PAGE 2 • WINTER 2007 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION
The Charley Noble
FEATURE STORY
of ASA docking standards listing the knowledge and
skills that students should accomplish during the course,
continued from page 1
a recommended outline for the two-day course, and a
schools offering them. As they are brand new, the
written examination to test knowledge and understanding
A
SA recently added an exciting web-based service
number of schools offering them will be somewhat
of docking principles and procedures.
that allows all current ASA members to view their
limited in the months immediately following their
certification levels online and make changes to your
launch. But if you are interested, please call your local
Captain Tursi, who developed this course, has been a
information. To utilize the new feature, visit www.ASA.com
school and urge them to consider offering them!
lifelong sailor, owning a number of different racing and
cruising sailboats, and has completed over 50,000 miles
and click the blue “Members” tab at the top of the page.
of blue water ocean sailing throughout the world. He
(ASA instructors must access this Docking Endorsement
holds a USCG Ocean Masters License, is an ASA
feature through the instructors area
Getting that big boat into a little slip can be a daunting Certified Sailing Instructor and founder of The Maryland
rather than the members section.)
challenge, even for experienced sailors. But it’s an School of Sailing & Seamanship of Rock Hall, Md.
Once there, click on the “Members
important skill, like learning to take-off and land an
M
ark your calendars! The next ASA Members’
Only Content” link on the left side
Students successfully completing this course will not
airplane if you’re a pilot. To dock
Week will take place from March 7 through
of the page. This takes you to a
just gain basic docking skills. They will experience a
competently and without injury or
March 14, 2008, almost four months earlier
login screen, where you’ll need to
significant increase in enjoyment in all of their sailing
property damage requires an
than in previous years.
enter your last name and ASA
ventures because they will no longer fear docking at the
understanding of the forces that act on
member number that is printed on
end of the day. Spouses particularly enjoy mastering
a boat, how you can control them, and
these skills because it helps them to become more
The fourth annual Members’ Week, also known as
the plastic membership card you
lots of practice.
proficient and confident as crewmembers.
American Sailing Week, will once again be based at
received in your membership package. Once you have
successfully logged in, you can view your certification
Sunsail’s Club Colonna in Antigua. Club Colonna will close
ASA has teamed up with Captain Tom
levels and update your mailing and email address so that
from late next spring through summer for renovations. This
Tursi to produce a new text entitled
Marine Weather Endorsement
ASA can stay in touch with you. (ASA does not sell or
Capt. Tom Tursi
meant that it would have been impossible to hold our
Docking Techniques, which covers the
The second new endorsement is our marine weather
share its member list with third parties.)
event in June or July as in the past. While we considered
basic theory and hands-on techniques needed to dock
course. The marine weather course is intended to teach
alternative locations, we could not find a resort offering a
and cast-off single engine boats in an efficient manner
mariners how to take weather into account in the
comparable set of complimentary boats and sailing related
An added benefit to this service is that if you need to without damage or injury. Included is a discussion of the
planning and navigation of voyages, both local and
activities—not to mention the great food and other
charter a boat away from home and are without your various forces that act on the boat during docking such
global. Anyone who ventures onto the
activities—for the price ASA negotiated with the resort.
membership card, you can always go online and show a as wind, current, propeller action, rudder control and
water can benefit from this course.
charter company your certifications. mooring lines, and how you can use these forces to your
Dinghy sailors, sailing in local lakes
A proven draw of the event is its being based at a resort.
advantage to accomplish successful dockings. A number
and rivers, cruising and racing sailors
By doing so, we open attendance to not only those
I encourage you to go online and give this new feature a of typical docking and casting-off scenarios and
on inshore or coastal waters, and
interested in experiencing sailing for the first time, but
test drive. If you have difficulties using the system, techniques are described and clarified with more than
ocean-going sailors, racing or cruising,
also experienced sailors vacationing with friends or
please contact Kathy Christensen, ASA’s membership 30 diagrams and step-by-step procedures. Additional
will all find merit in this class.
family more interested in land-based activities. Flotillas,
coordinator. topics include preparations for getting underway, crew
in which everyone lives and sleeps aboard for the
assignments and training, line handling techniques,
The course was developed by David
duration of the trip, are not for everyone.
Charlie outboard and inboard engine control, mooring line
Burch, director of Starpath School of
Capt. David Burch
R
arrangements, spring line use, and close quarters
Navigation in Seattle, Wa.
Some of the guests most enthusiastic about their
maneuvering.
(www.starpath.com). Starpath has had more than
“Charley Noble” is the old time nautical name for the
experiences are those who got to try sailing for the first
26,000 classroom students in marine navigation and
smokestack over a galley ... So I’ll try to keep any “hot air”
time and, of course, loved it. Others had earned their ASA
Close-quarters maneuvering is an example of one of the
weather, and more in home study, online, and on the
in the American Sailing Journal confined to this column.
101, 103 or 104, but had not yet had the opportunity to
skills taught during the course. It teaches how to turn
water training since 1978. David is also the developer
practice their new skills in an unfamiliar location, or on an
the boat in a circle only slightly greater than one boat
of the Starpath Weather Trainer software program that
overnight cruise. Hopefully, you’re beginning to see our
length, and how to use the wind to advantage in doing
has been in use worldwide for over 15 years.
point: American Sailing Week has something for everyone!
THE AMERICAN SAILING JOURNAL
this maneuver. The techniques for doing this are
Additionally, he is the author of the text Modern Marine
www.american-sailing.com info@american-sailing.com
discussed in detail along with diagrams, precautions and
Weather. He has been the winning navigator and
The event has been better and had more and more
abort considerations.
tactician on the Victoria, BC, to Maui, HI, yacht race
attendees each year, so expect 2008 to be fantastic.
several times; and, as such, held the elapsed time
Weather should be more comfortable too. Early March in
ASA PRESIDENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cynthia Shabes
To accomplish the teaching objectives, a two-day, hands-
record for boats under 36 feet from 1984 to 2000. He
the tropics will be comfortably warm, but the heat will
on course allows students to learn theory and practice
has more than 60,000 miles of ocean sailing
not be nearly as intense as in the summer.
ASA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR . . . . . . . Charlie Nobles repetitive docking and casting-off maneuvers to reinforce
experience, including the 1993 Sydney to Hobart race.
understanding of theory, methods and skills. Both novice
He received a USCG citation for a successful ocean
ASA EXECUTIVE EDITOR . . . . . . . . Heather Watt
If you are considering attending, but aren’t ready to make
and experienced sailors will benefit from this course as
routing analysis related to a search and rescue
the call to Sunsail to put down your deposit, we encourage
STORY EDITORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Watt
the techniques apply to small outboard powered boats in
operation, and he has recently provided the training and
you to call Kathy Christensen, ASA’s membership
Kathy Christensen
the 15- to 20-foot range on up to 50-foot inboard single-
ocean routing for the winners of the 2006 transatlantic
coordinator at ext. 30 to get the details. But I’ll warn you,
screw cruising yachts.
rowing race. Their accomplishment is now in the
Charlie Nobles
few people say no after hearing her enthusiastic description
Guinness Book of World Records.
of all the great sailing, parties and other fantastic events. ART DIRECTOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Christensen
In addition to the text, the course is supported by a set
continued on page 22
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