Notice to OPO Mariners, June 1st, 2005
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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
The last of the opportunities will filter through this month, as June is the last
month for reasonable people to be making offshore plans. But it is not hurricane
season all over the world and we have members that live all over the world and
looking for more exotic locales to go sailing. At the end of the June newsletter
we have listed three opportunities that fit the bill for mid summer adventures .
There will be short local deliveries and OPO Race Team (OPORT) members will be
practicing in July for the Swan Rolex at the end of the month. You do not have
to be on the team to come sailing with us at any of the race events, but OPORT
members will get additional e-mails sent to only them about practices and
special pricing discounts for the regattas. Non-OPORT members will hear about
the regattas and how they can participate, but at a different price. Having
the race team ensures that some of the people on board will be able to help
the newcomers who will be sailing aboard with only one or two days of practice.
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NARC Rally
This October 31st will mark the 6th annual North American Rally to the
Caribbean. This year we will have a film crew in Newport to produce a
4-minute segment for a cable TV show. We will also have a helicopter
in the air at the start to take photos. We did this in 2002 and many
people appreciated the great pictures. The July Issue of Blue Water
Sailing will have a full-page ad and posters and a press release will
be going out soon. We want to get the word out to anyone sailing south
this fall from the Northeast to join our rally and have a good turn out.
We have averaged 20 boats the past three years, but want to have a really
big turnout this year. We started the rally 5 years ago to make it more
fun for the Swan fleet heading south and to offer others the opportunity
to join our fleet. It has also lead to many OPO members going sailing
with boats in the fleet since many of the boats are looking for crew
to help them get to the Caribbean. Thanks for telling people about
the rally and let us know if you have a club or Marina to hang a
poster or two and I will mail you a couple next month.
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OPO Race Team
We had 5 OPO members come sailing with us last Thursday. This Thursday, June 2nd, will be the last opportunity to go sailing aboard Avocation until after the 4th of July. On Saturday she sails for Bermuda for the 1st round trip passage and I will be sailing her down June 18th and back on July 2nd. (There is still a couple of berths left for this passage so if you have a week off and still want to make a passage to or from Bermuda June 18th or June 25th please let me know.) If you would like to see the boat and go for a sail this Thursday night, this is the reminder to those 30 members on our preliminary list to take advantage and come. We meet at the Ketewomoke Yacht Club at 6:00 pm and we are back by 9:30. E-mail or call for more specific instructions and to let me know you plan to come. Not on the list? Simply indicate that you want to be included in the mailing for the OPORT and we will send you information. Those living far away will be able to enjoy a minimum of two-3 day weekends to get up to speed for the race team and stay aboard Avocation while in NY. Before June 18th everyone on the race team list will be mailed more information about joining the race program for this year to sail in the Newport Rolex Cup (end of July) and to make plans for sailing in some Caribbean Regattas in the winter. The non-member fee for sailing in Newport on the Swan Rolex Regatta will be $900. Team members will get a big discount.
The weekend of July 8th to the 10th will be the first practice weekend. There will be room for a few out of town members to come and stay aboard the boat. If the boat does not fill up, more local members will have the option to stay aboard or drive in for one, two, or all three days of practice. Only the 30 members that have indicated their interest in the race team will get the information about the race team and how to join this subset of OPO membership. If you have already indicated that you want to be on the race team I have you on the list. If you have not told me yet, then this is a good time to let me know before I finish the plans and sent them out in a couple of weeks.
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Unique Opportunities
It is not hurricane season everywhere. If you are willing to travel and spend
some money here are three unique opportunities. I repeat, the following three
opportunities do cost money, but are unique and may be of interest to some of
our members. We really are in the adventure sailing business with the likes of
these opportunities. The first two are especially for OPO members. The third
opportunity for Skip Novak is off a web site I subscribe to. We have a couple
of members that are interested in cold weather sailing and may enjoy the opportunity.
Amazon River Expedition: This very interesting and exclusive to us opportunity comes
by the way of OPO member who has gotten crew from us before for passage
opportunities aboard this luxuries 82 foot Catamaran. As you will read the
opportunity does costs more than the usual maximum of $50 that we cap for
non-Swan opportunities, but the cost breakdown explains the shared expenses
arrangements. He called and then e-mailed this confirming information for
this rare opportunity this summer.
" My Captain, and Chef, are planning a shared expense, adventure cruise to
Belem, Brazil (about 3-4 days sail from Trinidad, aboard Catbird, an 82
foot catamaran, and then continuing up the Amazon with a guide from the
major local Museum/University. This trip will be divided into three,
adventures, for up to up to 12 people, six double cabins w/heads
available, plus crew: The cruise from Trinidad to Belem, 23 July - 30 July;
the cruise up the Amazon 1 August - 13 August; and the cruise back to
Trinidad, from Belem, 20 August - 27 August.
Costs: $100 per day per person, double occupancy plus shared expenses that shall include:
Special insurance; est. $3000 for all three cruises
Food and beverages; est. $30/day/person
Port charges and fees; est. $50 per person
Fuel est. passages- $500 each; Amazon- $1500
Misc. consumables est. $200 per cruise
Gratuity for Captain and Chef $2000 per cruise
Professional Amazon Guide est. $1000
Professional Amazon security est.$500
Satellite phone charges; as billed
Direct air connections to Belem, via Miami, on Delta are available.
For those who will extend their stay, we prefer the Belem, Hilton.
Appropriate vaccinations and visa required.
All transactions must be handled, offshore, by the Captain
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South Pacific Voyage:
Tahiti in the Society Islands to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands
Hello, I am the captain/owner of a Nautor Swan 51
which will be sailing from Tahiti in the Society Islands
to Rarotonga in the Southern Cook Islands and returning via
various islands to Tahiti. This will be a three week voyage
of approximately 1500 nautical miles comencing June 15th 2005
The Voyage:
Tahiti to Maiao in the Society Islands
Maiao to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands
Rarotonga to Atiu, Manuae and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands
Aitutaki to Moorea and to Tahiti in the Society Islands
Crewmembers will participate fully in all aspects of the sailing and maintainance of the yacht, sharing all steering, cooking and regular watch duties. The cost including basic food and fuel (no alcohol) for the voyage will be $1250 per crew.
Crewmembers are required to be in Tahiti at least 48 hours prior to departure
and must have a return or onward bound airline ticket and valid passport for the authorities. Experienced crew are preferred. If you are interested please contact me as soon as possible by email: js@johnstember.com/
I have owned my yacht for over 20 years and sailed more than 100,000 miles offshore.
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EXPEDITION TO TIERRA DEL FUEGO
In September, Skip Novak's expedition vessel, "Pelagic Australis" will be
sailing south to Cape Horn from either Alaska or New Foundland depending on
success or failure in transiting the Northwest Passage. 50 days, cost
$5,000.00 USD per person. For details contact us.
Archives:
May 2005
April 2005
For more information please call us today at 1-800-472-7724
1-800-4-PASSAGe
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