Sail Yourself to the Caribbean

Course Description

Whether you’d like to sail your own boat to the Caribbean, join someone else, or just know how it’s done, you’ll enjoy the course! Every fall, hundreds of boats depart the Chesapeake for the turquoise water and palm-fringed beaches of the Caribbean. If you’ve ever thought of joining them, whether sailing your own boat, hitching a ride as crew, or just curious about how it’s done, this course is for you. We’ll break down the basics—finding the right boat, getting it ready, understanding weather, and what life is really like cruising the Caribbean. Boat: Acquiring an appropriate boat, and fitting it out Weather: Offshore weather, getting weather info underway, weather routers Skills: What skills are needed, and how to learn them Food: provisioning for the two-week passage, and while in the islands Social life: New friends along the way, getting family and old friends to visit Maintenance: Taking care of, and repairing your boat and gear in the islands Resources: Groups, websites, books Alternatives to the Caribbean: Crewing on OPB (Other People’s Boats) The Bahamas: Closer, more accessible Going Further: Western Caribbean, Pacific, Europe, Around the world 
Instructor: Ted Grant