Captained Charter
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There are a number of sailing adventure programs aboard Volant. The Captained Charter takes you and your guests out for a fun day or evening of sailing. The Taste of Cruising program takes you along with Bear and Kit for a mini-cruise. In the Learn to Sail, Learn to Cruise and Coastal Passagemaking programs you are taught the fundamentals of sailing, cruising and passagemaking respectively. In the Bluewater Voyaging program you join Kit and Bear on a non-stop ocean voyage.
Under our US SAILING Certificate program you may also earn US SAILING Certificates for Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising.
To
participate in the US SAILING
Certificates program review Program
Policies , then contact Windworks Sailing
Center in Seattle to make all your
arrangements.
To participate in any other program, choose the one that best suits your requirements, select your preferred and alternate dates, review Program Policies, then contact us by email to book your reservation. For a customized program (e.g. Learn to Cruise beginning mid week, Learn to Sail program split over 2 consecutive weekends, Coastal Passagemaking aboard your own boat), give us your requirements and preferred schedule so that we can create a program that will work for you.
Captained Charter
Description:
Go out for a fun day of sailing. Daytime charters leave the dock at 1100 and return at approximately 1500. Sunset charters are scheduled to depart one hour before sunset and return approximately 3 hours after sunset. Sandwiches and soft drinks are provided.
Program Sizes:
1-6 participants (2-4 optimal).
Prerequisites:
None.
Fees:
The fee for a Captained Charter is $475 per charter, before discounts.
The fee includes sandwiches and soft drinks for you and your guests. Any additional expenses, such as transfers to and from the vessel, are your own responsibility.
Program Policies:
For detailed policies concerning our programs, such as payment due dates and discounts, click here.
To Participate:
For instructions on how to participate in this program, click here.
Taste of Cruising
Description:
What is cruising REALLY like? Join Bear and Kit aboard Volant for a mini-cruise lasting from 2 to 6 days. Share in their adventures as you participate in all cruising activities, such as choosing the next anchorage, provisioning, setting and weighing anchor, doing routine maintenance, setting and trimming the sails, taking your turn in the galley, standing watch, and exploring new places.
Program Sizes:
1-4 participants (2-3 optimal).
Prerequisites:
None.
Fees:
The fee for the Taste of Cruising program is $325 per day per person before discounts, with a 2 day minimum and a 6 day maximum. The fee covers all on-board food and lodging, and all boat expenses. You are responsible for any additional expenses, such as shoreside meals (one required for each 5- or 6-day program, preferably mid program), any alcoholic beverages you wish to have aboard, and transfers to and from the vessel.
Program Policies:
For detailed policies concerning our programs, such as payment due dates and discounts, click here.
To Participate:
For instructions on how to participate in this program, click here.
Learn to Sail
Description:
This adventure takes a full 6 days, starting at 1000 on Saturday and ending at noon on Friday. Instruction is tailored to suit your individual skill level. It is quite common and even expected to have people with different levels of experience in the same course.
If you have no or limited experience in sailing, instruction focuses on training the you to be a good crew. Emphasis is on knowing various parts of a sailboat, tying common knots, making sail adjustments during maneuvers, steering the boat in open waters and during maneuvers, and the basics of sail trim.
If you are an experienced crew, instruction focuses on training you to be a skipper with a good crew. Emphasis is on knowing and giving proper orders at the proper times, basic chart reading, Rules of the Road, choosing routes and anchorages, leaving and arriving at the dock, setting and weighing anchor, choosing and setting watches, keeping the ship's log, and steering the boat in close quarter situations.
If you are more advanced, instruction focuses on coastwise sailing. Emphasis here is on detailed chartwork, such as reading a chart, taking bearings and plotting the boat's position, finding and using ranges, using tide and current tables, the concepts and application of Dead Reckoning, using radar and recognizing aids to navigation while sailing at night.
At the completion of the program you will be given a detailed verbal evaluation of the your current skill level with recommendations for steps to be taken for you to expand that level. On request you will also receive a written evaluation of your current skill level. This written evaluation can be used at most charter organizations in lieu of the more formal certifications. If formal certifications is what you wish, check out our US SAILING Certificate program.
Program Sizes:
1-4 participants (2-3 optimal).
Prerequisites:
None.
Fees:
The fee for the Learn to Sail program is $1,900 per person, before discounts. For those wishing US SAILING certifications, contact Windworks Sailing Center for pricing.
This fee covers all on-board food and lodging, and all boat expenses. You are responsible for any additional expenses, such as shoreside meals (one required per week, usually on a Wednesday), any alcoholic beverages you wish to have aboard, and transfers to and from the boat.
Program Policies:
For detailed policies concerning our programs, such as payment due dates and discounts, click here.
To Participate:
For instructions on how to participate in this program, click here.
Learn to Cruise
Description:
This hands-on adventure takes a full 6 days, starting at 1000 on Saturday and ending at noon on Friday.
You do the provisioning, plan the route and daily activities, weigh anchor, set and trim sails, steer, plot the course, and anchor each night in a new spot, all under the excellent tutelage of Bear and Kit aboard Volant. In this course the usual class activities of sailing, anchoring and piloting are balanced with other critical but often overlooked activities such as provisioning, weather fax interpretation, and using a pressure cooker.
In this program much of the course content is structured according to your personal cruising interests.
At the completion of the program you are given a detailed verbal evaluation of your current skill level and recommendations for steps to be taken for you to expand that level. On request a written evaluation will also be provided. Note that neither ASA nor US Sailing offer certifications for this type of program.
Program Sizes:
1-4 participants (2-3 optimal).
Prerequisites:
Basic sailing skills.
Fees:
The fee for the Learn to Cruise program is $1,900 per person, before discounts.
This fee covers all on-board food and lodging, and all boat expenses. You are responsible for any additional expenses, such as shoreside meals (one per week, usually on a Wednesday), any alcoholic beverages you wish to have aboard, and transfers to and from the boat.
Program Policies:
For detailed policies concerning our programs, such as payment due dates and discounts, click here.
To Participate:
For instructions on how to participate in this program, click here.
Coastal Passagemaking
Description:
The Coastal Passagemaking adventure takes a full 6 days, starting at 1000 on Saturday and ending at noon on Friday. Weather and conditions permitting, a destination is selected that requires 24-72 hours non-stop underway on a coast-wise trip.
In this adventure you join Bear and Kit on a passage, taking part in all passagemaking activities, such as selecting the destination, planning the route, checking equipment and weather sources, selecting the departure date, provisioning, organizing and standing watches, adjusting the route to accommodate changing conditions, keeping the log, preparing food while underway, and making landfall. And, time and weather permitting, you continue to cruise aboard Volant with Bear and Kit as you explore your destination.
Program Sizes:
2-4 participants (2-3 optimal).
Prerequisites:
Successful completion of a Taste of Cruising (minimum 4 days), Learn to Sail Coastal Passagemaking or US SAILING Certificate program aboard Volant,or successful demonstration of appropriate sailing skills during a Captained Charter prior to the start of the program.
Fees:
The fee for the Coastal Passagemaking program is is $1,900 per person, before discounts.
This fee covers all on-board food and lodging, and all boat expenses. You are responsible for any additional expenses, such as shoreside meals (one per week, usually on a Wednesday), any alcoholic beverages you wish to have aboard, and transfers to and from the boat.
Program Policies:
For detailed policies concerning our programs, such as payment due dates and discounts, click here.
To Participate:
For instructions on how to participate in this program, click here.
Bluewater Voyaging
Description:
In this adventure you join Bear and Kit on one leg of a trans-oceanic voyage, taking part in all passagemaking activities, such as planning the route, checking equipment and weather sources, selecting the actual departure date, provisioning, organizing and standing watches, adjusting the route to accommodate changing conditions, keeping the log, preparing food while underway, making landfall and cleaning up the boat after arrival.
To allow for preparations, the program start is scheduled for noon, approximately 3 days prior to the anticipated departure date. The program completion is noon on the 2nd day following actual arrival to allow one full day after arrival for rest and clean-up and half a day for departure preparations. Due to weather and other factors beyond anyone's control while in transit, there can be no guarantee that the boat will arrive on the scheduled date.
Time, weather and scheduling permitting, you may continue cruising aboard Volant with Bear and Kit as you explore your destination under their Taste of Cruising program.
NOTE: The Bluewater Voyaging program is by invitation only. Participants will be in tight quarters for extended periods and possibly under difficult circumstances. Thus compatability is of greater importance than actual sailing skills. By participating in one of the prerequisite programs aboard Volant the captain will be able to evaluate compatability, and will thus be able to extend invitations to appropriate participants when an ocean voyage is being contemplated. In addition, the participant will be able to evaluate compatability and will thus be able to accept the invitation with due consideration.
Program Sizes:
1-2 participants.
Prerequisites:
Successful completion of a Taste of Cruising (minimum 4 days), Learn to Sail, Learn to Cruise, Coastal Passagemaking or US SAILING Certificate program aboard Volant.
Fees:
The fee for the Bluewater Voyaging program is $3,200 per person, before discounts, for the first scheduled 15 days. For programs scheduled for more than 15 days, there is a surcharge of $150 per person per scheduled day. For programs scheduled for less than 15 days, there is a credit of $150 per person per scheduled day. There is no adjustment in fee if the actual program takes more or less time than scheduled (e.g. the actual passage time is longer or shorter than planned due to adverse/favorable weather and other considerations).
This fee covers all your on-board food and lodging, and all boat expenses for the scheduled period of the program. You are responsible for any additional expenses, such as shoreside meals (two required during the duration of the program, usually one before departure and one following upon arrival), any alcoholic beverages you wish to have aboard, and transfers to and from the boat.
Program Policies:
For detailed policies concerning our programs, such as payment due dates and discounts, click here.
To Participate:
For instructions on how to participate in this program, click here.
US SAILING
CertificatesDescription:
This adventure takes a full 6 days, starting at 1000 on Saturday and ending at noon on Friday.
It is a standard US SAILING Certificate program. Emphasis is on knowing how to operate and manage a cruising sailboat with inboard diesel engine and wheel steering. Students will be taught and tested on tying common knots, making sail adjustments, steering the boat in open waters and close quarters, knowing and giving proper crew instructions at the proper times, chart work including coastal navigation methods and procedures, Rules of the Road, choosing routes and anchorages, leaving and arriving at the dock, setting and weighing anchor, choosing and setting watches, keeping the ship's log, finding and using ranges, using tide and current tables, the concepts and application of Dead Reckoning, using radar, handling shipboard emergencies and recognizing aids to navigation by day and night.
A passing grade in both the practical test and the (closed book) written examination must be achieved for each certificate before that certificate may be issued.
At the completion of the program as a successful candidate you will be given US SAILING certifications for both Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising.
Program Sizes:
1-4 participants (2-3 optimal).
Prerequisites:
US SAILING Basic Keelboat Certification.
Fees:
Contact Windworks Sailing Center for pricing and scheduling.
This fee covers all on-board food and lodging, and all boat expenses. You are responsible for any additional expenses, such as shoreside meals (one required, usually on a Wednesday), any alcoholic beverages you wish to have aboard, and transfers to and from the boat.
The fee also covers the cost of the required textbooks which will be given to the participants by Windworks Sailing Center in advance of their program.
Program Policies:
For detailed policies concerning our programs, click here. Contact Windworks Sailing Center as well for their policies.
To Participate:
For instructions on how to participate in this program, click here.