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Frequently Asked Questions: Caribbean
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I see no experience necessary often in your
literature, can I just sail without any expectations of certification or
learning?
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I'm a sailing novice, a beginning
sailor, what's important in
learning to sail
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When
is a good time to move to Catamarans?
- I'm coming to you without formal
training or from another program. How can I participate?
I see no experience necessary often in your
literature, can I just sail without any expectations of certification or
learning?
The short answer is yes. We are pretty good at getting the right experience
levels aboard vessels to make and keep them safe. This often means that there
are two to four slots open on even our most advanced offshore adventures and
courses for "little to no experience folks." We typically interview you by phone
or email, requesting what exactly you would like to do? What are your dreams and
expectations? How can we meet all or most of them?
I'm a sailing novice, a beginning
sailor, what's important in learning to
sail?
In a nutshell, the right boat for the
right class is critical. We strongly
believe that adults are best taught on
smaller keelboats in the 19 to 23 foot
range rather than much larger keelboats.
This said, there are exceptions and there are circumstances which make a larger
boat even in the forty foot range reasonable. One of these exceptions is when a
family takes a course together. It is difficult to impossible to expect that all
members will be on the same level of experience. One of the great benefits is
that everyone "speaks the same language" in a course like this and your most
likely crew, your family, can grow comfortable and confident together. The
disadvantage is that it is more difficult for the novice or beginning
sailor, to get a "feel" of the boat and how it
interacts with the wind and waves. This
"feel" develops from various maneuvers
under sail and power. The "feel" is easier gained
from the smaller keelboat experience
which then transfers very well to larger
keelboats.
The second critical element in adult
sailing instruction is that the boat
does not tip over. Almost all adults and
a large majority of kids (of all ages)
do not like "unscheduled" swims. This is
why we do not teach adults on really
small boats which have great "feel" but
they insert a "wariness" into the
process which is detrimental,
unnecessary and easily avoided if
keelboats are used.
When is a good time to
move to big Cruising Catamarans?
The short answer is when it suits your needs. Big cruising catamarans do a
few things that monohulls can not. Cruising Cats offer distinct and very
separate sleeping quarters. They offer a galley up on the top deck so that you
can see out and around both underway and at anchor. They are far more stable to
get on to and off of than most monohulls especially in any kind of waves or
surge. The Cruising Cat offers significant, useable deck and cockpit space. They
generally carry larger, friendlier dinghies for their size. Do you want to bring
your teenage kids and their friends? Put them in the opposite hull of your
catamaran. Do you want to bring your mother, mother-in-law . . . almost anyone
will feel comfortable on this platform.
I'm coming to you without formal
training or from another program. How can I participate?
Very easily. We typically talk about your experiences over the phone or via
email. We'll recommend where you fit based on your experience and what you
really want to do. Typically this comes up with folks who have a lot of
experience and want to do an offshore or other advanced course. You can always
challenge a pre-requisite course in order to obtain your American Sailing
Association (ASA) credentials. If that is not where you want to go, what we are
really looking for is the right experience for both you and the others on the
boat. We often take relative rookies on offshore passages as long as we have
enough depth of experience in other crew members to ensure safety of the crew
and boat. We are very flexible within reason.
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