Taking on The Waters with Offshore Sailing School

On an early Sunday morning, when only the ambitious and coffee-driven where out of bed, my 12 year old son and I set out to Chelsea Pier for a sailing lesson.

As part of my review package* we had been sent two study guides, one for each of us to familiarize ourselves with some of the instructions we would be receiving during our sailing course. I was a bit nervous because I didn’t have enough time to do more than just skim quickly through the pages and my 12-year-old, well, is 12 and didn’t do his part either.

We met our instructor for Offshore Sailing patiently waiting for us on a small boat which he described, in his experience, was the perfect size for a beginner. The school was founded in 1964, and owned by Steve and Doris Colgate both of whom have an impressive background in sailing, both in instruction and as a racing career and hobby. One of the things that Offshore Sailing is best known for is the hands-on approach in teaching.

From the moment we were ready to sail out our instructor was asking us questions and feeding us information pertaining to all the different parts of the boat, the sails, the ropes, and what role each played and why they were important.

In less than 30 minutes we were somewhere between New Jersey and Lower Manhattan on the Hudson River we had learned the basic skills of steering and were discussing the various wind patterns and affects such have on the main sails.

The early morning and small rain clouds lingering above made for clear paths along the water. Though there were few moments of complete silence, when these did come about I couldn’t help but feel impressed not only with myself, but with my son, whom I thought looked smashing as he managed the tiller.

We were fortunate to have had an instructor who not only had the experience of sailing, but also the memory of what it is like to be an inexperienced sailor and the ability to communicate everything in a way that was clear and easy to remember.

The course provided us with complete off shore training. We were able to pick up quickly on a lot of the terminology and really understand why it all mattered. Thus, when we made mistakes our instructor was able to point out why and how that was happening, and then proceed to give us on-the-spot instruction necessary to correct and later avoid them.

Our course was part of the school’s Flex Sail Schedule. This program offers four hour sessions in the morning or afternoon, 7 days a week. For certification, you must complete all four sessions, a total of 16 hours or just try it out the way we did. Though, we also have the option to go back and pick up where we left off.

Total cost for this program:

Level 1:  $185 ($46.50 per hour)
Level 2:  $170 ($42.50 per hour)
Level 3:  $155 ($38.75 per hour)
Level 4:  $135 ($33.75 per hour)

I did wonder what I would do with a sailing certification, living in NYC and all, and not really having the funds to go out and buy a yacht and dock it or sail it to warmer locations during the Winter.

This is when our instructor told us about the Offshore Sailing Club. Members and alumni have the opportunity to participate in weekly regattas and fleet adventures as well as have access to special resort packages.

When I heard that they also offer Family Lessons, I was really inspired.  My two youngest are still too small (best start age is about 6 or 7), but it is exciting to know that this can be an experience that the entire family can have at once, and not necessarily something where someone has to be left behind for 4 hours at a time.

I have often watched the sail boats slowly cruising along the Hudson River by the George Washington Bridge, and thought of it as an experience for only a selected few.  Of all the things I walked away with after this really informative and educational course, the one thing that stayed with me the most was the joy of having broken past that perception, and the realization that in time, it can be something that my whole family can enjoy.

Please visit the Offshore Sailing School site for more information on courses, costs, locations, and certifications.

*Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. The complimentary sailing lessons were provided courtesy of Offshore Sailing. The views and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. For more information please refer to the disclosure page.

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Tags: family activities, nyc
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