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Old 05-05-2008, 02:50 AM   #1
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Hello everyone!

I'm writing to introduce myself and let you know about the journey I hope to embark on in the coming months. Your thoughts and feedback are greatly appreciated!

I've spent the last couple weeks reasearching sailing schools in the Bay area and visited a couple to checkout their fleets. My goal is to be able to sail alone or with crew on just about any sail boat anywhere in the world by the end of August. I'm currently living in San Francisco, and I've heard that if I learn to sail in the bay waters, I should be able to handle just about anything.

So, I've found a couple schools that offer Basic Keelboat to Advanced Coastal Crusing courses that I can take on weekends. The costs for the full gamit of courses is going to be around $3-5 K. I've narrowed my decision to these two schools .. http://www.spinnaker-sailing.com/ and http://www.sailing-jworld.com/.

I'm a consultant and work mostly online, but my current contract requires me to be on-site in the city and I can only get free on the weekends to learn. I do have one week I can take off between now and the end of August. Once this contract ends though, I'm hoping to not need to take on-site work anytime soon so I can travel the world. While I'm sailing, I would LOVE to be able to disconnect, but I'm going to need internet access on-board.

Ok, so a couple questions for ya ..

Sould I consider going to courses somewhere else? or do you guys agree that these schools are the best fit for my schedule?

Where is the best place to sail in September?

Internet access on-board? Is it feasible and how expensive is it really?

Hope you all had a great weekend and I'll see ya around the forum! and on the water soon
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Old 05-05-2008, 03:43 AM   #2
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Hi,

Ok, so a couple questions for ya ..

#1 Should I consider going to courses somewhere else?

#1a Or do you guys agree that these schools are the best fit for my schedule?

#2 Where is the best place to sail in September?

#3 Internet access on-board?

#4 Is it feasible and how expensive is it really?

Hope you all had a great weekend and I'll see ya around the forum! and on the water soon



#1 & #1a Sailing schools when teaching the basics are OK - but experience is what will count, once you go off shore.

You might consider joining a friendly yacht club and volunteering to crew on sailing days - some yacht clubs have dinghy sailing courses.

#2 If you join a yacht club - sailing members can give you the best advice.

#3 & #4 Check our Wiki on communication. Generally speaking, once out of range from WIFI, an HF radio which is coupled to a modem (called a Pactor) will allow emails to be sent and received. Internet access is available but requires extremely expensive communication equipment.
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Old 05-05-2008, 04:13 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MMNETSEA View Post
#1 & #1a Sailing schools when teaching the basics are OK - but experience is what will count, once you go off shore.

You might consider joining a friendly yacht club and volunteering to crew on sailing days - some yacht clubs have dinghy sailing courses.

#2 If you join a yacht club - sailing members can give you the best advice.

#3 & #4 Check our Wiki on communication. Generally speaking, once out of range from WIFI, an HF radio which is coupled to a modem (called a Pactor) will allow emails to be sent and received. Internet access is available but requires extremely expensive communication equipment.
Thanks for the welcome and tips! Looks like I'll be spending next weekend going to a few more schools and yacht clubs After some additional searching it looks like the equipment for good internet conectivity ranges anywhere from 10-20k .. that is extremely expensive!
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Old 05-05-2008, 09:12 AM   #4
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@sfgerard



Welcome aboard and welcome to a wonderful lifestyle.
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Old 05-05-2008, 05:04 PM   #5
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Although it was 19 years ago. Spinnaker sails did me right. I forget the name of the group sailing out of the Berkeley Marina. They also have oppurtunities to rent after getting your certification.
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Old 05-08-2008, 09:18 AM   #6
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@lighthouse thanks for the welcome!

@imagine2frolic - I'm definitely going to checkout the cal sailing club in berkeley .. very cool non-profit group.

I decided to sign up for basic keelboat and basic crusing certifications at Club Nautique http://www.clubnautique.net/

will see what happens from there. wish me luck!
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Old 05-08-2008, 05:09 PM   #7
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You will also be in good hands at the yard in the Berkely Marina. The new owners as of 2002? worked on my boat there while I did some work myself. Very honest, reasonable, helpful with knowledge, and just downright friendly people. I left the states in early 2003, but a friend last year hauled there, and was very happy also. BEST WISHES in your steps forward..............John
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