long courses
before signing up on a chapman's course - find out about a royal yachting course on the south coast of britain. 3 onths from start to ocean yachtmaster certificate (except the cross-atlantic voyage which you can do later).the course is conducted near cowes which is the mecca of sailing, home of the royal yacht squadron, etc., etc. one of the schools - two that i know of there - has princess anne as patron so i hope this serves as a pretty good reference.seeing that you mean business as it were! the schools are on the good old british tidal south coast and will stand you in good stead for wide experience for the future. do not always expect the clearest of weather every day early on in the year - but this always best for experience later in your sailing 'career'. - two hours by train to london.the r.y.a. courses are recognized by the government and controlled by such to meet the similar standards set by the coast guard here in the u.s. in fact the last twelve months the coast guard here has taken steps to recognize the r.y.a. qualifications.most of the younger graduates take their first payed jobs with charter companies around the virgin islands as skippers where there is no problem with green cards, etc.the yachting world has adverts of the schools and the royal yachting association can be contacted through its web site.the courses are called 'fast track'.hope the above will prove of some use. - i know as someone who is, at last, ready to take sailing pretty seriously having done a fair lot previously, i am seriously considering taking the course. in britain the expense is allowable against taxable income.jon.p.s. if you want to have accomodations better than the schools can offer - which are pretty good anyway - if you attend earlier in the year, appartment rentals, etc. are pretty reasonable in the area.pps. good to make short sails across to the channel isles - and west coast of france.