Beginner course, Vancouver or BVI?

[cwyckham]

Great to hear! Hope you have a great time.

Chris - SailMentor.com

[chris mac]

So, I'm sitting in the airport waiting to go home. I have had such a fantastic time this week, I don't know if I can explain it adequately.
The couple who run ocean forest voyaging are really nice. They treated us like treasured friends. We had our own cabin, worked all aspects of the boat, were fed like kings, and shown around the beautiful gulf islands. Lots of evening shore excursions, free use of the dingy, and the list goes on.
Me and my wife are at different skill levels and enthusiasm levels. They catered the teaching to each of us and we both got more than expected out of it.
The boat is a Saga 43 and is absolutely gorgeous. They used it for a 3 year world tour so it is outfitted very well. It was also very responsive and fun to sail.
The gulf islands are incredible, I'm already planning to come back this summer with a friend to sail for 2 weeks.
I definitely don't want to fly home. I definitely recommend them to anyone wanting to take a course.

[Capt Phil]

I recall several decades ago (when the only sailing school in the entire lower mainland was Jib Set) working for Les Alfred's teaching sailing when I was in town. He had 4 Cal20's and I kept hearing from my students that they wanted to progress to a week long course of liveaboard offshore sailing. Somehow he laid his hands on an Endurance 35 which I took out with 4 students through the Gulf Islands where the weather was much warmer than Puget Sound, Upper Georgia Straits and Desolation Sound. She sailed like a pig in light airs but the folks aboard had a blast standing watches, cooking, clearing the head and getting up close and personal with the more interesting issues of cruising. We had one longer trip out to Barclay Sound for a taste of ocean cruising. I recall it cost about $350 each for 6 days plus food and bring your own beverages. Don't know whether it ever took off but Les was in the sailing scene in Vancouver for several years. I returned to commercial fishing and beachcombing where I made a hell of a lot more $ than working for Jib Set. Those were fun days back in the 50's and early 60's! No such thing as CSA or ASA in those days! Phil

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by chris mac

So, I'm sitting in the airport waiting to go home. I have had such a fantastic time this week, I don't know if I can explain it adequately.
The couple who run ocean forest voyaging are really nice. They treated us like treasured friends. We had our own cabin, worked all aspects of the boat, were fed like kings, and shown around the beautiful gulf islands. Lots of evening shore excursions, free use of the dingy, and the list goes on.
Me and my wife are at different skill levels and enthusiasm levels. They catered the teaching to each of us and we both got more than expected out of it.
The boat is a Saga 43 and is absolutely gorgeous. They used it for a 3 year world tour so it is outfitted very well. It was also very responsive and fun to sail.
The gulf islands are incredible, I'm already planning to come back this summer with a friend to sail for 2 weeks.
I definitely don't want to fly home. I definitely recommend them to anyone wanting to take a course.

Awesome to hear! You certainly had great weather for it. We're having a crazy warm spring here.

We look forward to your return!

[chris mac]

The weather was quite nice. We had wind 3 out of 6 days. And a decent mix of sun and overcast. No rain. The wind was never extreme but strong enough that we could practise reefing. The non wind days were filled with mob, docking, mooring, and other under power drills. So it worked out well.
Every anchorage was nicely sheltered, so we slept soundly.
The gulf islands have become one of my favorite places, so we will definitely be back

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by chris mac

The weather was quite nice. We had wind 3 out of 6 days. And a decent mix of sun and overcast. No rain. The wind was never extreme but strong enough that we could practise reefing. The non wind days were filled with mob, docking, mooring, and other under power drills. So it worked out well.
Every anchorage was nicely sheltered, so we slept soundly.
The gulf islands have become one of my favorite places, so we will definitely be back

Just back myself. Our 48 hour continuous "sail" was done under power. We did get some wind in Captain's Passage near Ganges and in Trincomali Channel.