Passage Training

[jemsea]

Hi All,

As part of our preparations for cruising in less than two years we would like to some passage training.

By this I mean going offshore for a few days, handling weather, watches, and sailing day and night. The ideal boat would be a performance cruiser in the 37 to 40 foot range. The crew would consist of a captain with my wife and I as the only students.

We have a Cal 22 that we sail here on Colorado lakes and have done three bareboat charters in the last couple of years. I have about 15,000 miles of offshore experience but it has been fifteen years since I spent a night sailing and my wife never has.

We have time off October 8 through the 16. We will be on the California coast ready to board on Sunday October 9 and will have return in time to be in Sacramento bright and early October 15.

We have talked with J World in San Diego and they can put us on a J-120 w/Capt which we would really like to do except that their boats have no autopilots. From past experience I think 5 days of hand steering between three people would probably teach us the value of an autopilot or a life ashore.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

John & Cheryl

[GordMay]

Methinks you're right about the autopilot.
On the other hand, it would make for a rather intense course in helmanship...