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As the small boat was pushed quickly by the steady 20-knot breeze towards the shallows, the helmsman worked furiously with assurance to release the rudder from its gudgeons before the tiny “yacht” grounded. 
The young captain calmly ordered the trio of pre-teens to release the spar and drop the sail, pull out their oars and slow the motor-less vessel.
She wiggled the rudder free just in time to help her crew confidently paddle the ten-foot skiff they named The Island successfully through the foot-tall breakers that occasionally came over the bow.
The maiden voyage of the freshly built boat was part of another enriching day of team building completed by the latest participants in the Kids Aboard Academic Boat Building Workshop held with a group of 25 home-school students (along with some of their parents) from seven to 14 years old. The students spent two weeks constructing three ten-foot wooden vessels, including the paddles, sail rigs, leeboards, rudders and outboard motor mounts.
“The boats actually float and really sail!” exclaimed Courtney Curri, the young captain of The Island. “The boats didn’t even leak at all and we built them ourselves!”
Curtis & MaggiLu Tucker, sailing instructors of the academic boat-building workshop, work with kids through schools, homeschool groups, yacht clubs and scout groups. The Tuckers are former classroom teachers with 15 years of experience between them in Europe, South America and the US. Both are bilingual, and Curtis is maintaining his teaching certifications in several states. Curtis also holds a USCG 50-ton master’s captain’s license. He lived aboard his 26-foot sailboat beginning in 1992, and the couple lived aboard their 35-foot sailing catamaran with their first three daughters until 2005 when they had their fourth daughter. They miss living aboard but still sail often for as long as possible.
When they saw how healthy, wholesome and mentally stimulating the boating and sailing lifestyle was for their children, they embarked on a mission to inspire other families to get their kids out on the water. The Kids Aboard Academic Boat Building Workshop draws from their classroom experience, love of boating and sailing, as well as Curtis’ knowledge and experience from working as a captain.
Throughout the workshops, the Tuckers lead and inspire their sailing students through academic sailng lessons centered around the hands-on project of building a boat. The building aspect of the workshop and studying the blueprints of the boat design allow lessons in geometry and algebra to be introduced with ease. The workshop always begins with the safety practices and the proper use of simple tools needed throughout the basic building project of putting together the ten-foot skiffs. Research projects and essay writing about maritime history and natural science, as well as daily journaling, form an integral part of the workshops as well. Because sailing combines the principles of aero-dynamics and hydrodynamics, and requires knowledge of how this relationship works, it logically welcomes some lessons in physical science to be integrated with the basic sailing and boat handling sailing instructions.
The Tuckers tailor the workshops to the participants’ needs according to the parents’ and teachers’ goals and desires. Some of the workshops have lasted for four days and consisted mainly of building, water safety, boat handling, sailing principles and launching with races, while other workshops have lasted for six weeks and have included many academic activities.
“Being out on the water opens up a whole new world for many kids,” said Curtis Tucker. “We give them a taste of what they can do, what they can build, and an idea of some of what they need to achieve success. We’re showing them how their math skills are used in practical, everyday ways, and then we interest them in science with the marine environment. The kids don’t even realize that they are learning so much. They think that they are just building a boat while doing a couple writing exercises.”
“Sailing and building this boat takes team work. That’s a main lesson that we emphasize for the kids to learn to sail at the workshop,” said Tucker. “Sailors and mariners count on each other in many ways. We demonstrate how being part of a team brings a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, and they come away with a higher sense of esteem and community.”
The final day of the workshop is filled with a celebration and the launching of the freshly built vessels. Everyone takes part in sail races and paddle races, and then the kids test out the versatility of the ten-foot crafts by going fishing with rods and reels, and cast nets. The workshop culminates with a presentation of awards and sailing certificates for sportsmanship and achievements, as well as for excellence in the academic projects and presentations made throughout the workshop.
The goals of the Kids Aboard Academic Workshops are for the youth, through building and sailing an extremely simple and stable boat, to become aware of and experience the importance of striving for excellence, team participation, success and a wonderful and thriving marine environment.
Recent statistics show that if a child doesn’t get into boating or sailing before the age of 14, there is a very slim chance that he will ever develop an interest in the continued from page 3 FEATURE STORY sport. Activities such as the Kids Aboard Academic Boat Building Workshop can really be an outreach to groups of kids who would otherwise never have anything to do with boats, much less sailing. If the sport and lifestyle of sailing is to grow, efforts need to be made now to build sailors and marine stewards for the future.
“What we are seeing being built in these workshops,” said Curtis, “are kids who are becoming interested in being safe and intelligent sailors and nautical, community-minded citizens. It’s really happening and it’s more than we ever expected.”
Kids aboard can be contacted through their web site at www.KidsAboard.com.
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The famous Greek philosopher Plato, born 427 BC, once said “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.”
This quote seems to be appropriate for this beautiful life-changing story. Several years ago, I wrote an article for the American Sailing Association newsletter and was happy when it was printed, thus sharing what I believe to be an amazing story of love. 
A sailor sometimes never knows just what may be waiting in the next port. Isn’t that why we love this amazing sport? I thought it would be nice to follow up the story I wrote several years ago with an update on that crazy adventure.
Sailing has taken me to the most remote places on the planet. After sailing for years throughout the Caribbean, as well as having the opportunity to sail New Zealand and most of the Mediterranean, I still get butterflies every time I sail into a new place. On a boat, a sailor knows that she can duck into small coves or linger for hours in that one particular harbor enjoying the tranquil beauty of nature. A couple of years ago, I found that one particular magical harbor on a truly magical island called Symi. Sometimes it just happens like that. Magical moments of discovery cannot be planned - they just appear. Sometimes they appear quietly sneaking up on you; and, at other times, they grab your heart sweeping you away to places you would never have imagined. That is what happened on the island of Symi.
A magic island
Symi is a small Greek island, part of the Dodecanese group of islands. At one location, the island is only nine miles from mainland Turkey. Symi has a strong and interesting shipbuilding history as well as being famous for deep-sea sponge diving. In more recent history, 1912, the island of Symi, together with the rest of the Dodecanese, came under Italian occupation. On May 8, 1945, the protocol of the deliverance of the Dodecanese to the allies was signed and on March 7, 1948, Symi was incorporated into Greece. Today, Symi is actually a popular vacation destination visited frequently by Italians, Germans and English, but rarely by Americans. The Italian history, along with the close proximity to Turkey, explains the beauty of the architecture.
Approaching Symi harbor by water (there is no airport in Symi), the landscape becomes clear in front of one’s eyes. One wonders whether what they see is a theatre stage. The houses of Symi dominate the rocks and cascade down the hills. Built high above the sea, the houses are a combination of Neo-Classical architecture and Italian beauty characterized by their intense colors of blues, indigo and yellow with terracotta roofs. The sheer beauty takes your breath away as you sail into this tiny and, at times, chaotic harbor.
A simpler life
The story began the day I stepped off the boat for the first time in Symi several years ago. I found myself instantly drawn to one of the alluring water-side cafes. Mediterranean life, in particular Greek daily life, is generally a slower, more leisurely pace of life. It is hypnotic. It draws you in, making you wonder why you ever race around in your car, own a cell phone or eat fast food.
For all of America’s modern advances and so-called life “improvements” that make us the richest nation in the world, it is sad when you realize that somehow our daily lives are nothing more then rushed fleeting moments. Taking time to slow down and live more simply, you realize that you are somehow more rich and fulfilled in this alluring slow-paced life. What was going to be two days spent on Symi actually ended up being more like two weeks. Having changed my airline ticket return date - twice - and having called friends and family to say I was not coming home as planned, I proceeded to simply enjoy each day as it came.
My mornings started with a simple Greek breakfast of home-made yogurt with honey and pistachios and the obligatory piping hot coffee at my local cafe. On my third morning there, a small stray, a sad-looking black and white dog with a funny face and crooked tail, buried herself under my feet and table. Although the owner of the cafe yelled at her every morning, she refused to budge and instead stayed planted between my feet. She returned morning after morning without fail and stared at me with sad but loving eyes.
As the two weeks unfolded, somehow that little dog managed to find me where ever I happened to be - whether at dinner, on the beach or mopeding to the other side of the island. I knew it was meant to be on the day I had traveled by moped over five kilometres from the small room where I was staying. As I sat reading a book in a quaint fishing village, I looked up to see a little black and white dog trotting down the road on what looked like a mission. Within a minute of seeing me she ran over and again buried herself under my feet. Needless to say you may already know where this story is headed.
I soon realized that I had to take that little black and white dog home with me. I also quickly realized that it would perhaps not be as easy as I would have liked. I learned there was a small group of people on Symi whose love for the numerous stray dogs on the island was a passion. These were the people who were fighting that harder battle that Plato so eloquently spoke of.
Saving island dogs is a tough business as most of the dogs are poisoned, tortured or simply left to die after the tourist season is over. Saving this dog (and her sister) became almost an obsession for me, and it was a sad day when I had to board a ferry leaving for the island of Rhodes where I was to catch my flight back to Athens and then onward to the United States. I knew that I had to leave this small dog and her sister alone to fend for themselves for over three months until I could return to bring her back to the United States.
Through many sleepless nights I waited for the time when I could go get the two little dogs. The people helping me told me stories of how the two little dogs would stay in the same spot every day where I boarded the ferry. Finally, I convinced some of the dog-loving locals to get the two little dogs to a shelter on the island of Rhodes where they would be safe and get the proper vaccinations and medicine until I could get there.
What a great Christmas present that was - after a long journey from the U.S. to Rhodes, I not only found the two little dogs waiting, but also a surprise. During my absence the little black dog with the crooked tail had become pregnant with seven puppies - five died of cold and exposure leaving two behind; one male and one female. Seeing the kindness given to all those stray animals in that shelter by animalloving volunteers proved to me that it was my duty to take the dogs home as a family. Taking all of them home meant the original two females and the two puppies! After working through the expected red tape, immigration hurdles, etc., I was able (over almost two days and three flights later) to get the four dogs back to the United States. The very pleasant U.S. customs and immigration officer waiting for me after my international flight looked at me in disbelief when I told him the story of these four dogs - he just looked at me and said, “Have a very Merry Christmas - looks like all is in order here.”
That was three years ago. As I sit here writing this follow up story about that amazing trip, I realize several things. This amazing sport of sailing, which so many of us love, provides endless opportunities to get out and see a beautiful and complex world. It is a blessing to be able to experience both sunrise and sunset in various hidden harbors, ports and islands. Each is a little different, and each holds secrets and treasures waiting to be discovered. I also realize that I have been rewarded over and over again with the gift of these four amazing dogs who live with me, my boyfriend and our other two dogs.
Some people may think that living with this “six pack,” as we so affectionately call them, is crazy; but I can assure you that it has been, and continues to be, a gift and an adventure every day. As I finish this story, the dogs are laying all around me, some on the couch and some next to my feet keeping them warm. I know I did the right thing ... and it makes me smile as I wonder what other treasures this beautiful sport of sailing has in store for me.
Next time you sail into that one particular harbor, pause just a moment to reflect upon the beauty around you, and if you have the chance to do something - no matter how small - then give back to the community you are visiting. You will not only be paid back ten fold but more importantly you will be giving back to this sport that we all love so very much.
Contact Captain Stacey Brooks of Sea Dog Sailing at captstacey@seadogsailing.com or (877) 4SEADOG. Online go to www.seadogsailing.com.
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ASA is just completing two entirely new projects that will enhance our sailing course offerings. First, we have just completed our new online sailing certification request system. To date, almost half of ASA’s sailing schools have signed up to take advantage of this great tool. If you will be taking a sailing course in the future, you should ask your school if they are utilizing ASA’s online sailing certification system. Instead of filling out the previous handwritten certification request forms and then mailing them to ASA, participating schools will submit requests for your sailing certifications online. ASA will receive these instantaneously and be in a position to process these in a greatly reduced timeframe. 
Future upgrades to the new online system will include emailing sailing students who provide ASA with an email address, a status on when they should expect to receive their certification. Along with the status email, sailing students will receive a short survey to rate their sailing course experience. This will allow both ASA and individual schools the opportunity to make changes to improve courses. Sailing schools doing a consistently outstanding job will be recognized for their work. Any schools that conduct courses requiring improvement can be identified and put on notice regarding areas or methods that need improvement.
Second, ASA is just putting the finishing touches on its new Radar Endorsement sailing course. An ASA “endorsement” is an in-depth study of a particular topic of interest to sailors and boaters in general. ASA’s Radar Endorsement was developed through renowned navigation expert David Burch, owner and operator of the Seattle-based Starpath School of Navigation.
This radar sailing course will be ASA’s first-ever endorsement course. Future offerings are planned for weather, marine communications and navigation equipment.
We urge you to take advantage of these new ASA programs. Please contact your local ASA sailing school or call ASA directly to speak with Brenda Wempner to find out more.
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South Coast Sailing Adventures, home of Gateway Charters and Sailing School, is located at the Kemah Boardwalk Marina in Kemah, Texas, just a 30-minute drive from either Galveston or Houston. This prime location makes it a popular sailing destination with easy access (minutes by boat) to both the open waters of Galveston Bay and the calmer, more protected waters of Clear Lake. Gateway Charters and Sailing School was founded in 1993, and during the past two decades has combined efforts with South Coast Sailing Adventures and grown to a full-service ASA certification facility with a fleet of over fifteen training vessels and charter boats. Vessels range from a Colgate 26 to a brand new Beneteau 393. The office and fleet are nestled near the famous Kemah Boardwalk and Kemah Lighthouse District, with numerous fine restaurants, lodging, shopping and entertainment within walking distance. The facilities at the marina include a swimming pool, hot tub, air-conditioned shower facilities, laundry facilities and free parking. 
South Coast Sailing School offers ASA classes including Basic Keelboat, Basic Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering, Coastal Navigation, Advanced Coastal Cruising, Small Boat Handling, and Catamaran/Multihull Cruising. Because the school is located so conveniently close to Galveston Bay, they are also able to offer two-hour, introduction to sailing cruises. Classes are usually held on weekends, but South Coast will put together special weekday classes as well as classes tailored to specific needs, like family lessons. Additionally, the school offers training in a host of other areas such as spinnaker sailing, racing tactics, team building and boat maintenance. The beginner levels are usually taught on Galveston Bay, and the advanced courses on both Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Students traveling from out of town have the opportunity to spend the night aboard one of South Coast’s vessels.
South Coast Sailing School is committed to a quality education process, professionalism and personalized service. Absolutely all of their instructors are ASA certified as well as professional mariners, holding a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s license. South Coast Sailing Adventures is also a host school for the Instructor Qualification Clinics.
The South Coast fleet is cared for by a maintenance staff with over 35 years in the marine industry, versed in the engineering and design of most currently fielded vessels under fifty feet. They strive to present safe, dependable, well-maintained vessels, where ‘Bristol’ condition is the standard.
Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico offer one of the most challenging environments in which to learn. This area is the fourth-largest yacht basin in the US, and sailing students gain hands-on, practical experience in one of the busiest ports with commercial traffic, piloting, navigation and charting. Galveston Bay also offers an abundance of wildlife. Going through ASA sailing courses here will prepare you for any port in the world. South Coast Sailing Adventures is open year round. Winter sailing is especially exciting, with strong northern winds that can easily propel a boat to the Florida Keys or Mexico.
South Coast Sailing Club offers a host of benefits including discounts on charters and classes, access to other members to share charter fees, planned group sailing excursions such as flotillas in local waters, as well as exotic locations like the BVIs.
Captain Lucy Newman, the owner and operator of South Coast Sailing Adventures and Gateway Charters, offers sailors and students her thirty-plus years of sailing experience and her commitment to providing the best possible sailing school and charter company.
Come, visit, and see for your self, take the challenge! You will become a better sailor when you sail with South Coast Sailing Adventures. You can reach Captain Lucy at (281) 334-4606, or e-mail southcoast@southcoastsailing.com.
On the Web: For more information, go to www.southcoastsailing.com.
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The Cayman Islands is one of the most popular Caribbean destinations for Americans, attracting more than two million visitors each year, many of them carried to the biggest of the three Caymans, Grand Cayman, by huge cruise ships from Florida. 
Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, known as the ‘Sister Islands’ to the bigger and more populous brother, Grand Cayman, are famous for their diving and also make for a perfect offshore sailing destination from Grand Cayman, some 100 or so miles away.
On Grand Cayman, Seven Mile Beach – actually a stretch of about six miles of beautiful white sand beside a calm, turquoise ocean – is a world-renowned attraction and plays host to the culmination of the traditional Easter Regattas, round-the-island races that date back to the 1930s. Many of Grand Cayman’s most popular scuba diving sites are also off Seven Mile Beach, which is the home of most of the island’s hotels, including the Westin, the Hyatt, the Marriott and the Ritz- Carlton, which opened in December 2005.
A Mandarin Oriental hotel is scheduled to be built on the quieter north side of the island, away from the hustle and bustle of Seven Mile Beach. There, on the north-eastern coast of Grand Cayman, the prevailing north-easterlies make for excellent windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions.
Grand Cayman also hosts many outstanding restaurants, catering to all tastes, and its oceanfront bars and nightclubs are legendary. What better way to wind down after a day’s sail?
The Cayman Islands have approximately 50,000 residents, most of whom live on Grand Cayman. Roughly half its population are expatriates, including many people from the US, Canada and the UK. The country is the fifth largest financial centre in the world and is renowned for its offshore finance products and services.
Getting there ... Regular flights ferry visitors from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Miami, New York, Orlando, Tampa and Toronto. US carriers serving Cayman include Delta, American Airlines, Continental, Spirit Air, Northwest and US Airways. Sailors are always welcome to come via their own craft, of course. For more information on this tropical destination, visit the official website of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism at www.caymanislands.ky.
What to do?
Two of the most popular sports among its residents are scuba diving and sailing. A measure of how far sailing has come in a short time is the substantial growth in membership of the Cayman Islands Sailing Club (CISC), the national authority on sailing in the British overseas territory, over the course of the last two years. The committee members of the CISC are understandably delighted by the greater level of participation in the sport. Equally encouraging has been the large numbers of visitors to Cayman who are taking advantage of favorable sailing conditions to rent all sizes and classes of boats either from the CISC or beachfront watersports businesses. Sailing club members enjoy an adventure. during their vacation.
“When most people think of the Cayman Islands they think of our fantastic diving,” admits Michael Weber, the CISC’s director of sailing. “But we are also a fantastic sailing destination, with warm, shallow waters and plenty of wind. The CISC’s National Sailing Centre has exploited these conditions to offer visitors superb sailing facilities, including a modern fleet of state-of-the-art boats and high quality instruction and coaching by professional instructors. We welcome sailors of all abilities to come to the Cayman Islands and pay us a visit.”
The ups and downs
The increasing take-up of sailing in Cayman in 2005 and 2006 has been especially gratifying to more established members of the sailing club. The country has a great maritime history and a long tradition of outstanding sailing, and has regularly sent athletes to Olympic regattas since 1980. But regular sailing offshore and in the comparative shelter of Cayman’s North Sound ended abruptly one stormy weekend in September 2004.
Sailing enthusiasts witnessed the destruction wrought on the large fleet of boats around Grand Cayman, the biggest and most populated of the three islands, during September 2004’s Hurricane Ivan, one of the strongest storms on record. At times, residents may have questioned whether sailing in Cayman waters would ever return to pre-Ivan levels, but if anything, participation in the sport at all ages and levels of competency is now generally considered to be even greater than before.
Having lost all its fleet in the storm, the CISC now boasts no fewer than seven Bytes, seven Picos, four Lasers, four Fevas, four Optimists, a J22 and two rescue boats. Many of the boats are sponsored by local businesses, including several leading banks, phone companies and law firms, all eager to get on board amid the resurgence of sailing in Cayman. These are all available for rent to visitors at hourly, half-day and daily rates. The CISC-affiliated National Sailing Centre also offers coaching and instruction packages to visitors.
Impressive recovery
Even the British-appointed Governor of the Cayman
Islands, Stuart Jack, has been impressed by the
turnaround in the sport since the hurricane.
SAILING DESTINATION
continued from page 13
“Sailing continues to be a popular sport and leisure
activity in the Cayman Islands, and it is vital that we
have a strong and successful sailing club to oversee the
sport’s development,” he said recently. “This hurricane
was a great test, not only to the Cayman Islands society,
but also to the many clubs and voluntary organizations
that had to quite literally rebuild from the wreckage of
that storm. The recovery of the CISC is something of
which all the memberspressed by the
turnaround in the sport since the hurricane.
SAILING DESTINATION
continued from page 13
“Sailing continues to be a popular sport and leisure
activity in the Cayman Islands, and it is vital that we
have a strong and successful sailing club to oversee the
sport’s development,” he said recently. “This hurricane
was a great test, not only to the Cayman Islands society,
but also to the many clubs and voluntary organizations
that had to quite literally rebuild from the wreckage of
that storm. The recovery of the CISC is something of
which all the members of the club have a right to feel
very proud.”
Impressive recovery Even the British-appointed Governor of the Cayman Islands, Stuart Jack, has been impressed by the turnaround in the sport since the hurricane. “Sailing continues to be a popular sport and leisure activity in the Cayman Islands, and it is vital that we have a strong and successful sailing club to oversee the sport’s development,” he said recently. “This hurricane was a great test, not only to the Cayman Islands society, but also to the many clubs and voluntary organizations that had to quite literally rebuild from the wreckage of that storm. The recovery of the CISC is something of which all the members of the club have a right to feel very proud.”
Indeed, the Governor’s Cup Race Weekend for J22s, started by the governor and traditionally held in September, is one of the highlights of Cayman’s sporting calendar.
Other major events that prospective visitors to the Cayman Islands may wish to pencil in their diaries include the KPMG International J22 Regatta, to be held at the CISC from October 26-30, 2006, and next year’s Easter Regatta.
On the Web: For more information about the CISC and sailing in the Cayman Islands generally, visit www.sailing.ky or contact Michael Weber at the CISC at sailing@sailing.ky.
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Who says wintertime can’t still be all about boating? The more than 78 million boating enthusiasts who take to the water each year may not be able to head out for a day of fun in the sun, but they can launch preparations for next year’s boating season by taking advantage of off-season sales and holiday blowouts for that all-important safety gear. Marine and other retail stores everywhere are gearing up for the holiday season by stocking their shelves with what are sure to be a boat lover’s favorite stocking stuffers. 
Some safety items the U.S. Coast Guard hopes all boating enthusiasts “deck the hulls” with this year include:
- U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets in every color and style, and customized for every waterrelated activity
- Rescue flares designed to operate in a marine setting
- A multitude of whistles, horns, and other soundproducing devices
- Fire extinguishers and mounting brackets
“The holidays are a great time to consider the safety items that you need for next year’s boating season,“ comments John Malatak, chief of the Program Operations Division at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety. “With more than 13 million registered boats out on the water annually, safety issues are more critical than ever.”
Thanks to modern technology, said Malatak, boating safety gear now features many advancements that make implementing safety precautions easier than ever. One such item, EPIRBs, or emergency position-indicating radio beacons, are fast becoming boating staples as they help the U.S. Coast Guard locate an off-shore vessel should it become distressed. With a price tag of $600- $1500, this item, at holiday discounted rates, is a premium gift for the recreational boater and boating sportsman.
While scouting gift ideas related to boating gear, the U.S. Coast Guard recommends that shoppers consider the many items required by the U.S. Coast Guard to pass a yearly Vessel Safety Check (VSC). This checklist includes the correct number of life jackets (as indicated by boat size), a fire extinguisher, sound-producing devices and visual distress signals. For boaters who may have children onboard, it is especially important to make sure that last season’s life jackets are still a good fit. All life jackets should bear the U.S. Coast Guard-approved label.
For more information about safe boating, contact the Coast Guard at www.uscgboating.org.
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ASA member Doug McLean grew up a block away from Lake Mendota in Madison, Wis., and bashed about in daysailers with thrills and spills being the objective, rather than good form and sail trim. That changed when his parents sent him off to the Kids Learn to Sail Program taught by the UW Hoofers Sailing Club. But it wasn’t until many years later that he decided to take it to a higher level. 
“For years my boating of choice was gunkholing in seakayaks, exploring Wisconsin rivers and lakes and even taking trips to the Everglades and Virgin Islands,” Doug said. “In the BVIs, charter boats were sailing by, and I realized I could greatly expand my horizons under sail.”
He signed up for a week-long liveaboard instruction program through the Blue Water Sailing School in Ft. Lauderdale in January of 2001. He and four other students obtained certifications in Basic Sailing, Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Chartering while sailing a 50-foot Beneteau in Biscayne Bay and the upper Keys.
After he got the ASA certifications, Doug began bareboat charters and bought a 24-foot pocket cruiser from a man who sailed it on Lake Michigan. “It was time to put the course work into practice,” he said. “I skippered charters with crew in Lakes Michigan and Superior, then singlehanded for a week down in Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf with Southwest Florida Yachts. The knowledge gained through continuing coursework, and the experience I got from chartering and sailing my own boat on Lake Michigan, built confidence and whet my appetite for more.”
Looking for offshore experience to test his bluewater ambitions, Doug signed up as available crew through the Cruising Rally Association last year and has crewed in three rallies involving transits between east coast ports and the Caribbean, completing his last one in November.
“Rallies entail demands and require stamina that chartering doesn’t, since it’s nonstop sailing hundreds of miles offshore for as long as two weeks,” he said.
Doug has worked as an assistant district attorney in the Dane County District Attorney’s Office in Madison for twenty-plus years. He is single and harbors ambitions to retire early and explore the cruising grounds around the world beginning in 2008. “I’d like to sail my little sloop through the Great Lakes and out the St. Lawrence Seaway year after next, then buy a bigger boat and keep on going,” he said.
He said he has no fixed agenda or schedule and will consider the journey a success whether it lasts a few years or many.
ASA is always interested in its members! If you have a great story about how you got into sailing and how you joined ASA, we’d love to hear it. Send your story to: American Sailing Association Attn: Kathy Christensen P.O. Box 12079 Marina Del Rey, CA 90295-3079 or email kc@american-sailing.com
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Title: How to Sail Around the World: Advice and Ideas for Voyaging Under Sail Author: Hal Roth Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press Published: 2003 Pages: 480 Hardcover
Most sailors I know have “The Dream,” the dream to one day sail around the world or at least do some extensive sailing to various remote parts of it. I am no exception. Get to 60, retire comfortably and hit the big blue! At least that was the plan, and then I had the fortunate experience of reading Hal Roth’s book How to Sail Around the World. 
Roth brings a lifetime of experience to his writing, and the book reflects this. It is well researched and comprehensive but not in a stuffy, textbook way. From choice of hulls to sea safety, he covers everything that an aspiring blue water sailor would want to know while using language and anecdotes that would keep even armchair sailors enthralled.
His writing style is one that creates an enjoyable read, counterpointing caution with seizing the day. For example, he advises readers to maybe start small with short sails that push the comfort levels without committing to a life at sea to see if you enjoy it on the one hand, to not waiting for retirement but to get out there younger. He backs up a lot of his points with real life stories, such as the one about the sailor who commissioned a beautiful new sailboat only to find out his wife hated sailing on their first time on the water.
I was particularly interested in the chapters on hull choice, boat size and rig as there never seems to be a definitive answer on what works best out there. Of course, Roth doesn’t categorically say what to choose either, but he does weigh the pros and cons of each area with often brutal honesty and leaves the decision over what is best to the reader. As he points out repeatedly in the book, it really comes down to each reader’s personal situation and preferences. The biggest problems with planning for offshore cruising are knowing where to start and how to make the right decisions to avoid financial or emotional ruin. This book takes the reader on an informative and fun narrative that covers every aspect of extended cruising under sail. It will make you think carefully about your choices, but the positive tone won’t dissuade you unnecessarily from your dream.
Even those whose aspirations are a little more restrained will find the book useful. Most of the advice contained in it is just as pertinent for day sailors or weekend cruisers as for long distance blue water cruisers; and the language, illustrations and anecdotes make it all very easy to understand even for novice sailors.
I still have the dream, but after reading Roth’s book I think I’ll start a little smaller, a little earlier and definitely a little smarter. This book is a must read for aspiring blue-water sailors and for those who just dream. It has become a permanent part of my reference library.
Mike Bastin sails and teaches as an ASA Sailing Instructor for Northern Breezes Sailing School in Minnesota. He was born in Australia and has been sailing since he was seven.
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The breeze is freshening, you’re feeling a little more weatherhelm, and the boat is heeling more than usual. If this was a short gust, or a puff, then one could ease the sheets and sail through it - but if the wind sustains, it is time to put in a reef! 
Reefing under sail is a simple and safe procedure. First, you want to sail close-hauled with the jib (or genoa), preferably not towards a lee shore or obstruction.
Next, ease the mainsheet until the sail luffs, and add topping lift (ease rigid vang), to raise the boom. Lower the main halyard to the first reef cringle (the grommet through which the reef line passes. (See photo 2.)
Many prefer to mark the main halyard (see photo 1), with either a pen or whipping twine, to indicate how much halyard to let out.
Now that the main is loose (and luffing), haul in the reefing line – easy! Make fast the clew and tack. (Many boats have a jiffy-reef system, which is a single-line.) Add halyard tension, and ease the topping (or rigid vang). Trim the mainsheet.
Voila! You’ve just reefed while under sail. Congratulations!
Tom Varley is a sailor, writer and recording artist based on the coast in the Pacific Northwest.
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