What to expect…about sailing & boating
A boat is like a floating mini-condo…or like a motor home for the water. It has everything we need to travel around to some of the most beautiful spots, anchoring in front of multi-million dollar homes or idyllic unspoiled places. But, it does have its limitations. In some respects, it’s more like camping.
A boat does not have a lot of room, and it has little stowage space. So minimal gear is an absolute for everyone’s comfort. One small soft duffle bag per person is the max. Do not bring hard luggage – it’s hard to stow and it can hurt someone if it shifts underway. There is a hanging locker where you can hang a few items of clothing.
Fresh water is a major commodity. We do have two bathrooms (called “heads” on a boat) with hot and cold water for your comfort. Although we do carry a lot of water, it is still limited to what we bring along; short showers are fine but long showers are off limits. We shower ashore if facilities are available.
A boat is completely self-sustaining so we don’t have a lot of power. Like in a car, we operate on battery power. We have radio, a CD player, and laptop with DVD…no TV, no internet. No hair dryers except for use while ashore. We have battery-powered 12 volt outlets like in a car, so it’s possible to recharge cell phones while under way. We do have a generator to recharge the batteries and cool the refrigerator and while it’s running (for about an hour a day) you can use electronic and electrical stuff like hair dryers. Bring a book.
We have a kitchen (called a galley) with propane stove and oven, refrigeration, and sink, as well as an outdoor barbecue. We tend to cook fairly well and do have gourmet-like meals. If there’s food you do not like or are allergic to, please let us know in advance. If you don't mention what you do not like to eat, you may get tripe! We eat many of our meals onboard, although we may go ashore for dinner if the venue permits.
We have three cabins that sleep two people each. There is no AC underway…only cooling ocean breezes. There is no heat…only blankets and sleeping bags. The center cabin, which serves as the living room/dining room, can sleep additional people on the settees so there is not much privacy. Six total is ideal for overnight. We can also string a hammock or two on deck for warm nights.
You can get burned very quickly by the sun and the wind, and although we usually have plenty of sunscreens and lotions, it helps if you bring your favorites along. If you think you might get seasick, bring your favorite anti seasickness remedy or let us know so we can make sure we have extra medicine onboard.
We are very good instructors. If you want to learn, we’ll be more than glad to teach. We’re very calm and patient. There’s no yelling (unless someone does something really stupid that makes them fall overboard). We want you to like it. But we’ll understand if you choose to just come along for the ride. We sail in relatively protected waters. If someone needs to reach you, they can call via cell phone or VHF radio.
Coastal Boating (Reg. in Ireland No. 443222) is a division of Knowledge Clinic Ltd.