What class/cert to take/get

[Matt F.]

Hello Friends,

I am a 36/male and just purchased a 31 ft Cheoy Lee Offshore. I am sailing/motoring it back with a friend from Washington NC to Long Island NY.

I sailed competitively (420's) in college in the Newport RI area and been around boats my entire life.

I feel competent enough for the voyage however wanted to know if anyone has a suggestion for a class or certification I should get before the sail in July. I have been studying ICW charts everyday!

Thanks!

-Matt F.

[Pete17C]

US Sailing Basic Cruising

https://www.ussailing.org/education/...asic-cruising/

[requiem]

If you're competent enough, then no classes or certifications are needed. The real question is, what don't you know? The sailing and motoring part is likely to be easy, as you expect, so it's more likely to be a non-sailing thing that could trip you up.

What's your experience on a boat like this? Can you easily handle it in an awkward slip arrangement? Are you comfortable with all of the navigation aids and meanings? Can you troubleshoot simple engine problems? Know the proper sound signals and navigation techniques in case you're caught out (don't be) in fog or at night?

It looks like you're too old for NY's education/certification requirements to apply to you, so you should be OK from that standpoint.

[Matt F.]

Originally Posted by requiem

If you're competent enough, then no classes or certifications are needed. The real question is, what don't you know? The sailing and motoring part is likely to be easy, as you expect, so it's more likely to be a non-sailing thing that could trip you up.

What's your experience on a boat like this? Can you easily handle it in an awkward slip arrangement? Are you comfortable with all of the navigation aids and meanings? Can you troubleshoot simple engine problems? Know the proper sound signals and navigation techniques in case you're caught out (don't be) in fog or at night?

It looks like you're too old for NY's education/certification requirements to apply to you, so you should be OK from that standpoint.

The slip stuff with a 31' I will need some work. The navigation aids and meanings I am good. My cousin who is coming with me is both a captain and knows diesel engines well.

Honestly biggest thing would be getting in and out of slips, good point.

-Matt F.

[Randune]

I would look to your local ASA group for sailing specific instruction and your local America's Boating Club (US Power Squadron) for good general boating, piloting and navigation courses. I found them both very helpful.

[Matt F.]

Thank you everyone!

[sailcrazy]

After sailing for 30+ years, including 15 in our own Taswell 43, I needed certification for some of the Medd/Adriatic countries; w/o it you can't check in! Went to my local ASA school in the off season, explained the situation, "monitored" their 3 courses and wrote the exams(passed ea)....and got "bare boat certified". Worked well, filled the square, and learned something too!

[stormalong]

The first thing I would do is get a copy of Chapman. It has all the lights, bouys and navigation rules. Study it. It is an education in itself.

Going up the ICW requires anchoring skills. Get a good book on anchoring and study that too.

Also get a copy of the ICW waterway guide - any recent copy will do as most of what changes year to year is the advertising.

An unread book is just more weight on the boat.

[jmschmidt]

You need to check with your insurance company, you don't sound very experienced at off- shore, or even in-shore voyaging in difficult areas. Other than that the other posters here have offered good advice. DC to Long Island means the Chesapeake which is one of the charts used on the Coast Guard pilotage and DR navigation written test. It's a bitch so take someone with you who knows the ropes. PS: Long Island Sound is also one of the charts on the test, it's not so bad.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by Matt F.

The slip stuff with a 31' I will need some work. The navigation aids and meanings I am good. My cousin who is coming with me is both a captain and knows diesel engines well.

Honestly biggest thing would be getting in and out of slips, good point.

-Matt F.

And you are only going to learn about that by doing it. Have a good trip.

[wizoc]

Docking class at Md. School of Sailing. Try to get Frank as an instructor.

[Cpt Mark]

Does your cousin have actual experience in your type of boat and your planned voyage? Getting a Captains license is easy, experience in what you are planning is what counts. Example: I ran tugs with crane and mud barges into narrow fairways as we dredged the marinas etc. These are flat bottom boats/barges. All windage and no keel and the docks with their boats are all in the slips. You touch anything with that kind of mass and it explodes. We had unlimited license Captains apply with over 20 years of sailing ships around the world. They were gods. Not one of them could handle the stress of motoring into a fairway and all quit within 10 days. Eventually the company just grabbed newly licensed Captains with zero experience and we trained them fairly easily.

I had to bring a multimillion dollar sailing yacht up from Antiqua to Newport RI in the beginning of hurricane season. The insurance company knew me well and ok'd the trip. It was pretty unusual for the to do this.

So the question for your cousin is also will his experience be enough for the insurance company to write the trip plan? Of course if your'e going naked it doesn't matter.

[jhughes]

Take a look at "The Britican Experience" - Sailing Britican. They offer a true to life sailing experience, start to finish. That's all any of us need to get better (confident) at something, experience.

[PappysSailing]

Just helped a guy sail his 46 ft sloop outside from Brooklyn, NY to Little Creek at south end of Chesapeake Bay in first week of December. He had planned to go to Brunswick, Ga., but so many problems arose w vessel, including serious leak of unknown origin (that owner knew about before departure but didn't disclose), I strongly suggested we pull in and sort things out. We did at 2 am in the dark in the rain in traffic.
A couple of things assuming you will be in the Atlantic: First, late May and early June may be better sailing and cooler in eves. Then, plan reasonably spaced bail out ports in great detail with important Lat and Long positions saved in at least one hand-held GPS along with good notes on tides and currents esp in the spots w tight channels, Atlantic City, Barnegat, etc. Do not rely on chart plotter exclusively, esp in close quarters. Speaking of close quarters, as the admiral said, "the best ship handlers in the Navy were the men at the helms that never allowed their ships to get into positions where great ship handling was required." I happen to know that Cheoy Lees do not handle well, especially in reverse and you are going into some very busy places. Yes, call ASA and take a docking course, or the Nav course, which is great, but best of all get out and try to back your boat down a tight fairway - difficult, very difficult in moderate wind. May end up going in reverse, stop, use fwd to straighten out, the reverse, then fwd to straighten. Some guys recommend keeping rudder amidships in reverse,, don't even try to use it to turn. Learn to use prop walk also. And most of all, if you get into a pinch inland , don't be afraid to drop your anchor at the first sight of trouble...then get on the radio. Hope it all goes well for you. Cheers, Pappy

[Medved]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

US Sailing Basic Cruising

https://www.ussailing.org/education/...asic-cruising/

I am trying to get into sailing and signed up for my first ASA class first week of May. My goal is to cruise at some point. Can you help me to understand how this training same or different than ASA courses?