Rick White's Sailing Seminars
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF YOUR SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS?
39. But they range from 13 to 70 so far, and there are no upper and lower limits.
WHAT CALIBER OF SAILOR ATTENDS THE SEMINARS?
We have every level from novice racer or competent daysailor to very advanced racer. We have even trained a number of Olympic Medalists). The drills are designed to improve ability regardless of skill level. Each sailor benefits from the course in direct proportion to the effort he puts into it
CAN I ATTEND THE SEMINAR IF I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAIL?
Sorry, but no. The seminar is designed to improve people who already know the fundamentals. We do not have coaches available to provide individual attention or teach the basics.
WHAT IF I AM SKIPPER WITHOUT A CREW?
This is a common problem. We recommend that you either find a crew or find another skipper in your fleet or area who also wants to attend the seminar, and team up on a boat. If you team up with another skipper, you can share time on the helm, which actually broadens your knowledge of the boat and gives you time to concentrate more on sail trim than on steering. All drills are done at least twice, so you get equal opportunity to do both jobs on the boat. If you cannot find a sailing partner, let us know early, and we will try to team you up with someone who has the same problem and has a similar type of boat. Before we start trying to match you up, however, we need a deposit to ascertain that you are going be attending for certain.
CAN I ATTEND IF I AM A CREW WITHOUT A SKIPPER FOR A TWO-PERSON BOAT?
Yes. We often have skippers attending alone without crews, so you would be in great demand. Let us know early, so we can team you up with someone. Before we start trying to match you up, however, we need a deposit to ascertain that you are going be attending for certain.
IF I HAVE A TWO-PERSON BOAT, CAN I SINGLE-HAND IT AT THE SEMINAR?
No. There is a safety factor -- for you and for the other boats. If you really want to single-hand, bring a boat that is designed for that purpose.
FOR A TWO-PERSON BOAT, IF A SKIPPER BRINGS A CREW, DOES THE CREW PAY THE SAME PRICE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SEMINAR?
Yes. The crew is as important a part of the team as the skipper and will benefit just as much from the seminar.
DO YOU PROVIDE BOATS FOR THE SEMINARS?
Not really. These are bring-your-own boat seminars. A few rentals are available (cats and Sunfish) for the seminars in the Florida Keys, but we are not aware of availability at other seminar locations. For Lasers there is a dealer that will charter boats. These are BYOB (boat, that is) seminars, but Laser and Sunfish are available through Kurt Taulbee 866-SAILFIT cell is 727-631-7025, email is <meka@sailfit.com>. In the Keys we do have Barb Short that charters Hobie Waves. She can be contacted at barb@the-helm.com. Other Catamarans are in short supply here in the Keys, so it's best to plan on bringing your own or team up with someone else who is.
WHAT KIND OF SAILING GEAR SHOULD I BRING?
Your PFD, of course. Sailing gloves are a must, and full-finger gloves are advisable, if you have them. Bring a wetsuit and/or drysuit and/or dinghy suit. Even if you don't need them for warmth, they will help to protect your body. For Sunfish or Laser sailors padded hiking pants are great if you have them. For catamaran sailors, knee pads are a must -- and the dinghy sailors will probably want to use them, too. Bring your trapeze harness if you have a boat that uses trapezes. Bring anything you would normally bring to cover all sailing conditions, sunny, windy, cold, hot, rainy. Another must is strong sunblock and a drinking water bottle -- you will be spending a lot of time on the water. For the briefings and lectures, you will need pen and notebook.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING FOR MY BOAT?
Your boat will be put through more than a season's worth of work, just as you will, so bring any spare parts and tools that you think you could possibly need. You may want to bring extra telltales for your sails to apply after you get here, in case your current ones are not in the proper positions. And don't forget the duct tape. If you have new sails and old sails, bring the old sails. This is not a speed contest -- save the good sails for the REAL races.
WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BOATS YOU ALLOW FOR A SEMINAR?
For catamarans we limit it to 20 boats. For Sunfish and Lasers, the top limit is 30 boats.
ARE YOUR SEMINARS LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC TYPE OF BOAT, I.E., SPECIFIC CLASSES OF CATAMARANS OR MONOHULLS?
The catamaran seminars are open to all classes of catamaran, 21 feet and under. The monohull classes are limited only to the extent that we would like similar types of boats together, For instance, the Laser seminars are open to all varieties of Laser plus Sunfish, Force 5's, Bytes and other similar boats. A seminar designated primarily for Sunfish is likewise open to all those boats.
CAN YOU BRING YOUR SEMINAR TO OUR AREA?
Yes, we would love to. Click here for information.
IS THERE ANY BENEFIT TO TAKING THE SEMINAR AGAIN?
You will actually benefit more the second time you take it than you did the first time, because you will be able to take even fuller advantage of the drills and use them more efficiently to achieve your particular sailing goals. We have had many repeat students, and they just keep getting better and better. Some have attended as many as 10 times.., and, by the way, they are National, North American and World Champions. And they keep coming back.
WHAT ARE THE DIRECTIONS TO THE SEMINAR SITE?
The specific location of the seminars for 2007 is Founder Park in Islamorada, Mile Marker 87 on the Bay Side..
To get to the Keys, take the Florida Turnpike south to Florida City, where it merges into U.S. 1. Just stay on U.S. 1 and watch the descending mile markers as you head south.
PS: If you are driving from points north and are coming down I-95, the easiest place to switch over to the turnpike is Ft. Pierce, but you should for sure try to make the switch no farther south than Ft. Lauderdale. Otherwise I-95 ends just south of downtown Miami and then you will have bumper to bumper traffic and tons of traffic lights.
IF I AM FLYING IN, WHAT AIRPORT IS BEST?
Miami International is the closest, only an hour away. However, fares are often lower to Ft. Lauderdale Airport and the airport is far less congested. That airport is about 1 1/2 hours away
If you are flying in and chartering a boat and do not want to rent a car, you can arrange transportation from Miami Airport by calling the Airporter 305-852-3413, or Upper Keys Transportation 1-800-749-5397 or 305-852-9533. The Airporter has a regular schedule, and Upper Keys Transportation will pick up any time. Greyhound bus also has a regular schedule between Miami Airport and the Keys and is only about $15 each way.
ACCOMMODATIONS?
Be sure to acquire accomodations early as the Keys' lodging can fill up fast. In Islamorada the Chamber of Commerce has a huge list of big hotel, to small Mom & Pops. Find them at http://www.islamoradachamber.com
WHAT KIND OF CLOTHING SHOULD I BRING?
Very casual -- shorts and t-shirts are acceptable attire almost anywhere in the Keys. Air temperatures should be in the 90's, and water temperatures in the Mid-70's. But in April a cold front can still come through and bring temeratures down, so pack a sweatshirt, a pair of long pants and a light jacket, just in case.
WHAT SAILING GEAR SHOULD I BRING?
For ALL seminars: Life jacket, sailing gloves (full-fingered advisable), wetsuit or drysuit or windsuit or all three, whatever you have
For MONOHULL dinghy seminars: Also bring hiking pants, if you have them. Knee pads are recommended. Bring trapeze harness, if required for your boat.
For CATAMARAN seminar: Trapeze harness, if required for the boat; knee pads are mandatory.
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO BRING?
Pens and notebook.
ARE THERE DEALERS IN THE AREA AND/OR PLACES TO GET BOAT PARTS, LINE, ETC.?
There is a Hobie dealer in Key Largo, but has very limited stock of parts. There is a Laser/Sunfish dealer in Miami. There is a West Marine, and Key Largo also has three hardware stores and a K-Mart. But, try to bring everything you need. Also, www.OnLineMarineStore.com can get stuff here overnight.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO IN THE KEYS?
Snorkeling/diving the reefs; Glass-bottom boat ride; Parasailing; Water Skiing; Swimming with the Dolphins; Deep sea fishing in the Atlantic; Flat fishing in the backcountry; Self-guided eco-tour of the Wild Bird Center; Backcountry guided bird-watching; kayaking or canoeing; Key West drive; Beaches of Long Key or Bahia Honda State Parks; Holiday Isle; Theater of the Sea; John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park; Everglades National Park; Biscayne National Park; Shell shopping; Artist colony at The Rain Barrel; Alligators, monkeys & orchids in Homestead.
IF I CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE KEYS, CAN THE SEMINARS COME TO OUR AREA?
Absolutely! We travel all over the country and the world doing seminars for those that cannot make it to the Keys. We have a very interesting way for you to HOST a seminar in your local pond and make anywhere from $500 to $1000 in rebates for your local club's coffers. It is just like hosting a regatta but it is much more educational for your entire group. Click here for more information!
HOW DO I GO ABOUT SIGNING UP?
Just print out and then fill out an application and send it along with a deposit of $100 per person. Click here for the application!
WHAT IS THE COST OF THE SEMINAR AND WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE?