Not Quite "Master and Commander": Jaunted Goes to Sailing School, Part 2
7/09/2008 at 4:35 PM
Tags: Sailing, Boats, Active Travel, Outdoor Travel (all tags)
When last we left Jaunted editor Paul Brady, he had finished the first two days of his basic keelboat sailing lessons at the Manhattan Sailing School. How was Day Three?
It was a serious drag to wake up before 8 am on a Sunday. But I managed to pull myself out of bed, tired from tugging on lines the day before, to meet up with my instructor and fellow students to set out for another day on the water.
The early weather report didn't look good, but like true mariners we rigged our boat anyway. Soon after, we were out on the Hudson again, practicing our tacking and jibing in winds so light we were probably only making a couple of knots.
Practice Makes Perfect:
Despite the iffy weather, the crew and I were doing a much better job of handling the boat than we did just the day before. The extensive terminology my instructor was trying to hammer home was finally sticking and we all started to anticipate commands before she called them out. Being on the water and knowing what was about to happen made it infinitely easier to relax and, you know, enjoy the views.
Test Time:
Part of earning American Sailing Association certification is taking a written test of sailing skills. Though it's multiple choice, some of my fellow students were nervous about it. We decided to take a lunch break on shore and then tackle the test afterward.
Turns out, no one needed to worry: Out of 100 questions, the lowest score in my group was a 97. (The minimum passing score is 80.) If you're conscious during the lessons, you'll do just fine.
Back on the Water:
The most complicated maneuver students learn in the beginning sailing class is how to rescue a man overboard. So after lunch and our exam, we headed back out into the harbor. Oozing confidence after our test, we tossed a life jacket over the side and swung around a few times to pick it up. Satisfied, our instructor told us to take the rest of the afternoon to simply sail around.
Enjoying the Afternoon:
I suggested we head over to Governors Island to check out one of the NYC Waterfalls; the rest of the crew was game. Our instructor turned over the helm and we made way pretty much on our own, ending up nice and close to the public art installation.
By then it was pretty late in the afternoon, so we turned back to the marina. Along the way, we cruised past two Norwegian Cruise Line ships and finally got a bit of sun as it peeked out from behind the clouds. By the time we got back to dock, no one wanted to admit that the day was over.
The Nitty Gritty:
My course certainly wasn't cheap, at $630 for the weekend. But factor in the $25 textbook, the $40 ASA certification, the two-hour classroom session and two full days on the water, and the price starts to make sense. I rationalized it by figuring up how much it would cost to go out in New York for the entire weekend. I decided sailing will give me a lot more memories in the long run than a couple nights drinking and eating like a king. And, hey, at the very least, I'm not afraid of Sunfish anymore.
Related Stories:
· American Sailing Association [Official Site]
· Not Quite "Master and Commander": Jaunted Goes to Sailing School, Part 1 [Jaunted]
· Unexpected Travel: Learn to Sail in NYC [Jaunted]
· Sailing coverage [Jaunted]
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