Highly personalized sailing instruction is available on every trip at no additional charge. Our offshore instruction passages in the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez have prepared many guests for sailing passages and passagemaking.

Western Grace is an ideal platform for learning advanced cruising skills. Her 40 tons and comfortable pilothouse that makes keeping watches a civil affair!

"John and Joanne, I had a wonderful time sailing aboard Western Grace, and truly enjoyed the time that I spent with both of you. John, I was totally impressed with the level of seamanship that you displayed. I wish that I had more time to spend sailing and learning with you. Joanne turns out finer meals in your galley than most people do in a full size kitchen. I wish you fair winds and calm seas. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to meet you both. Fondest regards, Marc" Oct. 2007

"What a great trip we had! It was an adventure that I will enjoy retelling for many years. You folks were wonderful and handled each crew member and each situation with a high level of professionalism. I learned much from John's patient and practical teaching style and thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality and comfort that Joanne provided for us. I can't say enough about how safe and comfortable we were aboard Western Grace. She proved herself to be stable and dry no matter what the weather was outside, with plenty of comfort to make our 3 week offshore passage enjoyable. Besides, she is a great looking boat and a pleasure to sail! A very satisfied passenger - Daniel A."

For offshore passages, guests actively join in crewing the yacht by standing watches and performing shipboard duties. Alcohol use offshore is limited to one drink a day with a meal.




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You can learn these offshore skills:

Weather, Communication and Navigation:

  • Monitor marine weather: VHF, SSB, and Weather fax.
  • Get updates on cyclone or Hurricane activities.
  • Ocean currents and sailing routes.
  • Use of SSB & VHF radio for daily communication with cruising nets.
  • Use of E-mail at sea using Sailmail via SSB radio.
  • Chart selection, use of sailing directions & cruising guides.
  • Chart symbols # 1
  • Electronic Charting using desktop or laptop computer with interfaced GPS, Ozie Explorer or Nav Tech.
  • Computer generated tide tables.
  • Dead reckoning using course & taff rail log.
  • Keeping logbook.
  • Entry and reporting procedures.
  • Dealing with Customs & Officialdom.

Safety Systems Checkout:

  • Location of thru-hull fittings and wooden plugs.
  • Check and test high bilge alarm system
  • Location and use of emergency steering system.
  • Locate and practice donning of life jackets.
  • Locate and fit safety harnesses & tethers.
  • Discuss and rig deck/high jack lines.
  • Discuss life raft launching and boarding procedures.
  • View video on marine Pyrotechnics training.
  • Location and inventory of survival packs.
  • Locate EPIRB and hand held VHF radio.
  • Locate Medical supplies and first aid manual.
  • Discuss dehydration and motion sickness.

Boat Management & Trip Planning:

  • Provisioning and stowage of food.
  • Meal planning and cooking underway.
  • Location and capacities of tanks.
  • Use and conversation of water. Discuss water needs and rules.
  • Fuel capacity and use.
  • Power use and genset (generator).
  • Watch schedule.

Boat Systems:

  • Sanitation systems, use of heads holding tanks and waste management.
  • Discuss Vacuflush system verses conventional systems.
  • Maintenance and servicing a marine diesel engine and outboard engine. How to change oil and filters.
  • Discussion on common problems.
  • Fuel filter system.
  • Electrical systems.
  • Charger/inverter, Link 2000 monitor system.
  • Battery maintenance

Underway Procedures and Seamanship:

  • Steering by compass by day or night.
  • Reefing procedures using furled foresails and conventional main.
  • Use of running backstays.
  • Tidy deck procedures.
  • Points of sail and trim.
  • Reefing criteria.
  • Chafe prevention and monitoring.
  • Pre-departure rigging check.
  • Proper use and servicing of Lewmar winches.
  • Rigging problem prevention and cures.
  • Heavy weather.
  • Emergency stove in hatch or window replacement.
  • Proper use of Furuno Radar for navigation, collision and squall avoidance.

You can also learn more Basic Skills.

Sailing:

  • Points of sail and sail trim
  • Heaving to
  • Reefing and reducing sail area
  • Use of preventers
  • Discuss anchoring and docking under sail

Systems:

  • Engine checks: oil, coolant, raw water strainer.
  • Engine start procedures
  • Use of heads and holding tanks
  • Battery charging and monitoring
  • Safe use of stove and oven
  • Preventing roller furling jamming

Maneuvering:

  • Extensive docking practice is not possible as Western Grace is quite large. For those preparing to bareboat charter, we'd suggest having a few hours of docking practice at the bareboat base on the boat you will be chartering, or taking a skipper for the first 1-2 days.
  • Picking up a mooring ball
  • Safest methods for tying to a mooring ball

Safety:

  • Daily weather forecasts
  • Use of life jackets and harnesses
  • Person Overboard Recovery: Rescue Sling, Quick Stop, Figure 8
  • VHF radio procedures

Anchoring:

  • Calculating scope ratio and swing diameter with tide allowances
  • Use of a power windlass
  • Setting and retrieving a second bow anchor, stern anchor, and shore line

Navigation:

  • Familiarity with charts and symbols
  • Understanding and applying "The Rules of the Road"
  • GPS navigation, Velocity Made Good (VMG)
  • Familiarity with tide and current tables
  • Plotting a course
  • Determining course headings and distances




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John and Joanne write:

As cruisers ourselves, we are familiar with all aspects of cruising. Please join us for a charter or offshore instruction passage to try before you buy! Learn advanced sailing, cruising and passagemaking skills before you cast off. Learn what aspects of a boat might be most important to you by sailing.

We have seen cases where individuals went ahead with building or purchasing without first fully investigating all aspects of cruising, but later concluded that cruising is not what they really want to do, or that they have the wrong vessel for their purpose.

It is far less expnsive to spend a few weeks charter cruising to see what it is like than to spend in most cases a small fortune or life savings. Cruising is not cheap! We hear stories of individuals who can cruise for a few hundred dollars per month. While there may be these rare individuals, most cruisers closely match their previous lifestyle onshore.

The most expensive items are the boat and running/cruising expenses like fuel, moorage and port fees. In our case the boat is the single largest expense and it is brand new. For older boats the cost of keeping equipment operating can escalate quickly.
If you want to do it, GO! We have seen many people dream for years who never got ready or were waiting for everything to line up. This rarely happens - there will always be roadblocks from family pressures or financial constraints.

The best time to cruise as a family is when children are under 10 years of age. If kids are much older chances increase that they do not want to come along or never learn to love the lifestyle.


We look forward to you joining us!

Please contact your charter broker or travel agent for booking