Any experienced Schooner sailors out there?

[Tatheelrod22]

I posted a few days ago regarding possible self steering devices for my recently purchased 40 ft Schooner and got many great responses. One gave me a great idea. I need to find an experienced Schooner sailor to sail with me. That birthed an idea I want to share here, and then see if you folks recommend I also post this in the “Crew needed/wanted” section?
I’m home ported in Orange Beach AL. A 3 to 4 day (2 if you push it) trip away is a wonderful little place on the north side of Lake Ponchatrain called Madisonville LA. Each year in October they have their Wooden boat Festival and its a great event. My hull is glass and I plan to go whether “entered” or not, and I’m confirming soon they will reserve me a berth. In recent years they have welcomed traditional boats even with glass hulls sadly because Hurricane Katrina decimated the number of wooden traditional boats in the area.

It would be ideal if I found someone interested in doing one way or round trip with me. In case a candidate Schooner person might read this, if you haven’t sailed the gulf coast waters, you should find a way to, especially in October. The oppressive heat and humidity we are experiencing right now will have mostly waned. We will be getting that air that feels different, smells different, and even gives you a boost of energy. It does me anyway. Additionally, almost this entire trip is along the ICW, so no offshore needs nor additional weather concerns that come with that. Don’t picture the east coast ICW though. The majority of this trip the ICW is marked but is in wide expanses of water that offer coastal seas breezes, yet barrier islands that block the waves that come with them. There are plenty of shallow places in Mississippi sound, but we only draw 4’ 8”, so there should be plenty of sailing unless we get the proverbial wind on the nose.

Okay enough sounding like I work for the Chamber of Commerce. It’s an awesome trip to an awesome place, at an awesome time of year and I can’t think of a better way to learn Schooner sailing nuances from an experienced person. My thoughts are I pay for all provisions and costs related to the trip with the exception of the transportation getting here for the trip. This is my 13th sailboat in 38 years of off and on sailing experience, so they aren’t sailing with a novice, just someone wanting to absorb Schooner knowledge. I have my USCG 50 Ton License with sail endorsement.

Anyone interest that meets the Schooner experience needs? Should I also post this in crew area as I referred to earlier? I recently joint the North America Schooner Assoc and it probably makes sense to post it there too.