Sailing School choices on Chesapeake

[advocate777]

Feedback requested please-

if you are familiar with Chesapeake Bay sailing schools would you recommend

a.) a 3-day keelboat course at BaySail in Havre de Grace for $550 on a Capri 22

or,

b.) a 4-day keelboat course at Maryland School of Sailing in Rock Hall on an Island Packet 32

if you could only afford to do one or the other. For a Newbie.
Any feedback most appreciated

[FrankZ]

You may wish to consider the Downtown Sailing Center in Baltimore.

[sck5]

I did the basic course at Maryland school and the next course (103) at Baysail. Both were very good schools but I liked the Maryland school better for the first course because they used a bigger boat (which was what I was aiming at), because they reallyh do a good job of stressing fundamentals in the first course (I dont know of another four day course), you can sleep on the boat there if you want to, and also because the sailing area is far less restrictive than it is in the shallow north end of the bay. Having said that, they both had excellent instructors and I dont think you would go far wrong either way

[Badsanta]

I second the maryland school of sailing and seamanship! I did not live close to the bay when I took classes and found staying aboard was easier than a hotel or driving 4 hours round trip. I also took classes with the Annapolis sailing school and the Chesapeake sailing school and enjoyed them all, but I found the staff and location more pleasant at the Maryland school in rock hall. They are the only one I found that teach Basic through offshore, navigation, docking. Yes the Docking class was great!

[ncarter]

Join the CYRG and sail on the ~ELF~

[Pblais]

If the courses are from the ASA or US Sail you are getting a standard product and a certified instructor. They have a track record of teaching sailing the right way. My wife and I learned on a Capri 22 and a J 22. I think they are a great boat to learn keel boats. A 32 ft boat isn't as responsive and you'll learn from mistakes quicker in a smaller boat. They still are keel boats and so more like what you might want to Cruise just smaller.Sunfish and other small boats are fun to sail but are not keel boats.

Class size is key. If the class has more than 4 people forget it. You won't get enough time handling the boat. there are classes on big boats and they load up 8 people and charge the same price for half the time at the wheel. It;'s good to watch others a bit but having one on one with an instructor helps the most. 4 works for a class size max. I would pay extra for just 2.

Good criteria is talk to the instructor that will teach your class. Some people get along better than others and getting along with you matters more than how many friends they have.

Last criteria is to find the way that makes it the most fun. Adding some days in a nice location makes the course a whole vacation. Sailing is mostly about having fun and being safe. It should be much more fun than just a class. You should come away excited about sailing.

[advocate777]

Thanks for all the input!
Am gonna sign up somewhere for for early May-