[Rhodes22-list] Offshore sailing classes

[Robert Quinn]

Mark:  This may be late as I believe I spotted another message where you
have decided to go another route.  As I happen to live in Stuart, Florida,
home of Chapman School of Seamanship, I decided to take their Bareboat
Chartering Course before Kathy and I took off on a bareboat charter down in
the BVI.  They are an American Sailing Association affiliated sailing school
so you have to "fill the squares."  I challenged the Basic Keelboat course
and completed the Basic Coastal Cursing and Bareboat Chartering course on
our sail over to the Bahamas.  It was a great experience that I truly
appreciated.  There were four of us on the sail: the instructor, a retired
Marine Gunny Sergeant, an Attorney from Charleston, and me.  We were on a
40' Endeavor (Shady Lady).

I had been sailing small boats for many years before launching on this
endeavor (smile, pun with the type boat).  Kathy and I were on a cruise ship
in the BVI and after seeing all of the sailboats bouncing around the
islands, we just had to do it.  I found that I knew a lot more than I
thought I did about sailing, sail trimming, man overboard drills, anchoring
(even tho I had not done that much of it), etc.  Diesel engines, MSD,
through hulls, windlasses, emergency tillers, battery secrets,  docking a
40' monster between two boats, standing watch, learning what all "those
lights really mean," getting a better feel for chart reading, etc. tho
were - to degrees - new.  Oh and did I mention, crossing the Gulf Stream
going and coming?

Our instructor was great - a bit of a character being a 50ish overweight
Anglo fellow with dreadlocks, beard and all (no he did not wear an eye
patch, have a hook or a peg leg  {:>)  ).  It was a great week that I would
not trade for anything.

Even with this behind us, when we bareboat chartered the firs time we went
did the Flotilla bit.  There were only three boats on the Flotilla - the
lead boat (he never lead) with the captain/mechanic and social director, a
boat with two couples from Africa (British Subjects working in Africa), and
Kathy and I on the third boat (three 35 footers).  The deal with the
Flotilla, as we found out, was only to help if needed - if you looked like
you knew what you were doing, they left you alone. Generally met up once a
day for a quick meeting on the plan of the day and to identify the next
anchorage.   The Social Director - actually they call her a Hostess - sets
up all of the dinners at the various anchorages/mooring areas and there in
lies the benefit of the Flotilla - social life.  We did the Flotilla a
second time but it had 17 boats - we dropped out and did out own thing only
joining up with the group for a couple of activities like the run to
Anegada, which requires a flotilla.  Since then we go on our own and find
our own social life - there are lots of one and two couple boats that you
seem to run into over the course of your charter.  We generally strike up
conversations which lead to meeting for a drink and possibly dinner as the
time goes on.

I have been back to Chapman to do the Coastal Navigation course and plan to
do the off shore course sometime in the future.

Hope this was not too boring.

Bob and Kathy on the "NoKaOi"