More experience/instruction track - ASA? Great Lakes? Ocean?

[Tyler Rippel]

I'm pretty green, but am a huge learning geek and like to dive in and figure things out. I bought a Hunter 260 after sailing a Sunfish twice and crewing on a C-25 once. This was all 4 months ago or so. I've sailed 2-3 times a week since, and I am anxious to continue to learn more.

My boat is docked (while the docks are available in season) at a very small inland lake in Ohio, but since I have a trailer, I'd love to cruise to the small islands on Erie out of the Sandusky area at some point next year. I would also love to charter in the BVIs in the future. Those are my main two goals for the next couple years - overnight cruise on Erie, and chartering somewhere. In the mean time I plan on sailing often, and crewing for some of the cruising boat races at my club, racing the sunfish one design class, etc.

Would you recommend taking an ASA course 101-104 on Erie where I'd like to take my boat, or since I'd like to charter somewhere warmer at some point, would it be better to have some experience taking the ASA courses in the ocean? Any other thoughts welcome. Thanks!

 

[Alansails]

Tyler, I think you sound like me when I started sailing at age 40!
I believe you are on the right track as far as crewing with others, sailing other boats etc. ANY sailing time is good time as it is learning expierence, Sailing is a skill that no one ever masters.
There is nothing wrong with getting in contact with Sailing clubs on Erie (Sandusky Sailing Club and Port Clinton Yacht Club come to mind right away, that you can find out when they race or walk the docks and see if anyone is interested in crew. I have a friend who single hands his Catalina 30 all the time and is sometimes interested in crew and another who sails his Hunter 34 that would also be interested in crew, so there are opportunities out there.
My wife and I took ASA courses out of Pensacola Florida after we had been sailing for years and we still learned skills, but IMHO just getting out and doing it is s big skill builder.
We are on Catawba Island between Port Clinton and Sandusky, PM me if you need further information or contacts!
You are on the right track!

 

[jssailem]

If I was selling sailing instruction, I would tell you the only way you can charter a boat is by taking ASA classes. This would not be true.

What you will need is a resume demonstrating that you have the needed skills to manage a boat of the size you want to charter to the satisfaction of the charter company. Their decision will be based on their confidence that you will bring the boat back and satisfy the requirements they have agreed with their insurance company as to the skills a renter must have.

That said ASA classes are a fun way in a short time to be exposed to the skill set needed to safely sail a boat. I say exposed in the way a first year intern is exposed to surgery. He/she is not yet a surgeon. He/she has book learning not the experience.

Sailing when the breeze is pleasant and the sun is shining and your girlfriend is wearing that bikini you like, can be relatively easily accomplished with a short course.

But it is not those times you need to consider.

Are you ready to make split second decisions that can save your life. Like when your in fog with 100 yards visibility and you see 4 headlights headed at high speed towards the middle of your boat. Or do you have the endurance to develope a plan and execute it when you have been at the helm for 8-9 hours and the waves are 15-20 feet and the wind is blowing like snot and all you want to do is go into the cabin and lie down.

This type of knowledge can only be gained by experience and study of sailors who have lived through such conditions and lived to tell or write about it.

I would take your Hunter 26 up to Lake Erie and go for daysails in all sorts of weather. Get an understanding of your boat and your own capabilities. I am guessing that right now you do not know what you do not know. Talk to other sailors. Read about the sailing that others do that you want to do. Take a class if that is available. But above all sail your boat. And do what boat owners/captains have done for eons... Keep a log. Study the charts of the areas you are considering going. Know where the safe harbors are along the route you are planning to explore. Know how long it would take to get to one of these safe places from anywhere on the route.

Lake Erie is not like the Caribbean. Different water, different weather, different conditions, but you will learn the skills of boat handling that can be applied to both locations. Know how to Hove-to. Practice it.

You have so much fun ahead of you. Enjoy the journey. Fair Winds.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Erie Islands Sailing School http://www.erieislandssailingschool.com/ offers ASA sailing courses out of Sandusky Harbor Marina. The Admiral took a course from them, and recommends them.

Learning on the best cruising grounds near you has a lot of advantages. And what you learn anywhere in a good course will easily translate to any Charter destination I can think of, although each will have their local variations. Sailing, docking, anchoring, and piloting will take you where you want to go.

 

[BigEasy]

I would do ASA courses near your home port from a reputable school that also charters boats to qualified individuals. In addition to learn to sail from one who has experience, you'll also acquire valuable "local knowledge" about the area in which you will primarily sail. After completing a few ASA courses, the sailing school will readily allow you to charter their boats. Then you can start building a documented sailing resume that will enable you to charter progressively larger boats a locations of your choice. Have fun!

 

[Alansails]

John,
This is exactly why this site is the best, you follow up with better thoughts, We also brought our Catalina 25 up to Lake Erie for 6 Weeks, docked on Catawba island and tried out sailing on Erie-I had sailed Erie regularly previously, not just racing but cruising on others boats than brought up the Admiral on ours. Sailing with others who are more expierenced is a great way to learn, ASA courses is a great way to round out your expierence/resume. Like John Said, learn to heave to, reef, read a chart for the areas you sail. Lake Erie is a great adventure and will broaden your horizons, as John said it is beautiful to sail on a sunny light wind day with girlfriend in her bikini, and it is NOT the Caribbean , not that anyone is out on Erie today but the waves are 9' with Gale force winds-Lake Erie is the shallowest of the great lakes but is safe to sail-as with any body of water as long as you develop skills that you learn from sailing or courses that the State of Ohio puts on, ASA courses, or coast guard auxiliary courses-Now is the time to take one, being winter and cold, and the cost is very reasonable!
Enjoy, look forward to seeing you out there!

 

[David in Sandusky]

We love Sandusky because:

The bay itself is large (4x6 nm) sailing ground with lots of sights, good anchorages, a variety of ports, and protected sailing.

It gives easy access to the big lake, and the islands. Kelly’s Island and East Harbor are both close, and the Bass Islands are an easy sail with a number of anchorages and ports.

Avoiding nasty Summer weather is easy. Use a radar app to see fronts coming over Michigan or Indiana, and keep a watch out for pop up storms after 4 PM. The Islands provide substantial shelter from big waves. You never need to be out in anything bigger than 2-4 feet unless you want to try bigger waves. Your boat is very capable of sailing in 6 footers when you want to. And it takes time for waves to build up to that size - plenty of time to find refuge anywhere in the Islands.

Fair winds and following seas for your new adventure!

 

[Tyler Rippel]

Thanks everyone.

I have been sailing as much as possible and will continue to do more of the same as soon as the docks are back in at Atwood. I plan on reaching out to a friend of mine who crews for others on Erie and plan on taking some trips up there before I take my own boat, as well as crewing for Wednesday night races at my own club on Atwood (or potentially racing my boat, as the sailing fleet captain mentioned potentially adding a beginner class of cruising boat races).

I think I will likely end up taking courses with Erie Island Sailing School next season so I can get more experience on Erie and also on boats larger than my own. I think having instruction on Erie and more sailing at my own lake will help me with the confidence to take day cruises to the islands as well, and go from there.

My boat is a bit tender in gusts, so I have practiced reefing and did it semi regularly in the fall on some 20-25mph wind days. It is not set up for single line reefing from the cockpit, so trying to do it single handed is NOT fun, but with my wife along to go forward to the rams horn at the mast it's pretty simple.

Anyway, thank you again for the help!

 

[Will Gilmore]

And do what boat owners/captains have done for eons... Keep a log.

that's the best advice I've seen here. It's all good advice but, for someone who likes to learn, like yourself, the log book is invaluable. I would recommend you divide it into sections for your sailing time and experiences and your Boat's work/ maintenance/ upgrades... . include another section that just tracks your racing experience.
You will learn from the log and the process butt, it is also documentation. When diving, you are expected to keep a log and dive shops use that to determine if you need a refresher course or can just rent and go.
- Will (Dragonfly)