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Attendees of the American Sailing Association's first annual Members' Appreciation Week in Antigua overwhelmingly declared the event a success. 
Imagine a sailing event that offers unlimited sailing education, sailing instruction and so much more! No, it's not a dream; it's ASA's first annual weeklong members' event held at Club Colonna, Sunsail's sailing destination resort on Antigua, which kicked off July 1. ASA members had the opportunity to learn to sail till their hearts' content, swim, snorkel, windsurf, explore the island or just take it easy relaxing at the beach or pool.
Club Colonna had the perfect recipe for ASA's "American Sailing Week with something for everyone; great food (the best chocolate cake ever), comfortable accommodations, wonderfully attentive staff and the best water sports - with knowledgeable and fun sailing instructors!
SailTime was the event's major financial sponsor. Their generous support allowed ASA to send staff to Antigua to ensure the week's success.
We will keep you posted about the dates/details for next year's event at www.american-sailing.com.
The following are a few quotes from our sailing instructors and members:
"It was the first chance I've had to learn to sail, and I had a blast. Charlie and Kathy couldn't have picked a better destination than Antigua. The weather was beautiful, the water was awesome, and the members of ASA and the locals couldn't have been nicer. I strongly recommend attending whether you're a seasoned sailor, or a first timer (like myself). So no matter where the event will be next year, you can count me in."
"The ASA Antigua members' event was one not to be missed. Club Colonna was a wonderful choice of locations. The club staff catered to our every need. The food was good and plentiful. ASA pulled out the stops getting us upgraded to all inclusive and providing keelboats for our pleasure. A real sailor's delight!
The best-kept secret was the kids' club. If you're an ASA member with children, you were in for a treat. The Club Colonna staff took great care of our child while we played. They weren't just babysitting. The children stay busy from 8:45 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. doing activities that we couldn't have done. From every water sport at the club to field trips, scavenger hunts, pool-time swimming, kayaking and sailing, just to mention a few. We can't wait until next year's event.
- Capt. Steven W. Golden, Keota Lynn, & Elijah GoldenJonesboro, Ga.
"Susan and I would like to thank ASA, especially Kathy, for putting the trip to Antigua together. We had a blast! There was so much to do and so little time to do it - for both the sailing enthusiast and the non-sailor. Susan's favorite activities were the party at Shirley Heights and the girls' afternoon sail with Captain Charlie. I really enjoyed all the small boat sailing that was available and the conversations about sailing. It was really neat that I was able to earn my 110 Small Boat Certification while we were there. Thanks, Captain Dave, for putting together a great clinic. It was a wonderful vacation for both of us. We are signing up for next year's trip. Thanks again for the great time."
Dennis & Susan
Reno, Nev.
"The Antigua gathering was the best ASA event we have ever attended. What a great value! Who could ask for more? The Sunsail staff was amazing: great food and entertainment as well as a wonderful variety of both water- and land-based activities. Marsha and I can't wait until next year! We look forward to joining old ASA friends and making new ones."
Mike & Marsha Shalloway West Palm Beach, FL
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As a sailing instructor with Planet Hope/Capitol Sailboat Club, a non-profit ASA school, much of my time is spent teaching sailing lessons to inner-city teens. I see firsthand the impact the sport has on building character, teamwork and leadership sailing skills in young people. It has been a long-time dream to share an extended cruise with my own children. This past fall, since our family was already living aboard, the decision to head for the Bahamas to avoid winter seemed like a winning idea to everyone aboard. All seven of us! 
When our 43-foot sailboat Seven @ Sea pulls into an anchorage, it is not too surprising to find a crew of seven aboard. What is unique is the fact that only two are over ten years old (the parents).
Working together:
Usually, our two oldest boys, seven and eight, are the first to be seen on the foredeck, setting the anchor. Our daughter, age six, appears spreading out her towel and applying suntan lotion in the cockpit, and our four-year old son starts swinging in the bosun's’s chair attached to the spinnaker halyard. Just as the fingers from nearby boats start counting, my wife shows up on deck holding our two month old. The fingers drop and wagging heads disappear down their companionways after confirming to themselves that the parents of this tiny crew must be crazy.
As the captain of this crowded ship, I have to confess that to me, what would be crazy would be to miss this magical stage in my children’s lives. We decided to live the dream early on while our children were young and could still double up in tiny bunks. My wife Mary is the real hero. When we left Washington, D.C., her only sailing experience was crossing the Chesapeake Bay … once. I told her that crossing the Gulf Stream would be kind of like that. Did I mention that she was seven months pregnant? Little Noah, our fifth child, was born en route at a hospital in Florida before we crossed to the Abacos. Of course, Mary had a full two weeks to recover after giving birth before setting sail again.
Finding paradise:
The Abacos in the northern Bahamas was the perfect place for our family adventure, plenty of tropical islands to explore, but never more than a day-sail away from a store in which to replenish our Pampers supply.
Upon reaching the Abacos, we dropped the hook in Moraine Key, where there was nothing but a barrier reef separating us from the Atlantic Ocean. My oldest son, full of wonder, asked in a hushed tone, “Dad, is this paradise?” I replied in the deepest voice I could muster, “Why yes son, yes it is.” The older boys dove in with their spears to hunt dinner with me while the younger kids took the dinghy to the beach with mom to explore. Gathered back in the cockpit that evening, we feasted on fresh fish and conch chowder while telling of our exciting adventures of the day.
Cruising aboard a sailboat is a fantastic family activity. Of course, challenges abound, such as the time the dinghy engine conked out, stranding my wife ashore while I had a very hungry and upset nursing infant aboard. But working through each situation became something we overcame together. The kids help maintain the boat, trim sails, plot courses, forecast the weather and each one takes his or her turn on watch.
We were pleasantly surprised to find many cruising families who taught us much about living aboard. Our children have built in radar that senses kids on other boats even before we anchor. They now have friends from the Abacos, South America, Europe and Africa.
Funny, it has been months since our kids have watched TV, played video games or seen most of their shore-side toys, yet they have not asked for nor missed the stuff of home. Although the confines of living aboard with five children has its frustrations, cruising has allowed us to savor every minute of their youth. I wish we could have stayed in the Bahamas indefinitely!
With the exception of a few offshore jaunts, on the trip south, our timid crew stuck to the protected bays and rivers of the Intra coastal Waterway. On the way home though, we made the trip in a series of three offshore sailing voyages, which really made us feel like a “seasoned cruising family.”
Back on the Chesapeake Bay, with summer sailing classes in full swing, we decided to move ashore for a while. Our boat is being used in our sailing classes and programs and for sailing instruction; yet, on every visit to Seven @ Sea, our hearts are warmed with memories and our imaginations run wild dreaming of future voyages. While assessing if we can set off again to distant shores in the fall, my perspective is, “How can we afford not to?”
Jeff Bowen manages a non-profit sailing school in the Washington DC area that teaches sailing to at-risk teens. He is back at work but already dreaming of the next family adventure.
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ASA Executive Director Charlie Nobles attended the American Boating Congress in Washington, D.C., and met with several national political figures to represent the interests of the sailing and boating communities. He specifically addressed the issues of affordable water access that have adversely affected recreational sailors in many parts of the United States. 
Other key issues pursued by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) discussed during the three-day event on May 1-3 included addressing needed reforms for the Endangered Species Act and Wallop- Beaux Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, and offering support for the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act and the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act.
NMMA supports changes to the Endangered Species Act that will reduce litigation and thereby improve the act’s ability to preserve and recover endangered species and protect ecosystems and bio diversity.
Changes sought for the Wallop-Beaux Aquatic Trust Fund would recover excise tax funds currently being collected from anglers and boaters but not used by government for their intended use of dock and pier improvement, wetland conservation and sailing education.
Charlie Nobles Executive Director
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With a huge protected lagoon, generally light air, and a million places to explore or disappear, the island of Palau feels like paradise. Pleasant weather, friendly people and world class diving and fishing: What’s not to love? 
Conveniently, civilization is just around the corner for those so inclined. The “city” of Koror is nothing to write home about, but offers all the comforts of home: large, well-stocked grocery stores, banks, ATM's, internet cafes, great restaurants for all budgets, good taxi service, etc. Currency is U.S. dollar, and everyone speaks English. Americans are warmly welcomed and all visitors are treated in a casual, friendly manner.
Crime is minimal. The police are pleasant & helpful. It’s an easy place to arrive, fit in and feel at home. For those who like to remain active, there is a soccer league, Hash House Harriers, track and field, several gyms, an outrigger canoe club, aqua-fitness kayaking and more.
Yet, minutes away from the “city life” is a most incredible natural paradise ... stunning corals, incredible marine lakes, lots of fish, world-class diving, white, sandy beaches ... and not too many visitors. 2004 recorded the highest number of visitors ever in Palau - 90,000. This pales in comparison to most places that offer half of what Palau does.
Dive right:
in Diving is a big attraction in Palau, which is known for its big pelagic animals and incredible wall dives. Not so well known is the fact that there is a large sunken fleet of Japanese WW II vessels courtesy of the US Navy. All of the wrecks are located in or very close to Malakal Harbor and are accessible by dinghy.
Blue Corner is probably Palau’s best-known dive site and Chandelier Cave probably our most novel. Dive inside a limestone rock island ... most of the dive is actually conducted at the surface ... no need to exceed ten feet to enter. There are five separate chambers. A good free diver can easily do it without scuba.
For WW II history buffs, this is paradise. The Japanese heavily fortified Palau for many years before WW II broke out, and the remains of those fortifications are everywhere, many untouched. Planes and shipwrecks, caves, guns and bombs abound. Also, the island of Peleliu, just south of Koror, is the site of some of the largest battles in the Pacific.
Sailing Palau
Sailing is good all year round in Palau. However, the best weather season is considered from mid-December to late May. Palau generally has northeast trade winds during that time. It can get rainy and wet beginning in June. Also, late June to November is considered typhoon season. Palau is generally not considered to be in the typhoon track; however, they can and do spawn in the region and when they do, Palau is subjected to southerly winds, which can make the best diving impossible. Weather is always unpredictable, but barring a tropical depression in the neighborhood, the sailing is fantastic.
Inside Palau’s natural lagoon, waters run up to a depth of 120 feet. The western portion of the lagoon is large and offers great sailing. Additionally, there are plenty of wide open spaces to sail and also lots of sheltered coves to be explored.
The lagoon is huge and protected by a barrier reef on the west side. Hundreds of little islands provide a myriad of places to get in the lee and hide out. The main harbor area, Malakal Harbor - West in front of Sam’s Tours/ Royal Belau Yacht Club gives pretty good protection in all but the very worst of conditions. Royal Belau Yacht Club goes out of their way to make visitors welcome and offers a full service yacht club open to all to enjoy.
While there are no bareboat sail charter operators in Palau, captained charters are available. At the moment, the only boats available for rent on a daily basis are Lasers and Hobie “Waves” through the Palau Pacific Resort. There is a live aboard Cal 46, Eclipse, that operates out of Sam’s Tours that offers week-long sailing, diving and kayaking trips. Eclipse, operated by John Mc Cready is available for charter with captain and (awesome) cook/dive master.
Dermot Keane is the general manager at Sam’s Tours which is the official home of the Royal Belau Yacht Club and offers complete facilities for visiting yachts and local boaters including moorings, anchorage, dinghy dock, gas station, bar-restaurant, showers, water and trash service. They warmly welcome all yachts. He hopes to be able to put together a youth sailing program in Palau in the near future.
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Three people were rescued from the 35-foot sailing vessel Dulcinea 85 miles southeast of Cape Fear, N.C. After drifting for more than two days, the trio activated an Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. A C-130 airplane from Elizabeth City, N.C., was launched and quickly located the demasted sailboat. An HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was also launched and safely hoisted all three people aboard in 55 mile-per hour winds and 10-15 foot seas. 
The crew of the sailing vessel Dulcinea was lucky. They were lucky because they chose to carry onboard their vessel a non-mandated, somewhat expensive piece of safety equipment.
They were lucky because they remembered that they had this piece of equipment onboard their vessel, and they were lucky because they triggered the EPIRB and were rescued in short-order.
What is an EPIRB? An EPIRB is a device that costs anywhere from $200 to $1500, depending on the Class or Category, and optional features of the device. Today, if a boater were to purchase an EPIRB, the Coast Guard recommends the following types:
Category I - 406/121.5 MHZ. This model floats-free, and is an automatically activated EPIRB. It is detectable by satellite anywhere in the world. Recognized by GMDSS.
Category II - 406/121.5 MHZ. Similar to Category I, except is manually activated. Some models are also water activated.
A simple decision
If you sail off-shore or in areas that are not transited regularly by other boaters, you should strongly consider purchasing an EPIRB. If you boat in an area frequented by many other boaters, think about the number of times you’'ve helped a boater in distress, and then rethink your decision (especially if it’s against spending the money) and buy an EPRIB.
Buy quality So you’'ve purchased a 406 MHz EPIRB. Congratulations - you have your new EPIRB!
Remember, older models are not recommended and are considerably less accurate. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. So, spend a little more money, even though you may find the deal of a lifetime on eBay!
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The Challenge:
Over the years, I have trained sailors around the country on a variety of sailboats with generally mixed opinions about the boats. Several schools used boats that I thought were too performance oriented. Common drawbacks on these boats were complicated rigging and lack of room on deck. When a training vessel has too many lines coming into the cockpit, a novice sailor who needs to focus on basics can be intimidated and confused. Performance sailboats by design are rigged for racing, not training. This design approach tends to result in the boat being cramped both above and below decks. 
My requirements:
I sought a boat that was rigged in a simple, straightforward manner. A large cockpit would allow for easy movement and comfort. Roomy side decks for safe access to the bow would be helpful for anchoring drills. A fixed keel (fin or wing) and good sailing characteristics were necessary so students would not be confronted with odd boat behavior when training. A boat that was too stiff or too tender would also pose problems to sailing students.
The Capri 22:
In 2001, I began using the redesigned Capri 22 as a Basic Keelboat training vessel and sailing club boat. My instructors agree that it is well suited to these functions. The Capri 22 delivers all the qualities I sought for training at a reasonable price. It affords other virtues such as low-maintenance for the staff. While the below deck accommodations are Spartan, there is plenty of room to stow gear and equipment. A porta potti head and privacy curtain allow the call of nature to be satisfied for those longer day sails. Most importantly, this boat responds quickly to adjustments at the helm while being sure and predictable on all points of sail.
The Capri 22 is a good choice for someone looking for a (very) affordable sailboat designed for on-deck comfort. It is not intended primarily as a “camper” sailboat. Though it holds six, this would make for cramped conditions overnight. Rather than trying to squeeze lots of features and comforts into 22 feet, Catalina has wisely chosen to provide ample wide-open spaces on deck. All in all, the Capri 22 is a tremendous value for a boat that can be purchased brand new for under $20,000.
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Title: The Brightwork Companion Author: Rebecca J. Wittman Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2004 Format: 176 pages, paperback
Although by trade I am a professional woodworker, I learned much from The Brightwork Companion by Rebecca J. Wittman. I must admit that I was eager to read this beautifully executed, insightful “how to” guide because I was just preparing to do some exterior refinishing work to some teak on our own 40-foot sailboat. 
The author takes you from methodology and basic facts about varnishes, to precisely what products and tools are available to the average boater. This approach and Wittman’s thorough discussions over thirteen and one half chapters succeed in making the often arduous job of refinishing woodwork on a boat a bit easier.
Wittman’s logical organization and format of the book work in sequence of how real brightwork projects are completed, from planning and stripping, to sanding and finishing. Even though this book has detailed information, she does not get bogged down or go “overboard.” The format she uses to describe each section of work breaks down smoothly into categories, such as materials, tools and safety gear. It also includes optimal weather conditions and proper attire. A brief but thorough, and sometimes humorous, explanation is given for all the steps required. It seems that this author did not leave out anything I would need to have full confidence in tackling the brightwork project I have in mind on our sailboat. That project, by the way, is to refinish the teak around the cockpit dodger area, where the dodger meets the fiberglass deck.
Many high quality, beautifully executed color photographs adorn this book, showcasing some marvelously finished brightwork. The only complaint in that regard is that I would have preferred to see some additional photographic illustrations of the process being addressed as well as some before and after work. That said, the photography is excellent.
Now that I have read The Brightwork Companion, I feel compelled to read one of the authors’ earlier works, Brightwork: The Art of Finishing Wood. This is not because The Brightwork Companion is incomplete (it certainly has all one would need to tackle a brightwork project.) It was so well done that I would like to read more of her work!
I am sure that as I tackle my own brightwork projects on our sailboat I will refer back to this book time and time again. This will allow me to do a superior job and have better looking and longer lasting brightwork, which affords me additional time to enjoy sailing with my family.
Jeffrey J. Schwartz along with wife, Deborah Marks Schwartz, successfully completed the ASA Basic Keelboat Sailing Standard and Basic Coastal Cruising Standard programs, before purchasing their 1996 Beneteau Oceanis 400 sailboat. Jeffrey, a professional woodworking contractor in Miami, Fla., also performs various marine services and distributes a revolutionary new line of military marine grade stabilized binoculars.
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Mobility. I’m struck by our addiction to mobility. I guess you would say I’m pretty mobile. I live more in Japan now than I do in the States. Currently, I’m in my hovel midway up the side of a mountain on the edge of the desert in California. I’m in California four months this year and Japan eight. I stopped by the ASA office on my way to a chandlery to get some parallels before I go to my CON class in Marina del Rey. At the moment I had two different parallels in Japan but none here. The other tools I had here were a hodgepodge of makeshift tools stuffed in a Target bag. I happened to mention my plight while at ASA, and they offered me a four-piece navigation set from Weems and Plath configured for ASA. The only hook was that I had to write a review of it for the American Sailing Journal. A new parallel alone at the store will be 20 bucks … so I took the deal. Included with the kit was a canvas packet, the Weems and Plath NaviTote (#325 retails for $24.99), the Weems Parallel Plotter (#120 retails for $19.94), an Ultra light Dividers/Compass (#176, retails for $18.89), and a Nautical Slide Rule (#105 retails for $17.84). 
I proceeded to my CON class with the NaviTote and tools. So these were the test conditions: use the NaviTote and the tools to complete the 12-hour Coastal Navigation Sailing Class offered in four three-hour sessions over two weeks, 100 miles from my home in California. Will the NaviTote withstand 800 miles of LA freeways? Will the parallel survive the bounce from the seat to the floor of the VW van? Can I use the Nautical Slide Rule to determine the time it takes to drive the freeways in the commuter periods?
The NaviTote is 22 inches wide and 27 long when unfolded. The top flips down to make it 13.5 inches long. Then the side can be folded over in two ways: into thirds or in half. If you fold into thirds, the final tote will be seven inches wide by 14 inches long by three inches thick with minimal equipment. If you fold it in half, it will be 10.5 wide by 14 long and about two inches thick.
The top half of the opened tote is a large pocket with a Velcro patch to hold notebooks or papers. The bottom half has five tool compartments and three pencil holders. I’m convinced the tote is a well-constructed package for carrying your navigational instruments.
Now, I beseech you, good reader; how does one evaluate instruments like dividers?
Well, the Ultra light Divider/Compass is by far superior to the compass in my Target bag that came from the grocery. The Ultra light, made in Germany, weighs three ounces. The center wheel, single-handed operation is smooth and firm. I found these easy to use and very accurate. The only problem I found was with storing the dividers in the tote. I did not want to replace them in the plastic container in which they arrived. So I found an old flexible case for glasses and slipped the dividers in. Then I put the glasses case in the tote. This gave the tote another layer of protection from the points on the dividers.
My CON instructor did not ban the Weems Parallel Plotters, but he recommended another tool, the Weems Zweng Course Protractor. In his 32 years of navigation experience he had evaluated most of the tools on the market. The class members used every kind of plotter offered by Weems and Plath. (But we also gave the protractor a test.) Two students used parallel rulers. Four folks trained on the protractor. The remaining three used plotters. I used both the parallel plotter and the protractor. A navigator using plotters is like a carpenter using a ruler – measure at least twice before cutting. One comment, the protractor is a little long for the folded tote. And the protractor is made of clear plastic. I’m experimenting with using a red sock over the protractor in the tote; this will, maybe, remind me that the protractor is in the tote. If I am successful with this experiment, I’ll take out a patent for the use of all those stray socks in sock drawers across the nation …
The NaviTote survived the freeway CON class test. Each of the tools performed to their specifications. The next major test will be a trans-Pacific in mid October followed by experiments on Japanese charts of the Inland Sea. I expect no deviation or variation errors.
Bill is an ASA BKBI instructor and an owner of Bill’s Little Informal Sailboat School in Japan.
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Key Tips for Optimizing Mainsail Power Part I of a 4-part series on proper sail trim and shape
The primary considerations in controlling sail power are sail trim, shape and twist. Over the years, we have accepted the fact that when the winds over the water (true) are lower velocity (light), it is best to make the sails fuller (power up); and in strong winds, it is best to make them flat (power down). 
The mainsail shape is obtained by adjustment of the halyard, downhaul, Cunningham, outhaul, boom vang, mast bend and mainsheet tension.
As a sailor drives the boat to windward in a breeze, it is often noted that the main sheet is over-trimmed and the outhaul is loose causing the battens to angle to windward. This induced drag at the tight leach is very slow and causes excessive heeling in a breeze.
In strong winds when sailing to windward, tighten the main halyard, downhaul or Cunningham, and clew outhaul to move the sail draft into the designed position. A fractional rig mast may be bent forward in the middle to flatten (de-power) the mainsail. The vang can be tightened for leach tension and reduction of twist if necessary and the traveler can be eased to leeward particularly in the gusts. As the vessel is sailed off the wind, the boom moves out over the water. The traveler becomes less effective for sail twist and the boom vang becomes more effective.
Paul Miller has been the owner and operator of the California Sailing Academy and Coast Guard School at Marina del Rey, Calif., since 1968. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and did his graduate studies at George Washington University. As an officer, he returned to the Naval Academy as a sailing instructor and sailing coach. He and his wife Jeanne are full-time instructors at the California Sailing Academy.
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