lessons" by VOX::MORRIS (Tom Morris - IVV Voice Engineering) Tue Aug 18 1992 03:29

There are lots of notes on sailing schools, but I can't seem to find
one with the answers that I'm looking for.

I know the basics of sailing and raced Sunfish for several years when I
was younger, but my 'big boat' experience is limited to a few day sails
and a week in Corsica last year on a First 35s5.  I don't feel very
comfortable with boats 25+ ft and I'd like to learn more skills specific
to them such as jib trimming, handling under power (esp. docking), and
spinnaker setting/striking.  I'm also going to be crewing in the Nioulargue
in St. Tropez in September.  I doubt I'll have any heavy duty 
responsibilities, but a little 'big boat' racing experience/knowledge
couldn't hurt.  My last goal is to get enough knowledge, certification,
whatever else is needed, so that I could do bareboat charters this winter.
I can read a chart and plot simple course, but I wouldn't mind some more
formal navigation training.  I don't think I really need any instruction
on seamanship, knots, etc.

So, given all that, what's the best way to go about learning the things
that I want to learn?  Is there a school which would be good?  Any
recommendations?  Would it be better to just head down to the coast and
try to find a boat that I can crew on to get more sailing time under
my belt?

On a related note, I have a friend visiting next week who would be qualified
to charter a boat, so I was thinking that chartering a boat in Mass or RI for
a few days would be a good way to have some fun and get some experience
at the same time.  I was thinking of renting something 25'-30' for a few
days.  What are rates likely to be like?  What type of certification, if any
is needed for the charter?  One possibility would be to rent on the Cape and
do the crossing to Nantucket.  Is this a reasonable thing to attempt from
the point of view of cost, slip space in Nantucket, etc?  Any recommendations
for good charter companies?  Recommendations on other nice places to spend
a few days sailing?  (I'd prefer warm water, so would lean towards the Cape
and south, rather than Maine, etc)

That's a lot of questions.  If anyone wants to tackle answering even just one
or two, I'd appreciate it.

Tom

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1911.1	I'd recommend N.E.S.S.	UNIFIX::FRENCH	Bill French 381-1859	`Tue Aug 18 1992 09:29`	11
	New England Sailing School, at Wentworth Marina, (Newcastle N.H.) has a variety of courses, including those leading to bareboat certification. My wife took their basic sailing course, and I would recommend the owner / main instructor (Malcom Sandberg) highly. All of their courses carry ASA certification. You may have to test through the basic courses to take the more advanced courses. You may also find Mal listed in the Durham N.H. exchange. Bill
1911.3		VOX::MORRIS	Tom Morris - IVV Voice Engineering	`Tue Aug 18 1992 22:04`	12
	re: .1 Thanks for the recommendation, Bill. re: .2 > Would you like to borrow a 26' Pearson, free? This is some kind of setup, right? I can borrow it free right after I scrape and repaint the hull or something similar. Seriously though, I am potentially interested. I'll follow up via mail.
1911.4	I deleted the offer in .2	OLDTMR::FRANCEY	M/L&CE SECG dtn 223-5427 pko3-1/d18	`Wed Aug 19 1992 09:45`	14
	re .-1 Gee, now I feel kind of yucky! If you doubt my integrity, I think it's best for me to retract my offer. You're probably right, it's better for you to charter the way you were planning. I hope you have a nice vacation. Regards, Ron ps: I'm going to delete the offer note now.
1911.5	Chartering	GIAMEM::SEUFFERT		`Wed Aug 19 1992 16:02`	19
	If you want to sail Cape Cod for a few days, let me know when you'll come up here and I'll take you out. After the school days start, I'm on my own again anyway as my family is busy with school etc. Autumn in the Cape lasts well into October, and unlike the past two years, I intend to keep the boat in the water as long as I can. I have a 42' ketch moored in Falmouth, Ma. She's a heavy displacement cruiser but sails great. I easily run her myself, but don't mind company of up to three other people. I can't let you take her yourself, but you're welcome to go sailing with me for a weekend, possibly a long one. Nantucket is an easy four hour sail from Falmouth depending on the tide. The Vineyard and other Elizabethan islands are also in easy range. Let me know if you're interested. I'm on A1 @ako.
1911.6	Apology	VOX::MORRIS	Tom Morris - IVV Voice Engineering	`Fri Aug 21 1992 21:19`	14
	re: .4 Please accept my apologies Ron. Although I'll admit to being surprised by your generous offer to let a complete stranger borrow your boat, I certainly didn't doubt your integrity. If you go back and re-read what I wrote, you'll see that the second paragraph begins "Seriously though", the implication being that the previous paragraph wasn't serious. In fact, it was an attempt at humor, but one which obviously wasn't appreciated. I'm sorry for having offended you. It wasn't intentional. Tom
1911.7	over-reacting by me.	OLDTMR::FRANCEY	M/L&CE SECG dtn 223-5427 pko3-1/d18	`Mon Aug 24 1992 09:42`	39
	Tom, I also apologize for over-reacting. As you probably know, WANG the day before just filed for Chapter 11 and was expected to lay off 5K of its 12K people - which since has been upped to 8K. This news kind of had me feeling a bid nauseas and you were the first person I could kick at- not a good response from me. My boat is insured and would remain insured if you had used it COMPLETELY free. I supply the gas and anything else. The slightest money you "donate" could very likely come back to be interpreted by my insurance company as "chartered". This could have all kinds of bad ramifications. The boat has a good set of intruments (most everything except radar) so you really would have to have bad luck to do anything worse than I've done. Let's see - this year so far I came up on a flat rock as I was trying to get our new pup close to some seals and had to wait for 4 hours before I could back her off (3" X 15" scar at the water line with a light crack where the boat rocked with the waves on the rocks), and on and on. And so it's a week later and a Monday and so many people at Digital are wondering if the bell tolls for them, today. I'm glad my wife and I were able to go out for a peaceful weekend, no thoughts about work, not many thoughts about the woes of the masses of people. We sailed Friday night to Biddeford Pool arriving about 2:00am and the stars were magnificent. We swam with the dog until mid-afternoon Saturday and then went out to watch the internationally rated Rhodes races ... I hope your weekend went well with your friend and yourself - and that your job is secure. Regards, Ron