Offshore Sailing School in USA opened a new contest for fans and those interested in cruising, on June 9^th. This way they try to encourage more sailors to participate in the sailing lifestyle. The winner will get a 6- day/7- night bareboat charter in the British Virgin Islands. The world leader in yacht charters (since 1971) – The Moorings, are providing a three- cabin 41 foot cruising boat, for the bareboat charter.

Everyone, who takes a cruising course at Offshore Sailing School during the period of time between June 1^st and December 31 this year, is allowed to join the contest. One of the conditions for the competition is that each competitor has to write a short story about his experience or sailing adventure, and what he has learnt from it. All the stories will be assessed by Cruising World magazine editors. Depending on the winner’s entry, he might be given the chance to enjoy their bareboat charter in 2012.

Doris Colgate- CEO and President of Offshore Sailing School, shares that the Bareboat chartering in the British Virgin Islands, is an incredible and relaxing holiday beginning. For more than 30 years, this school has been providing cruising courses on Moorings yachts, which makes them good partners. All the sailors, who join the courses, can get a qualification for a bareboat charter skipper. The sailor is capable to command and sail a 40’- 50’ cruising yacht, and all of this, without using the help of a captain or even paid crew.

Sailing on Palma Bay, Balearic Islands. Spain

According to Colgate, the course called Fast Track to Cruising is one of the most popular courses which Offshore Sailing School provides. It provides all that a novice needs to get ready for cruising in seven days. The beginning of the course is preceded by two days learning on Colgate 26, while the sailor is living ashore. The main idea is for the novice to get the feel of sailing, and quickly get into how to estimate the wind and therefore jockey a boat with wind power, by himself only. After these two days, the novice spends time living aboard, so that he learns how to control a cruising yacht along with an expert instructor from the school.

To start bareboat chartering on your own the best option is the course Live Aboard Cruising. If you have a qualification for getting more advanced cruising courses, then you can try Catamaran Live Abroad Navigation, Offshore Passage Making for long distance sailing skills or Coastal Passage. The advantage of taking these courses with Offshore Sailing School, is that you will practice on 43’ to 50’ monohulls or catamarans.

Offshore Sailing School has locations in New York, Florida, British Virgin Islands and Maryland, and provides a number of courses for both beginners as well as advanced sailors. It’s practices started in 1964 and the founder is the Olympic and America’s Cup sailor, Steve Colgate.