Notice to OPO Mariners

IN THIS ISSUE:

Editorial

Facebook

1000 Days at Sea

Members Seeking other Members to crew on their boats

Bermuda Cruising Rally

NARC Rally 2010

Opportunities

Editorial – We are back north for the summer season having arrived back in NY May 22^nd. We had a decent passage north this year. We did not have any winds over 25 knots for any length of time. We did have more wind forward of the beam than past years so we had less formal meals while healed over and had several bumpy days sailing upwind.  Luckily never more than 36 hours at a time.

After spending most of the last four months in the Caribbean it is good to be back home and looking forward to making more plans for the summer and fall. The Bermuda Rally starts in less than three weeks and it is exciting to have Tania Aebi skippering the boat and offering OPO members the opportunity to sail with her.

But first we are acting as the “press boat” for the long awaited return of Ried Stowe who has been at sea for over 1100 days. Try www.1000days.com

After the rally I have a delivery of a nice boat from Ct to Florida which will get me back home in time for a mini-Swan Rendezvous in Rhode Island. Keeping in touch with other Swan owners is key to getting more Swan opportunities for our members. We had more free swan opportunities this spring that any other year. That’s because of our work on the American Swan Associations Board and from attending Swan events. We also pay annually to be a sponsor their web site.

It looks like our big add ($750) in the Newport Bermuda Race Journal was a waste of money. So far we have had one crew request. There are still three weeks to the start of the race and a month until the boats start coming back. Last minute (a week or less) seems to be our niche with the racing crowd so we still have some time to see if our efforts to find return berths for members’ works out.

We have better luck with Rally’s we organize and this years NARC Rally should be the biggest yet.

Facebook – In two weeks I will be in Annapolis for the 2^nd Sail Industry Conference. The 1^st was two years ago in Newport. I will be there promoting the NARC Rally and our crew networking services to the sailing industry. There are also several seminars and break-out discussions and I know one will be asking about who uses social networks like Facebook. Many members have also been urging me to get on Facebook so I have signed aboard and will be building my list of “friends” and learning how to stay in touch with people.

My niche is promoting sailing to the general public and any way I can facilitate members getting more quality sea time to help them further their own goals the better. We want to help people make good decisions about buying a boat, making sailing a career change, or simply enjoying time offshore. 

1000 Days at Sea – June 17^th Reid Stowe will be returning to his home port of New York City after spending the last 1100  plus days at sea. Three years ago we half-jokingly included the opportunity to sail with Reid on an OPO Notice. He did find a crew who joined, but after several months started to get seasick. Turns out she was not sea sick, she was pregnant.

Both Tania Aebi and Charlie Doane (Sail magazine, OPO # 008) know him and we have volunteered to carry them both to Ried’s homecoming this month. We will take lots of pictures and post them on the web site (and Facebook) in our new photo sharing section. We are the only boat being allowed to tie up in New York Harbor for his press debut. I am sure you will be reading more about Reid this month in newspapers and maybe TV and then two or three months later in the sailing magazines. If you see any footage from the arrival, look for Avocation in the background.

Members Seeking other Members to crew on their boats can contact us and let us know what you are looking to do. We have 500 active OPO members spread all over North America. Some have smaller boats that they do not take offshore, but are happy to invite other OPO members aboard for day and weekend sails.  We will be happy to help facilitate members meeting for a sail. We like to think that it is easier to make new friends that already know how to sail than trying to teach our friends how to sail. Any OPO member who has a boat and wants to invite other OPO members to sail with them should e-mail me with what kind of boat, what body of water you sail on and what kind of sailing do you do. i.e. a) Weekends only, b)anytime because you are retired or c) looking for crew for a one or two week cruise this summer. Let me know and I will send out a notice with your e-mail address only so you can exchange passwords with each other to access your opo crew profile on the web site, or exchange phone numbers

Bermuda Cruising Rally – Rallies are always a good time, with a couple of days of shared preparation in port before departure, and then the accomplishment and sharing of stories with others right after making port. Tania Aebi is skippering Avocation for the 2^nd year in this rally. Several fortunate OPO members are sailing one leg or both ways with Tania sailing from Greenport LI to Bermuda and then back to Huntington NY. The rally has about the same amount of boats as last year, ten. This is the 3^rd edition of the rally and we will see where it goes next year.

NARC Rally – This month we begin making plans to build the NARC Rally. We plan to continue a free rally format for professionally skippered boats and for veterans who have sailed with us before. New boat owners will be asked to arrive early for a couple of days of seminars to help them get ready for the sail south and a winter in the Caribbean. I am also toying with the idea of having a half day of NARC Olympics on Saturday before departure. If we go this route we may be asking for OPO volunteers to help organize a few events and make a fun filled day of it. We will keep you posted. We have a booth at the Newport Show in September and OPO members are invited to join us in Newport at the show and before departure in October.

Our main goal is to grow the rally from last years 31 boats to 50 boats and offer more opportunities for our members. As usual, last year, if we had two or three OPO members, on the docks with bags packed ready to go, they would have found a berth. Later towards the end of the summer we will ask members if they would like to find a berth in the rally this year. If you have some offshore experience and can lend a calming and helping voice to a “newbie” we should be able to find a berth for you.

If you want a guaranteed berth in a Swan, the NARC Rally is the next offshore opportunity in our Swan Program. Let me know if you are interested in sailing with us in the rally this fall.

Opportunities

Myrtle Beach to Newport – xxxxxxxxxx is a friend of OPO Skipper xxxxxxwho sent him to us since he is looking for crew. xxxxx is flying in from the UK next week on Monday June 7^th to finish getting his boat ready for the passage north. He would like two crew to arrive in Little River (32 miles from Myrtle Beach airport) at “Cricket Marina” on Tuesday June 8^th for departure by about Wednesday the 9^th.  The boat is an Advance 40, which is very similar to a Swan, but has a lifting keel so she can do the Intracoastal Waterway if need be. Jono has owned her for a long time and knows her well. Her name is “xxxxxxxx”.  xxxxxx adds “xxxxxxxxxxx is relatively well equipped ..recent sat nav and radar epirb...but no liferaft..inflatable 4 man tender. I have done several thousands of miles in my time ..shower daily and smoke only on deck !!! like good food and cook mainly on board.”   Jono continues “The trip will be from Little River on the ICW to Newport or Chesapeake weather conditions applicable and also competence of crew ie go back up the ICW or out to sea and into new York and down the Sound....Am planning to fly to Myrtle Beach next Monday ..will need a couple of days to sort out in the Marina. diver scrub..stores etc...and then off.”  The trip can take from one week to 10 days depending on the route. If there is less time xxxxxx can leave the boat in the Chesapeake instead. You can call Jono at Mobile...44 xxxxxxxxxxxx(but remember the time difference to the UK) or you can e-mail him at jxxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com

Milford CT to Tampa FL – I am looking for two semi-qualified crew (They will need to present a resume for the Insurance Company) for a delivery of a Passport 50 from CT to the West Coast of Florida. I will be the skipper and we plan to depart on Monday July 12^th. This is a very nice boat and a calm time of year to be making the passage. It will be a non-stop trip unless we need fuel and should take about 10 to 12 days so I expect to be in Tampa by July 24^th. The trip is free with all onboard expenses included, but you need to get to and from the boat. We can discuss the best way to get to the boat on July 12^th after we put the crew together. If interested please e-mail me in the

Lanzarote Canary Islands to St. Thomas USVI – xxxxxxxxand his wife live aboard their Swan 47, (xxxxxxxx*).  They are currently in Guernsey, Channel Islands, but are already planning their return next fall and want to have the crew roster set by June 30^th 2010. They are looking for two crew to sail from the Canary Islands back to the USVI. We met xxxxxxxx and his wife in the 2007 Swan Rendezvous and they are very nice people. I am copying xxxxxxxx crew request almost verbatim. They plan to depart Nov 18^th so crew would fly into the island of Lanzarote the 16^th or 17^th. The trip will take about 3 weeks.

“Basically anything you would want to know if you were looking to join a boat that you do not know. How many other crew aboard etc.

The boat is a Swan 47 built in 1979. Last survey was in March 2010. My wife and I will be onboard and are looking for one and probably 2 other crew. Crew will do a shared rotation watch system, as well as other duties common to a trans-Atlantic crossing. The boat is capable of handling a variety of offshore conditions, though may not be as comfortable as many other boats of a similar size built within the last 10 years. Space is limited. Water and basic provisions onboard are supplied. Foul weather gear and standard inflatable life vest are available. Ability to stay on the boat for up to 48 hours after arrival will not be an issue, but as other guests will be arriving at that time, crew will need to secure alternative arrangements thereafter. Boat is equipped with an offshore 4-man life raft (ISO 9650-1 Compliant), SSB, VHF, and radar, but no Sat Phone and no internet. Flights, ground transportation, medical coverage are the responsibility of crew. A phone conversation will be organized prior to confirmation. Troubleshooting and knowledge of diesel engines an advantage. Medical knowledge not essential. Clean living habits and personal hygiene essential. Confirmation of crew position will be made by June 30th. Full sailing CV will be required. Trans-Atlantic experience not required. Please note, we will be at sea for Thanksgiving. Please supply height, weight, age, and sex with inquiry, along with sailing experience and expectations.I am currently in Guernsey, Channel Islands and thus email is the preferred means of communication for the initial contact. x@yahoo.com”

 * Stands for “x”. If you go as crew you can ask the story behind the naming of the boat.

    Notice to OPO Mariners

IN THIS ISSUE:

Editorial –Antigua Sailing Week

Sailing North

Swan Opportunities

Opportunities

Editorial – We had a full boat for Antigua Sailing week with a very good crew. Five crew had sailed together before and this was the first year we scheduled a day of practice.

We surprised ourselves with a 2^nd place the first race on Sunday. Saturday’s race was cancelled do the volcano. No, not the one across the way in Montserrat, but the one in Iceland. Many crew and race officials could not get flights so they delayed the regatta one day.

We repeated the first race finish with another 2^nd place and were in first place in the Performance 1 division made up of some big boats. Greek Tragedy struck on Tuesday and we finished 9^th. The Greek tragedy part was from only one of four boats that skipped a mark in our division retired so we moved up to eight, but no better. The pressure was on for Thursday after the lay day and Avocation responded with a great start and a 1^st place to put us back in 2^nd place for the regatta with one race left. We had one boat, one point back and another 2 points behind us. You would think a 4^th place on the last day would secure a podium finish, but the boat two points back won, the one pointer was 2^nd by 18 seconds ahead of the eventual winner of the regatta. Those 18 seconds cost us 3^rd place and made it 4 years out of 6 that we were 4^th place. We did get trophies for the best Swan finish and also for the best crewed boat (meaning other boats with paid crew like us). Nothing to be ashamed of, but they feel like consolation trophies after dong so well.  Next year we have some business to finish.

Sailing North – Some OPO members are sailing north on a Swan at the end of the week. I depart with a full crew aboard Avocation and Murray on the Swan 57 Boonatsa will depart from Tortola with a good size OPO contingent as well. The Swan 48 Bella Luna that AJ Smith is skippering has been delayed do to slow yard work in Tortola so if you want to sail north on a Swan in a couple of weeks you can. As soon as AJ finalizes plans with the owner we will send out a notice looking for crew to sail with AJ from Tortola BVI to Jamestown RI. I think the dates will be around May 15^th so if you have not signed up yet for a passage you can think about it and be able to react when you see the e-mail tomorrow.  Because of the late nature of the delivery, the trip will be free.

Swan Opportunity in June - Bermuda Cruising Rally – The trip from the US East Coast to Bermuda and back is the best first time offshore experience and June is the best time to go. If you have been waiting to take a spouse or young adult child offshore, the Bermuda Cruising Rally is the event to do this in. I took my wife Cathy on such a passage years ago in a 35 footer and she still sails offshore with me. I will be skippering a sister Swan 48 and Tania Aebi will be skippering Avocation.

We gather in Greenport NY June 18^th for departure that weekend. Stay until June 27^th if you are sailing the first leg to Bermuda. The return passage June 28^th to July 4^th (with Crew arriving on Sunday June 27^th) is a good run. The first week costs a bit more for Rally fees and included an extra couple of days and festivities. Either way you will meet Tania Aebi and be part of our Swan Fleet sailing to and from Bermuda. If you are interested, I will be checking e-mail until Saturday and Cathy will be checking the office while we are at sea. The leg to Bermuda with me is $1800 and the return passage is $1600.  Reserve a berth with a $500 deposit and I will be in touch when I am back in the office May 24^th.

Opportunities 

The opportunities have been going out as they come in. We are finding that boat owners and skippers looking for crew for longer passages from the Caribbean to the states are having trouble finding crew so it looks like everyone that was looking for a passage this spring has found one. The two week trip with AJ will be sent out tomorrow and I am sure there will be others before the spring season is over. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. I am in St. Maarten by myself getting the boat ready and check e-mail every afternoon while it is hot, hot, hot.   

    Notice to OPO Mariners

IN THIS ISSUE:

Editorial

NARC Rally 2010

Heineken Regatta Podium Finish

Swan Opportunities

Opportunities

Editorial – This April 1st finds us on the island of Dominica with five

OPO members aboard for the week. We departed St. Maarten over the weekend

and sailed past the St. Barth's to see the mega sailing fleet round the leeward mark in the St. Barth's Bucket. Over 40 of the world’s largest sailboats go all out to see who can round the marks in one piece and have bragging rights for the coming year.

Yesterday we took a river tour of the Indian River National Park and wicked drinks at the Bush bar at the top of the river. Today we had the famous “Emerald Pool” all to ourselves as we arrived late and all the tour buses were gone. Tomorrow we see the other half of the island and Trafalgar Falls and then depart for St. Maarten on Thursday. I am sending out the April 1^st Notice a day or tow early since I will not have access until Friday Night. I fly home this weekend and will be in the office Monday April 5th

You too can join us next year when we offer very affordable sailing opportunities with us aboard Avocation.

This time of year the opportunities start coming in faster and we send them out as they come in so we do not have a long opportunity list this month. Many more to follow in the next two months. I will be in the office next week and if you want to make sure you will have a good opportunity or need help getting that first offshore passage in, next week will be the time to speak with me and make sure we help you get aboard. You cans end me an e-mail to make an appointment to speak on the phone or just call me next week in the office.

Heineken Regatta – We have already bragged about our Podium finish at the Heineken regatta. Hat makes two of the five years we raced in the regatta and that we had a podium finish. We have had three 4^th place finished at Antigua Sailing week. Last year it blew very hard and we were not very competitive, but this year we have a near full crew, new sails, and we have added a practice day so we should be very competitive and have a good chance to finally finish in the top three. If you want to join us read below and give me a call or send an e-mail.

NARC Rally 2010 - Before departing St. Maarten last week we secured a new major sponsor for our NARC Rally for next fall. We have never had a final destination for the rally and allowed boats to linger in Bermuda if they had never been there before or they could sail to the BVI's or any other final destination after Bermuda. We will still allow this latitude next year, but the management of IGY Marinas will now throw our final destination party and offer a discount dockage deal for boat in the fleet. More details will follow, but what this means for OPO members is that we will be able to grow the fleet to even more boats next year by offering more services and benefits to rally participants. Last year we had 31 boats in the fleet and offered many free sailing opportunities to OPO members this fall.  We hope to attract even more boats and have more sailing opportunities for members.

Antigua Sailing Week – Fly into Antigua Thursday April 22^nd and fly home May 1^st.   Friday is practice day and racing starts on Saturday. There are six days of racing with one lay day in the middle. We charter a support boat for people to sleep aboard for the regatta.  We have only 2 berths left. We may have to charter two support boats so we are comfortable.  We already have a 46 foot Cat with 6 cabins. Veteran Swan Skipper Rick Butler will be skippering her once again. She is a great party platform for après race days. If we have a crew of 12 to 14 we will get a second boat so we will be an OPO mini fleet for the regatta. This is the best, if not biggest, event of the season. Please let me know if you are interested in joining us this year. The cost for Antigua Sailing Week is $2250 which includes a berth on the support boat.  Just let me know if you are interested and we can talk next week. It is also possible to fly into St. Marten early and sail to Antigua with us and then back after the event. Just let me know. It is usually cheaper to fly into and out of St. Maarten.

We are also looking for one crew to fly into the UVI three days early to sail to and fro Antigua for the event. You will crew with OPO Members John Peterson who will be skippering the 2^nd support boat for us. You will be able to spend time sailing to and from the regatta and then also sail with us for the event. For the right person we will offer a discount to sail theses two weeks. Call me and let’s talk next Monday.    

Trans-At – If you want to sail across the ocean on Swan this May, we have convinced the skipper that we need to reduce the price to fill the boat. We have one OPO members going and I think Dan has one or two crew so there may be only one or two berths left. The new cost is only $1250 and not the $2750 that he was looking for last month. This is less than it would cost you to stay home (about $250 a week includes all food and boat expenses. Let me know and we can help you sing up for this Trans=at on a Swan with a pro skipper and mate.

Sail a Swan 51 from Antigua to the UK. Fly into Antigua May 4^th for departure May 6^th. The passage to the Azores will take 14 to 16 days. You will have three or four days to visit Peter’s Café Sport and get ready for the 10 day sail to the UK. Four OPO crew made the passage last year on the same boat with the same British pro skipper and mate and they had a great time. The cost for the Trans-at including all provisioning and boat expenses is huge bargain at $2750. (Slashed to $1250) That’s only about $500 ($250)

per week and includes all expenses except airfare. Please contact me if you are looking to book a Trans-at this spring on a good boat with a very nice and young pro-skipper.  

Our Annual St. Maarten-Bermuda-Newport-NY –There is one berth left to sail with me aboard Avocation. I will know more about sailing with Murray Jacob next week. This is a great trip and we have been making it for years. If you want to join us we can talk next week.

Sail aboard Avocation or the Swan 57 Boonatsa departing the Caribbean May 8^th and arriving in Newport May 23^rd  and NY May 24^th.  I will be skippering Avocation and our most popular skipper Murray Jacob will be sailing the Swan 57 back. This is a great first time passage as we start in classic Trade Winds in warmer weather and have the challenging 2^nd leg from Bermuda to the States after crew get their sea legs. We cover 1500 miles in fourteen days for $2500 all inclusive. If you want to join Murray or myself, please contact us soon. I also just spoke with a pro skipper friend at the dock yesterday who runs a Swan 51. He says he is also heading north this May because he has a charter for the Bermuda Race before then sailing to Europe from Bermuda I late June. Let me know if you want to join us and learn more about the Swan 51’s plans.

Bermuda Cruising Rally – (This opportunity to sail with Tania may already be full but I will know more next week when I am home. If there is enough interested I may look for another boat to sail in the rally that I will skipper. Again I will know more next week. But if you want to sail in the rally please let me know and we can talk next week, hank)

A rare chance to sail with a true sailing celebrity. Gather in Greenport NY June 18^th for departure that weekend. Stay until June 27^th.  Sail to Bermuda or back with Tania Aebi on a Swan 48 for $2200 for the rally and trip to Bermuda. Return Passage June 28^th to July 4^th Bermuda to Newport. $1800. It looks like we may also have two or three crew berths on an Amel 53 for the trip to and or from Bermuda in the rally. The costs for the Amel is $1500 for the ride down and $1300 for the rip back. We have plenty of time before the rally so just let us know if you think you are interested and we can talk more when I am in the office next month.

Opportunities                                                                                                               

Mexico to Hawaii and then to Seattle his home port - Boat Owner, xxxxxxxxxxxxx, is a first time contact looking for crew for this passage from Mexico to HI.  He plans to depart Puerto Vallarta April 23, arrive Hilo Hawaii in about one month, but you should leave about 35 days for the passage just in case. The ideal crew would also like to make the next leg to Seattle. If you can only do one leg you can ask xxxxxxxx about the 2^nd leg and joining him in HI. The boat is a 1984 47 foot sloop (don’t forget to ask what kind, but a 9 foot draft may mean a performance boat.) David filled out our online form and wanted to call me with more info, but I am away from the office as you know. The trip is free with onboard expenses included, but you need to get to and from the boat and have money for shoreside expenses. I wanted to include the opportunity in this April 1^st Notice so here it is. The boat seems very well equipped and xxxxxxseems a very capable skipper. Contactxxxxxxxxx for more info and I will speak with him when I am back home. The boats name is xxxxxxxxxand he has a web site.  xxxxxxxxxx so you can check it out online before e-mailing. His e-mail address is xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Our online form lets owners describe there perfect crew. Here is what xxxxxxxx e-mailed:

“Someone who has done an ocean crossing and the other crew would love to do it with them again given the opportunity.  Someone who likes time behind the wheel and sails by the feel of the wind instead of staring at instruments.  Someone who is still excited by Dolphins one bow wave. Someone who is easy to talk to and can also be comfortable with silence. Someone who is not a picky eater, but enjoys cooking and good food and a non-smoker.”

xxxxxxxxxxx______________________________________
  

    Notice to OPO Mariners

IN THIS ISSUE:

Editorial

Swan Opportunities

Newport Bermuda Race

Opportunities

Editorial – We just sailed back from the BVI’s Sunday and crew arrived Monday to get ready for the Heineken regatta. This is the 30^th anniversary and our 5^th regatta with Avocation. It is shaping up to be a big year and we are all very excited.  We have a very good crew this year and today is the first day of two practice days with three days of racing to follow. AJ Smith, one of our OPO Swan Skippers, has a small video camera and is putting together a film for us. We have 11 other OPO members and our Sailmaker from Doyle with us. The crew is bonding together great. The next big regatta for us is less than two months away. We still have 4 berths left for Antigua Sailing Week. The details are below, but it is, for us, an 8 to 10 day regatta for you with one day of practice and six days of racing. Just e-mail Cathy in the office if you want to jon us for this or any of the Swan opportunities listed below. You only need to send in a $500 deposit now and any balance is not due until 30 days before the passage. I check e-mails when I can and will be in the office for two weeks in April right after Easter to send you logistical details. You should be able to follow the regatta at the Heineken Regatta website.and I will let you know when AJ’s video is online. Racing starts on Friday. I will try and send a recap next week after the regatta.

More web site news – it appears most members are able to fill out their profiles on our OPO web site. If you are having problems I will be back next month and we can help those who are still not done entering their online resume.. At this point, not having your profile up, will not hinder your chances to get aboard a boat. Another new feature that we are working on is a file sharing section where members will be able to post their sailing pictures and videos on the site to share with others. It is in the Beta stage and I will not be able to complete and put up until April. It should be a lot of fun.

Newport Bermuda Race – Anyone attending a “Safety-at-Sea” seminar this spring will get a copy of the Newport Bermuda Race Program that has our ad offering boat owners entered in the race this year the opportunity to contact us to get crew for the return passage. It will be very interesting to see how many calls we get. Already we have had one new owner call who says he is about to buy a boat and may even want crew for the race. He does not sound like an experienced offshore racer as he has asked about getting a navigator and two watch captains. Once he confirms that he has bought his boat, we may have several berths for the race down, when normally we expect only return passage opportunities after the race. While Avocation and myself are not in the race this year, we will be sailing down to Bermuda in the Bermuda Cruising Rally about the same time and should be able to come down to Hamilton to see any members arriving for the return passage.

Antigua Sailing Week – Fly into Antigua Thursday April 22^nd and fly home  May 1^st.   Friday is practice day and racing starts on Saturday. There are six days of racing with one lay day in the middle. We charter a support boat for people to sleep aboard for the regatta.  We have only 4 berths left. We may have to charter two support boats so we are comfortable.  We already have a 46 foot Cat with 6 cabins. Veteran Swan Skipper Rick Butler will be skippering her once again. She is a great party platform for après race days. If we have a crew of 12 to 14 we will et a second boat so we will be an OPO mini fleet for the regatta. This is the best, if not biggest, event of the season. Please let me know if you are interested in joining us this year. The cost for Antigua Sailing Week is $2250 which includes a berth on the support boat.     

Trans-At – Sail a Swan 51 from Antigua to the UK. Fly into Antigua May 4^th for departure May 6^th. The passage to the Azores will take 14 to 16 days. You will have three or four days to visit Peter’s Café Sport and get ready for the 10 day sail to the UK. Four OPO crew made the passage last year on the same boat with the same British pro skipper and mate and they had a great time. The cost for the Trans-at including all provisioning and boat expenses is huge bargain at $2750. That’s only about $500 per week and includes all expenses except airfare. Please contact me if you are looking to book a Trans-at this spring on a good boat with a very nice and young pro-skipper.   

Our Annual St. Maarten-Bermuda-Newport-NY –Sail aboard Avocation or the Swan 57 Boonatsa departing the Caribbean May 8^th and arriving in Newport May 23^rd  and NY May 24^th.  I will be skippering Avocation and our most popular skipper Murray Jacob will be sailing the Swan 57 back. This is a great first time passage as we start in classic Trade Winds in warmer weather and have the challenging 2^nd leg from Bermuda to the States after crew get their sea legs. We cover 1500 miles in fourteen days for $2500 all inclusive. If you want to join Murray or myself, please contact us soon. I also just spoke with a pro skipper friend at the dock yesterday who runs a Swan 51. He says he is also heading north this May because he has a charter for the Bermuda Race before then sailing to Europe from Bermuda I late June. Let me know if you want to join us and learn more about the Swan 51’s plans.

Bermuda Cruising Rally – A rare chance to sail with a true sailing celebrity. Gather in Greenport NY June 18^th for departure that weekend. Stay until June 27^th.  Sail to Bermuda or back with Tania Aebi on a Swan 48 for $2200 for the rally and trip to Bermuda. Return Passage June 28^th to July 4^th Bermuda to Newport. $1800. It looks like we may also have two or three crew berths on an Amel 53 for the trip to and or from Bermuda in the rally. The costs for the Amel is $1500 for the ride down and $1300 for the rip back. We have plenty of time before the rally so just let us know if you think you are interested and we can talk more when I am in the office next month.

Opportunities 

Mexico to New Zealand – Our New Zealand connection of many years, pro skipper Chris Bone forwarded us this opportunity this week. Chris is a very accomplished delivery skipper and runs a delivery service down under. He includes us in any opportunities that start nearer to us or that sound good. If interested, please contact the owner to learn more.

Thanks, Chris Bone

Ben 32 Captain , and I, Don  the  retired  owner  are looking for 2 mature ethical people  to join us on a shared cost for food and fuel, proportional basis - on a 53 ft Ketch recently  refitted  for a Pacific Adventure -- ultimately to arrive in   NZ- presently the Ketch is in La Paz , Mexico --we will leave from Puerto Verlatta  end of March early April. and visit as many Islands as the  crew want !!!!
 We are looking for  people who have experience, are team players, happy , practical with either mechanical /electrical /navagational / cooking / musical / electronic skills. We are happy to have the potential crew join us sooner if necessary -- 
  Please reply to this email --  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hawaii to Australia – xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx is a pro skipper and has gotten crew fro us before. He plans to depart about the 18^th of April with stops in Samoa, Fiji, and New Caledonia before ending up in Coffs Harbor north of Sydney. He is estimating the trip will take about 36 days. He has some crew, including the owner, who is doing a great job of taking care of getting the nboat ready including all the safety gear. I think, when you have the owner also going, that he makes sure the boat is definitely ready since he is aboard., so the combination of owner and a pro paid skipper is the best.  Richard is looking for one or two more semi-experienced crew. The trip is free with all boat expenses included. You just need to get to and from the boat. Oh yea, and this is a great boat, an Oyster 48. To find out more please contact Richard at the following contact info

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Smooth Passage Yacht Delivery
Vashon, Washington
   

    Notice to OPO Mariners

IN THIS ISSUE:

Editorial – Fill out your online survey yet?

OPO Winter Work

Winter Caribbean Season

Opportunities

Editorial – The OPO web meister has been tweaking the OPO web site and you should be able to copy and paste your resume to the profile. The 5000 work max setting has been deleted. The most important part of the profile is the passages you have made and the sea miles/days at sea. Please use the sea mile passage format to calculate your sea miles and sea time. Make sure you add new trips as you complete them. If you do not have much sea time and are just getting started, do not worry. Everyone starts somewhere.  Emphasize your willingness to learn and follow orders and others ways you can contribute to the passage. (cooking/mechanical skills, medical training, foreign language, offering elbow grease or pre departure logistical solutions.) There are other ways to make yourself as attractive as possible. An eager new crew can be worth more than a know-it-all old sea-dog. Do not underestimate any small boat handling skills. If you can sail a small boat you can sail a big one, but not necessarily the other way around.

I am going to make it my goal to have every OPO member fill out their crew profile. When we first stared in 1993 very few members had e-mail. We started our web site in 1996. Now 100% of members have e-mail and you should all be able to enter your profile online. If you have trouble we can have our web guy answer your questions. It may take a while, but if we can get near 100% compliance then OPO will be able to boast to other professionals in the business and to boat owners and skippers that our service will allow them to look at member’s profiles and resumes after you contact them and give them permission by giving them your nickname “password”.  This added member benefit and OPO feature will make our service unique and more valuable to our target market, boats owners and delivery skippers looking for crew, but also more valuable to our members.  The automatic calculator for sea time and sea miles will help you keep track of your sea time which is very important if you one day plan to get your captains license, or when you need to renew after five years. Please do make it your intention to fill out your online OPO survey this month.

OPO Winter Work– We do not sit around waiting for opportunities to find us. We actively seek out offshore passage opportunities for our members. One way is to be in the Caribbean roaming around and getting the word out. Being visible at the Caribbean Regattas and networking with other delivery skippers in the islands and even individually meeting owners who are cruising helps. (This is my favorite way to promote OPO.) In March we will be attending our 5^th Swan Rendezvous and presenting the best maintained Swan Award on behalf of the Swan Owners Association, which I am a board member of. My Swan Owners Association board membership is a good way to offer our services and we are featured prominently on the Swan Owners Web site. You can take a look at www.swanowners.com  The picture on the home page is of our NARC Rally departure a few years ago in Newport.

We also added the biggest Caribbean magazine “All-at-Sea” to our roster of sailing magazines where we advertise to skippers looking for crew.

Once again this year I am actively pursuing the Bermuda Race committee to offer our crew network service to race participants to offer crew for the return passage from Bermuda. There will be about 125-150 boats entered in the Bermuda Race this year and I am sure some of them will be looking for crew for the return passage. I have been in e-mail touch with John Rousmienere, who is one of the lead organizers. It looks like we will get a free mention on their web site. It is hard working with an all volunteer organization, but I think we have wore them down over the years and they see the benefit of offering our service to race participants.

This June we are also helping to organize the 3^rd edition of the Bermuda Cruising Rally. This departs from Greenport LI about the same time as the Bermuda Race, the 3^rd week in June. Tania Aebi will be skippering Avocation and I will be on another boat for the trip down and back. There will also be opportunities to sail for free on other boats in the fleet. We will let you now as we learn who needs crew. We enjoy the rally concept and the opportunities they provide for our members, which brings us to our own Rally. If you have a boat and want to make an offshore passage this June to test systems and yourself, this is a good offshore passage to start with. Check out the rally at www.bermudacruisingrally.com

It looks like the 2010 Edition of the NARC Rally will be adding more guidance for new offshore sailors and instructional services. This year the rally grew to 31 boats. With a larger audience there is room to improve the offering for both first timers and veterans alike. One of the participants, David Lyman, on “Searcher” a Bowman 57, wants to take lead point on organizing our departure in Newport. We are going to support the effort and plan to make the rally bigger, and thus get more offshore passage opportunities form our members. 

Winter Caribbean Season – Our three charter weeks and the Heineken Regatta are full. (Actually we have one berth for Heineken, but have one couple I am waiting to hear from to see if they are joining us for the Heineken Regatta or Antigua Sailing Week, but you can call to see about this last berth if you wish.) I look forward to meeting new members and repeat participants this winter. I fly down next week, but will be in e-mail touch most days. Cathy will also be checking the office phones and e-mail until she comes down for the Swan Rendezvous in March.

The next openings to join us are for Antigua Sailing Week towards the end of April.

Antigua Sailing Week – Fly into Antigua Thursday April 22^nd  and fly home  May 1^st.   Friday is practice day and racing starts on Saturday. There are 5 days of racing with one lay day in the middle. We charter a support boat for people to sleep aboard for the regatta. Right now we are already half full. If we get a full compliment of crew (for Avocation that is 12 to 14 crew), I plan to charter two support boats so we are comfortable. Please let me know if you are interested in joining us this year. The cost for Antigua Sailing Week is $2250 which includes a berth on the support boat.     

Trans-At – Sail a Swan 51 from Antigua to the UK. Fly into Antigua May 4^th for departure May 6^th. The passage to the Azores will take 14 to 16 days. You will have three or four days to visit Peter’s Café Sport and get ready for the 10 day sail to the UK. Four OPO crew made the passage last year on the same boat with a British pro skipper and mate and they had a great time. The same skipper is going this year. The cost for the Trans-at including all provisioning and boat expenses is $2750. Please contact me if you are looking to book a Trans-at this spring on a good boat with a very nice and young pro-skipper.   

Our Annual St. Maarten-Bermuda-Newport-NY –Sail aboard Avocation or the Swan 57 Boonatsa departing the Caribbean May 8^th and arriving in Newport May 23^rd  and NY May 24^th.  I will be skippering Avocation and our most popular skipper Murray Jacob will be sailing the Swan 57 back. This is a great first time passage as we start in classic Trade Winds in warmer weather and have the challenging 2^nd leg from Bermuda to the States after crew get their sea legs. We cover 1500 miles in fourteen days for $2500 all inclusive. If you want to join Murray or myself, please contact us soon.

Bermuda Cruising Rally – A rare chance to sail with a true sailing celebrity. Gather in Greenport NY June 18^th for departure that weekend. Stay until June 27^th.  Sail to Bermuda or back with Tania Aebi on a Swan 48 for $2200 for the rally and trip to Bermuda. Return Passage June 28^th to July 4^th Bermuda to Newport. $1800

Buying an Offshore Boat – Many members are looking to buy a boat in the future so they can go sailing offshore on their own. Through OPO they are gaining more sea miles and time at sea, and seeing first hand what works and what does not work offshore. I often get asked what is a good offshore boat to buy. Now we have a definitive resource to answer that question. OPO member # 08 and erstwhile OPO skipper Charlie Doane has written a book, The Modern Cruising Sailboat: A Complete Guide to Design, Construction & Outfitting that has just been released by International Marine/McGraw-Hill.  I have already ordered my copy. It is a hefty reference work full of lots of useful info on cruising boats in general and also includes detailed profiles of 40 specific boats. You can buy the book directly through the usual retail outlets and help boost Charlie’s official sales numbers. Or you can contact Charlie directly at charlesdoane@comcast.net and he’ll sell you a signed copy personally. He’s offering a discount for OPO members ($30, marked down from $39.95) plus shipping. Also, be sure to check out Charlie’s new blog at www.wavetrain.net and www.boatermouth.com OPO Special on the book for the month of Feb Only. Contact Charlie this month for an autographed copy and you can deduct $10 on your OPO dues in September. So you get the book for half price. Be one of the first to get your copy.

Opportunities 

1) Nassau Bahamas to Annapolis MD – Boat Owner xxxxxxxxxxhas a 2008 Beneteau 43 that he will be sailing from Nassau home this May. He is looking for one crew more crew for a total of four crew. The plan is for crew to fly in May 7^th for departure the next day and to plan to fly home from BWI Airport near Annapolis May 16^th. xxxxxxxxxsailed south in the Caribbean 1500 and the boat is in very good shape. He has owned her since new. The trip is free with all onboard expenses but you need to get to and from the boat. To sing aboard contact xxxxxxx at xxxxxxxxxxx

2) RI – Bermuda – Norfolk VA –RI – Maine – New caller xxxxxxxxowns a very well equipped Shannon 43. He has been getting the boat and himself ready for the following passages this summer in preparation for a Trans Atlantic next year. The plans are a bit fluid but xxxxxxxxx includes enough information to get a good idea of some of the options for this year. The trips are free with crew getting to and from the boat unless specified below.  Here is the itinerary that xxxxxxx sent us along with some notes about himself and the boat. Please contact either one of us if you are interested in learning more and signing aboard. His e-mail is xxxxxxxxxx@gmail.com

RI to BERMUDA - leaving approx. July 5 - 3 berths available 

I'd like to find at least one other companion who has made this or a similar trip before.

If you are also staying on for the next leg you can stay aboard while in harbor.  (In that circumstance you would help with laundry, watering and provisioning.)

BERMUDA to VA - leaving approx. July 16 - 2-3 berths available

I'm inviting my son, Lewis, on this leg if his schedule permits.

Both of the ocean legs are in the 4-8 day range.

VA to RI - leaving approx. July 23 - 1-4 berths available

We will coast up the Chesapeake, visit Annapolis, transit the C&D canal, and jump from Cape May NJ back to RI, taking a week or so. (Mostly coastal, 1 night at sea)

I expect to spend at least 2 nights in Annapolis so if anybody just wants to do from there to the end that would be fine.

RI to PORTLAND ME - leaving mid-August

After a trip back home and some time at Bristol Marine, I'll take it easy getting back to Maine, possibly solo.  1-way transportation provided as I am moving the car back to Maine. (Mostly coastal, possibly a night or two at sea)

“By the time of the trip I will have experience of about 5,000 cruising miles including the training run from USVI to Norfolk this May.  I'll also have ASA certification through level 108, including celestial and coastal navigation, plus training in medical procedures (SSCA), diesel (Mass Maritime), and safety at sea (USS, LRSE).  I have lived aboard Isabella 3 summers, cruising between NYC and Mt Desert

The boat has been thoroughly refit and includes the usual offshore equipment such as life raft, jack lines, EPIRB, sat phone, SSB, radar, AIS, flares, harnesses, para anchor, 200 gals water, 100 gals fuel, etc.  Refrigeration, freshwater, waste systems, and bilge pumps have also been renewed, along with fuel and electrical systems.  With all that, the boat is comparatively low tech, without water maker, generator, bow thrusters, or air conditioning. Most of the sails and running rigging are also new.”

3) Bermuda Cruising Rally – Boat Owner xxxxxxxxx is sailing in the Rally this year and would like to start lining up crew early. He gives us lots of information about himself and the boat. If you are interested please contact him and make further plans. The dates for the rally are roughly June 17^th to July 5^th for both legs.

Trinity – Crew Roster and Sailing Bios

Owner/Captain:  xxxxxxx  xxxxxxxxxx(40) has been sailing since the age of ten, having participated in numerous training and racing programs.  In his earlier years he sailed racing dinghies, primarily International 505s and 470s, with the past 20-years spent sailing boats 30-feet and larger.  He has owned Trinity, a Freedom 36, for the past seven years, primarily sailing singlehanded on regional excursions as far north as Casco Bay, Maine, and south to Nantucket Sound and the ‘islands’.  He has captained several bareboat trips in the Virgin Islands.  In addition to basic seamanship and safety courses over years, the mechanically-inclined Maggiacomo has attended diesel engine service and repair classes and has completed numerous mechanical upgrades and necessary repairs at sea.

Personal/Other Info:  xxxxxxxxxxxx is an exec. at a bank based in Boston.xxxxxxxxand his wife, Cecile, have three children and reside in Newbury, Massachusetts.  Other personal interests include music, running, cycling, and automobiles. 

Passenger:  xxxxxxxxxxxthirteen year old daughter will be accompanying her father on the Bermuda sailing trip.  Olivia is an aspiring marine biologist and is the oldest ofxxxxxxxxxx three children.  Olivia has assisted her father on numerous trips and, truth be told, is currently the only other person in the family with a determined interest in sailing.

Crew:

We are looking for three experienced crew members to participate in the Bermuda Cruising Rally, from Greenport Long Island to Bermuda, including the return trip which, while still being determined, may be back to home port (Marblehead).  Female crew members are encouraged given that the owner’s thirteen year old daughter will be on board.  Crew members must be deemed acceptable crew for insurance purposes.  Obviously, must be non-smoker/drinker while on board.

Freedom 36 ‘xxxxxxxxxx’ information:

The Freedom 36, designed by Gary Mull and made by Freedom Yachts (Tillotson Pearson, Inc.), has gained a reputation as an easy sailing high-quality boat with a large interior.  Trinity has received constant care and maintenance.  Traditional Freedom carbon fiber spar and sloop rig with all sail controls lead to the cockpit, which leaves the deck wide open for access.  A self-tending jib and all lines leading into the cockpit again, make this boat an easy short-handed sailboat.  She has two private staterooms, a spacious main saloon with bulkhead mounted fold away table, sit-down navigation station, and lots opening ports and hatches for ventilation. "Trinity" has been recently upgraded with electronics. She has everything needed for coastal, offshore, shorthanded cruising. This boat is in very good condition and a pleasure to look at, particularly with her navy blue hull.  Photos attached below… Contact Mike at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

4) Skipper/mates position – xxxxxxxxxxxowns a very nice Beneteau 47 that he keeps at xxxxxxxxx Yacht Club in xxxxxxxxxxxxxNY on the north shore of Long Island. I have delivered his boat from our east back to xxxxxxxxx the past 3 or 4 years. xxxxxx called asking to fill a unique opportunity to stay aboard his boat full time (for someone that lives farther away) or part time (for someone living closer) to do light maintenance and sail withxxxxxxxor to deliver the boat to pints east this summer. The position would be from mid to late June to the Labor Day Weekend. If you were to move the boat out east you would call us for another one or two crew to make the trip. Even though you would live aboard the bat on a mooring part when in xxxxxxxxxx the boa has a very nice center console inflatable dinghy to get around. Salary would be in the “spending only” range of a couple of hundred a week. You can call me to ask more about the opportunity as I envision it and of course call xxxxx at  xxxxxxx or e-mail xxxxxxxxxx

    Notice to OPO Mariners

IN THIS ISSUE:

Editorial

OPO Web Site Profile & Sea Log

Buying an Offshore Boat? THEN BUY THIS BOOK!!!

Winter Caribbean Season

Opportunities

Editorial – A month ago I thought I would be around most of January. Instead next week I am departing on the first of two deliveries that will take up most of the month. I have one OPO member going on each trip with owners and friends making up the rest of the crew. Next week from January 4^th to the 8^th will be the best time to get in touch with me and plan some sailing this winter. After that Cathy will be monitoring the office.

Members who get Cruising World Magazine will enjoy this month’s column by Fatty Goodlander. It is about delivery skippers and delivering boats. Fatty is very funny and very good at listing the good attributes of a delivery crew. Make sure you read it or read it online if you can.

If you have not already filled out your OPO profile online we have new printed instructions in this notice to help you get started. I have filled out my profile and you can view my resume on the site. My web nickname to view my profile is “hank”. This was the first time I have written down my sea miles. I kept good records the last 15 years after I had to gather my sea time for the Captains License the first time. In my profile I only listed trips I had in my records or old invoice books. I am missing a lot of deliveries from 1986 until 1991 so fell short of my perceived 200,000 plus offshore miles, but felt I should not list sea miles that I can not document. I also did not include most of the sailing on my own Tayana 37 unless they were long passages and nothing on smaller dinghies during nine years in junior sailing programs, 3 summers driving a launch or the 5 years on my Dads Cal 2-30 all before age 19. I have almost 2000 days at sea (not including 7 years working offshore oil rigs nor 14 years living aboard) and 170,000 miles. Take a look and see if you can find the deliveries you may have done with me.

Please fill out your profile and log your sea time.  Please make sure to update your sea time after each passage you make. The web site will automatically keep track of your sea miles and sea time. You will then be able to direct prospective boat owners and delivery skippers to your resume on the opo web site making it much easier for them to choose you to sail with them. Just direct them to the site and give them your nickname.

You may want to print and save the following instructions to help you fill out your online survey.

Getting Started

Welcome Aboard! Now that you’re a member of Offshore Passage Opportunities, we encourage you to visit our website, www.sailopo.com, and create your own online account. This will make it easy for captains and others that you wish to learn more about you to welcome you aboard.

Your online account will enable to you:

>        Easily develop and maintain your sea log—essential for U.S. Coast Guard Certification

>        Create and optionally share your profile with other OPO Members

>        Enable you to view the shared profiles of others

>        View sailing opportunities via the World Wide Web*

* The OPO Notices are sent to active members as they become available. You can go to the site to see past opportunities, but the online opportunities do not contain contact information.

To begin you should:

1. Create Your Online Account

Click on the orange "New Account" icon in the upper-right corner of the website.

Enter your Email Address and a password. You will receive an email containing a confirmation link ensuring you have access to the provided Email Address and no typos occurred.

Upon clicking the confirmation link, your account will become active. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam or junk folders--and then add admin@sailopo.com as an authorized sender.

If your account already exists and you do not know or cannot remember the password, select the "Retrieve Password" option under the "Account" navigational menu. Then enter your Email Address and your password will be sent to you via email. 

2. Complete Your Online Profile

We encourage each Member to complete their online profile. Select the "Update Profile" option under the "Account" navigational menu and enter your contact information, indicate your sailing role and years of experience, select an OPO Nickname (your name that will enable other OPO Members to view your profile), your free-form sailing profile, skills, and a photograph (optional). You can also indicate if you would like this information to be shared with other members, or if you would prefer to maintain this information as private.

3. Build Your Sea Log

After each trip, we encourage Members to update your personal Sea Log with the details of your journey. Enter the details by pressing the “Add Sea Log Entry” button within your Account Profile. Your days and miles at sea are automatically totaled for you! And each entry can be edited at any time. This information offers a helpful reminder of your trips and is essential for U.S. Coast Guard Certification; it’s a service we uniquely offer to our Members.

4. Explore the Information on the Site

Based upon decades of sailing, we have many helpful tips and forms on our site. We encourage Members to explore these items along with our Announcements and information regarding Rallies and Regattas. If you have questions or would like to see additional information on our site, please contact us using the “Contact OPO” form. We’ll get back to you quickly! Or simply give us a call at 631-423-4988

To access a profile, all one has to do is select the “Member Search” item under “Message Board” and enter a nickname. A nickname is the name selected for yourself when creating your own profile. Give the nickname to skippers that you wish to see your profile

New iPhone App by OPO Member

This iphone app has been developed by OPO member Thaddeus Kubis and is a new tool for keeping track of your logs.  Thad sent us the following press release about his new ap. The cost for the application is $3.99

New Sailing iPhone app released

SailingRx releases Quick Log^sm

Using an iPhone based app for tracking your sailing adventure is the key goal of this new interactive tool. The iPhone app has been conceived and developed by U.S.G.C licensed Captain and delivery skipper Thaddeus B. Kubis and has been designed to be used by sailors. A power boating version is currently being developed as well.

The app titled Quick Log^sm includes entry pages to start a new log, view past trips, and other sailing related online resources.

Entry screens for destinations, track your route and even the ability to add a photo of your own boat, photos of the trip and photo of your destination are just a click away.

Quick Log allows you to record your port of embarkation, time and other “exiting” data. Record your course, make in route trip comments, log your position (Lat/Long), and include weather conditions, sea state, wind speed and direction on your iPhone. List your crewmembers, emergency contact information and email your float plan to your home base.

Once you reached your destination you can save the route. Need to review a past trip, just open to the Archived Quick logs screen and all your stored trips are ready for you to review, relive and enjoy again.

Quick Log will be available via the iPhone app store in January 2010.

For additional information contact Thaddeus B. Kubis at thad@sailingrx.com.

Buying an Offshore Boat – Many members are looking to buy a boat in the future so they can go sailing offshore on their own. Through OPO they are gaining more sea miles and time at sea, and seeing first hand what works and what does not work offshore. I often get asked what is a good offshore boat to buy. Now we have a definitive resource to answer that question. OPO member # 08 and erstwhile OPO skipper Charlie Doane has written a book, The Modern Cruising Sailboat: A Complete Guide to Design, Construction & Outfitting that has just been released by International Marine/McGraw-Hill.  I have already ordered my copy. It is a hefty reference work full of lots of useful info on cruising boats in general and also includes detailed profiles of 40 specific boats. You can buy the book directly through the usual retail outlets and help boost Charlie’s official sales numbers. Or you can contact Charlie directly at charlesdoane@comcast.net and he’ll sell you a signed copy personally. He’s offering a discount for OPO members ($30, marked down from $39.95) plus shipping. Also, be sure to check out Charlie’s new blog at www.wavetrain.net and www.boatermouth.com

Winter Caribbean Season – We hope you can join us for some sailing in the islands this winter. This is a great opportunity to meet each other and talk about your future plans. Plus I do not know anywhere you can sail on a captained charter for about $100 a day. Here are the dates and the opportunities to sail with us this winter. Starting February 11^th in St. Maarten we will offer two weeks of charter options to join us in the BVI. Anyone joining the first week will fly into St. Maarten Thursday Feb 11th for departure the next day for the BVI. Crew change will be each Saturday in Tortola. You can join us for 10 days (Feb 11^th) and fly home from Tortola Feb 20^th or stay two weeks and fly home from Tortola Feb 27^th or join us for three weeks and sail back to St. Maarten with us for Heineken Regatta. We will be back in St. Maarten Monday March 1^st. The cost is $1000 per person per week plus we split dockage and provisioning 4 or 5 ways among the crew which works out to be about $125 to $150 per week. 

Once Again to make sure you have the dates and places to fly into:

Week I Fly into St. Maarten Friday Feb 11th^th and sail over to the BVI’s and stay aboard until Saturday Feb 20^th. We start with an overnight passage to the BVI’s and then spend a week cruising. Price $1000 per week. Fly home from Tortola on Feb 20th. You can also make round trip flight arrangement to fly into and home from Tortola planning to join us Saturday Feb 13^th in Roadtown Village Cay Marina anytime on Saturday and fly home the next week Feb 20^th.

Week II  Fly into Tortola Sat Feb 20^th and spend a week until Feb 27^th with a round trip ticket to Tortola. Or you can stay aboard for the sail back to St. Maarten and fly home from there on Monday March 1st. to make it a 10 day get-a-way

Either option can get you 10 days for $1000.  

Option III – Another option is to stay in St. Martin for the Heineken Regatta for a full two or three weeks in the Caribbean which is a good combination of cruising and racing.

The details for the regatta:

30^th Annual Heineken Regatta

This will be an extra big year for the Heineken Regatta since it is the 30^th anniversary. We have 2 days of practice and a near new set of sails so we will be very competitive. The price for the Heineken Regatta, which includes accommodations across the street at the Pelican Resorts in their new building on the water, is $2500. Bring a non-sailing spouse for only $850 more for accommodations for the week. Our Sailmaker, Mark Washeim, from Doyle will be back again this year for the regatta. A $500 deposit will reserve a berth for you with the balance not due until one month before the regatta.

Dates: Fly into St. Maarten on Monday March 1^st and move into the crew quarters.   Tuesday we finish getting the boat ready to race and we practice on Wednesday and Thursday for racing Friday through Sunday. Sunday is the final day of racing and the big Party on Kim-Sha Beach. Crew depart on Monday March 7^th, although if you have trouble getting a flight you can stay onboard since I will be in St. Maarten that week.

If you would like to join us for a week or more in the Caribbean sailing a captained Swan 48 please let me know.