Notice to OPO Mariners, August 1, 2006
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Hank Schmitt, P.O. Box 2032, Halesite, NY 11743
631-423-4988, 1-800-4PASSAGe, Fax 631-423-9009
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Editorial
Unless you subscribe to all the sailing magazines, you would not know about all the national press coverage "Avocation" and OPO have been getting the past few months. The May/June Issue of "Ocean Navigator" had an article about the southbound passage "Avocation" sailed with skipper Charlie Doane. We launched "Avocation" last March 2005 (the first boat in the water in Jamestown). I sailed her down to Huntington and Charlie and OPO members left the following week so we could race in Antigua Sailing Week.
The July issue of "Sail" Magazine had an article about our trip north last May by David Baldwin. David is a new sailor even though he works for "Sail" magazine, and it was his first offshore passage. Also in July, "Latitudes and Attitudes" magazine had an article about our 2nd place finish at the Heineken Regatta this past winter. Nice picture of the entire OPO crew on the podium with the Heineken Girls.
And later this summer, expect an article in the next "Yachting World" Publication about our third place finish in the Bermuda Race this year. Charlie Doane also sailed aboard and was covering the event for this well known British Publication.
The publicity is great for OPO and our members since it attracts more opportunities for us to take advantage of. But rather than look at what we have done over the past season we like to look ahead and try and include as many members as possible in what we have to offer. In this issue we have more details about a great confirmed Trans-Atlantic from France to the Caribbean, a wonderful week sailing from the Chesapeake to Newport this October and of course our annual trips to the Newport and Annapolis Boat Shows and finally the 7th Annual NARC Rally south. How can we consistently offer great deals for offshore passages? Because we have developed the reputation and the trust of many in the industry to transport their boats across the oceans since 1993.
After we return from the WindCheck Roundabout mid August it will be time to send out the annual notice
that dues are once again due this year. Members that joined recently will not owe dues as well
as those that took advantage of the discount for paying for two years last year which we offer
every other year. Everyone else will be given notice about the annual dues that are due each
September 1st. We give everyone plenty of time to pay since we do not start our new address
book until the October 1st Notice. Dues this year will be $125 which is the first increase in the past 4 year.
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Fall Boat Shows
For the past three years we have organized a sail to both the Newport and Annapolis Boat Shows. We will once again be making a five day round trip to the Newport Boat Show, but only a one-way passage to the Annapolis Boat Show in October. The return from Annapolis will be the week after the show along with the mini-one week flotilla as further described below.
Newport - For the Newport Show we will depart Huntington NY Wednesday September 13th to be at the show on opening day which is Thursday the 14th, we will depart the show on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning depending on the weather to be back by late Saturday or early Sunday September 17th. It is an 18 to 20 hour overnight sail both up and back to the show from NY. The price for the sail, up and back is $600 per person, plus splitting expenses 6 ways. A two night stay in Newport could costs as much. This is a great way to see the Newport Boat Show, and get some good sea time in on a Swan 48.
Annapolis Boat Show - There is also a five day trip to the Annapolis Boat Show, but it will only be a one way passage offshore from Huntington NY to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and up the Bay to the show. We will depart Huntington NY Monday Oct 2nd for the sail down so we will be at the show Wednesday Night for the start of the show on Thursday. You will be able to stay aboard until Friday to see more of the show and make your way home from there. I will also be driving back to New York so you can head north with me if you wish. The idea is that we will be able to get in 2 ½ days of sailing, followed by a full day or two at the Boat Show while staying aboard. "Avocation" will then return the following Sunday with the rest of the mini Flotilla we are putting together for the trip north to Newport the following week. The price for the trip to the Annapolis Show is $750 per person, plus splitting expenses six ways.
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October Mini Cruise from Annapolis to Newport RI
I have been looking forward to this all year. We will have four new Beneteaus (2006 season)
plus "Avocation" if needed, for a one week mini cruise from Annapolis to Newport Rhode Island
following the inside route. I have made the miles between these two ports many many times over
the past 20 years, and have managed to stop or break down in many of them, but I have never spent
the week mostly day sailing and stopping at night along the way to string a great week in October
along. This will be that chance when I get to put a group of people together to enjoy a great week
of sailing and giving members the opportunity to bring a friend or spouse who has been sailing
before, but nothing so ambitious. There will be one of our skippers aboard each boat and I will
be along with the fleet. The route will be from near Annapolis to Chesapeake City, through
the C & D Canal (Chesapeake and Delaware Bay Canal), down Delaware Bay to Cape May New Jersey.
The New Jersey Coast option is to make a short hop up to Atlantic City or overnight up to New York
Harbor where we will berth across the Manhattan skyline on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River,
then it's up the East River to Long Island Sound for a stop (Somewhere?) and then to Newport RI by
October 22nd. We have time built in to WOW (Wait on Weather) and with maybe one exception, only
travel in daylight. This will be a great way to get to know this route and to have a good time.
The cost for this trip is $900 per person or $1700 per couple plus splitting costs 5 or 6 ways depending
on the number of crew. This is a great opportunity for couples.
Trans-Atlantic!!! - This is another great passage I have done before but unfortunately I can not go as skipper. At the end of September your skipper will be meeting with the owners of a brand new Beneteau 523 (See recent boat review CW Magazine) in La Sable D'lonne France to complete a final check out and test run. A day or two later the crew will fly in and get ready for a great ride to the Canary Islands and then to Tortola. I made this trip in 2000 aboard a Juneau 45.2 and it was a great trip. Challenging the first leg and a downwind passage from the Canaries to the BVI's the second. The trip will take about 30 days in total. The cost for this golden opportunity on a new boat with a professional skipper is $3000 plus 1/6 share of food costs only. All the other boat expenses included.
7th Annual NARC Rally - It is hard to believe that we have been running this rally annually since 2000. We are shooting for a record number of boats (our best year was 21) and hope to have a lot of opportunities for members. A sure bet has always been to sign aboard one of the Swans in the fleet. This year we are adding the four Beneteaus to the fleet and perhaps a large multi-hull or two. (More on the multi's next month) This year crew will arrive in Newport on Saturday October 28th for departure Monday, October 30th. We build in a few days into the schedule just in case of bad weather so plan to fly home from St. Martin or Tortola (The four Benteaus will sail from Bermuda to Tortola.)Thursday November 16th. The price to sail on a Swan is the same as last year - $2665.00, but to sail on one of the Beneteaus is $2200. I will be skippering one of the Beneteaus rather than "Avocation" this year. This price includes everything except your transportation to and from the boat.
Yes, this OPO Notice seems to mostly be about the Swan Program and passage opportunities that you have to pay for, and we haven't even gotten to the Caribbean Winter Racing Circuit; which we will save till next month. Call it mulling through the commercials. We know this year the Heineken Regatta will fill up quickly with veteran crew from the last two years and we may have to charter a 2nd Swan 48 for Antigua Sailing Week, but it is too early to ask for deposits. OPO members will have time in September to sign up before we let non-members send in deposits.
Many OPO members have the skills to go for free as volunteers and some are graduating to being paid skippers. For those members we please ask that you indulge us and ignore any of the opportunities that offend you by charging a fee. Next month we are starting a free e-mail address book for non-members who will only get the commercials and not the free opportunities that you get at the end of each monthly "Notice to OPO Mariners" and not the numerous e-mails that we send you in-between the monthly notice that get sent all year long.
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