We are now only one month away from the 2 day Cruising Women program that we will be giving in Annapolis, Maryland on April 23-24, 2015. The program last year was AMAZING! We had so much fun. Please come join us! Here are the details.

Pam Wall, Beth Leonard and Kathy Parsons team up to offer an in-depth two-day program just for women –  to introduce women to, and prepare them for cruising.

This program is directed to women:

1. who are introduced to the dream of cruising by a husband, or boyfriend or partner, and want to know “What is cruising like? — Do I want to do it?”
2. who like the idea of cruising with their partner or even alone, but don’t know if they are skilled enough, smart enough, young enough, rich enough, or  brave enough to pull it off….
3. who know they want to go cruising, and now want to acquire the skills and knowledge to get out there and make it safe and fun.

For all these women, we have organized a unique program to answer your questions and give you the skills and knowledge you will need:

• First of all, we introduce you to cruising, help you learn what it is like, in all its variations – aboard sailboat and powerboat, cruising close to home, or to the Caribbean, or around the world –  sailing with your partner, or family, or by yourself.
• We cover the skills that you need to acquire and help you figure out what you know already and what you still need. We assist you in putting together your personal plan to go cruising.
• We spend time aboard several different boats, in small groups, learning the jargon, the equipment that we live with, discussing daily routines and safety, what works and what doesn’t.
  

  We spend time aboard several different boats Photo: Barbara Dahn

• And most importantly, you will have LOTS of time to ask your questions and to raise your concerns about cruising.
• This is a very personal, and fun course. We will talk, laugh, tie knots, heave lines, poke around with equipment, discuss ALL your questions and practical issues. You will come out of this weekend with an understanding of the cruising life and ready to make your dream come true.
  

  Having fun – Photo: Barbara Dahn

We hope you can join us – the Cruising Women 2-day program will take place, during the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, April 23, 24 in Annapolis, Maryland, as part of the 4-day Cruisers University.

For more information, contact Cruisers University: www.usboat.com/cruisers-university/home, or Nancy Grisham at 410-263-7802. We look forward to a fun and rewarding and empowering weekend with you!

Comments from women attending the 2013 Cruising Women seminar:

Cruising Women 2013 – Photo: Barbara Dahn

• There is no way to express my gratitude for how gracious you all are! You truly made me feel like there is no stupid question.  Your range of experiences and expertise was amazing and very much a blessing!
• It takes the fear factor out of cruising.
• It reassured me that I am not foolish or crazy for pursuing this dream, this lifestyle. It also helped me believe that I can learn the skills needed to do this, even be good at it!
• Thanks so much for all the sharing, information, humor, and encouragement. And so non-intimidating! It was great! We appreciate all of you. Terrific job!
• This seminar assured me even more that this is what I want to do and took some of my fears and worries away.
• The dynamic of the three instructions was phenomenal!
• Even though cruising seems scary sometimes, you have all made it seem very possible!! Thank you so much!
• The wide range of topics covered answered many questions I didn’t know I had.
• I found that other women have the same fears and concerns that I had.
• Hearing the instructors’ first hand experiences was invaluable.
• Great, enthusiastic instructors who clearly love cruising.
• Totally enjoyed it!

Cruising Women 2013 – Photo: Barbara Dahn

Please join us for a lively interactive learning session about everyone’s favorite topic: anchoring. Don’t be intimidated by anchoring bullies. Here are the details:

Education for those long winter months – Seven Seas University Presents:

Happy Hooking – the Art of Anchoring

• with Captains Daria & Alex Blackwell
• Saturday February 12 at 1000 CST (1100 EST, 1600 GMT)

Whether you are sailing your own vessel locally or chartering in the Caribbean or beyond, knowing how to safely and effectively anchor is one of the most essential and liberating skills you can have.

Knowing about anchors, rodes, anchorages and anchoring techniques is a prerequisite for enjoying an evening in a magically beautiful setting as well as getting a good night’s sleep while swinging from the hook.

Much has changed over the years and the new gear offers serious technical advances over the older standard options.  The goal of this session is to either help you get more confident using the gear you have, or to help you select new gear and understand how to deploy it correctly.  We’ll be discussing available equipment and its performance under simulated and real conditions.

In addition, we will cover:

• Tackle and Anchor Selection
• Techniques for Setting the Anchor
• Scope, Chafe, Snubbers, Kellets, Trip Lines and More
• Anchorage Selection: Charts & Guides, Picking Your Spot, Swing Radius
• Setting Two Anchors and Med Mooring
• Weighing Anchor
• Anchoring Etiquette

Visit Seven Seas U to register today!

About Daria Blackwell

Daria Blackwell is a lifelong sailor and passionate cruiser. She has completed three Atlantic crossings and spent years cruising the coasts of the Americas and Europe, as well as the Bahamas, the Caribbean islands, and the Atlantic islands, most recently double-handing on their vintage 57-foot ketch, Aleria, with her husband, Alex, and cruising kitty, Onyx.

Daria holds a USCG OUPV Captain’s license and is a member of SSCA (Seven Seas Cruising Association), Mayo Sailing Club (Westport, Ireland) and American Yacht Club (Rye, NY). The Blackwells are also the organizers of the SSCA cruising station for Ireland.

The Blackwells are co-authors of Happy Hooking: The Art of Anchoring, which has received excellent reviews in the sailing press. Their seminar on anchoring has drawn large crowds and delivered exceptional attendee critiques and comments (Reference: SailAmerica). Most recently, they have been delivering seminars (on anchoring as well as other cruising topics) online and live via the Seven Seas University of SSCA, GLCC, yacht clubs and boat shows.

Daria is a frequent author about their sailing adventures, contributing to Cruising World, Classic Boat, Latitudes & Attitudes Seafaring, Practical Boat Owner, Ireland Afloat, Offshore, Windcheck, Spinsheet, Points East and elsewhere. For many years, Daria and Alex served as the webmasters for the website of American Yacht Club and launched the popular www.CoastalBoating.net, “the boaters’ resource for places to go and things to know”. As founders of Sail4Kids Make a Memory Cruise, the Blackwells were recognized with prestigious awards by both American Yacht Club and the International Society for Perpetuation of Cruelty to Racing Yachtsmen.

More information

• For more information on this webinar or to register, go to: Seven Seas U: Happy Hooking webinar.
  Can’t make the webinar? You can also download it later or buy the book.
• Happy Hooking – the Art of Anchoring is available on www.Coastalboating.net and Amazon.com.

Do you have a question on anchoring?

Let us know. Email kathy@forcruisers.com or leave a comment below.

As a woman emailed us today: “I attended your seminar last year at the Annapolis Boat show and absolutely loved it.  I plan on attending again this year.”

The Women and Cruising Seminar is different every time we give it – because it all depends on who is in the audience and what questions they are concerned with. Here are some of the questions that women have asked about during the seminar:

• seasickness
• carrying health insurance and getting medical care in other countries
• what I need to know to cruise and the best ways to learn
• fears about night passages, bad weather, and pirates
• the best ages to take my kids cruising
• handling finances and mail
• getting along aboard and dealing with conflict in small spaces, yelling
• problems women singlehanders might have
• provisioning
• do we need a watermaker-refrigeration-washing machine-generator, single sideband radio
• staying fit and healthy onboard
• choosing clothes for cruising
• provisioning
• costs of cruising
• staying in touch with families
• leaving the boat in a secure place and flying home to visit family
• how much do I need to know about diesel engines, mechanics, navigation
• is cruising safe?
• … and many more topics.

Like we said, it’s different, fresh and (most of all) FUN every time! So, we hope you can be there!

You will get a copy of our Women and Cruising handout Best Tips and Resources which we will be updating for the Annapolis Boat Show.

AND we expect that there will be several more Women and Cruising contributors participating in our seminar. More on that later as we have more details on who will be there!

Here are the details:

Women and Cruising Seminar
Sunday October 11, 2009
12:00 – 1:30pm
Ballroom of the Annapolis Marriott Waterfront Hotel
Free, no advanced reservation required

See you there!

More info:

• Download the complete Cruising World 2009 US Sailboat Show (Annapolis, MD) Seminars on Sailing Schedule. There are 4 full days of free seminars with some of cruising’s most knowledgeable and interesting people including Jimmy Cornell, Beth Leonard, Don Street, Gary Jobson, Liza Copeland, Donna Lange, Lee Chesneau, Chuck Kanter, Larry Berlin, and um, us: Pam Wall and Kathy Parsons.
• Visit the website of the US Sailboat Show, Annapolis, MD, October 8-12, 2009. This will be the 40th Anniversary of the show!