Sailing Back to Virginia
People ask, “What if it rains?” Two weeks of rain led to a third week, but we were away in Florida. Finally, the skies cleared and charter returned as we went Sailing Virginia again. On this day we got to fly the spinnaker not once, but twice, and gybing as well. Check out the video […]
Sailing at 85
People sometimes wonder, “Who’s the oldest sailor?” Here he is. A Maryland family rescheduled a rain date and wound up sailing the York in a rising afternoon breeze that they found a magnificent adventure. Weeks earlier, Kathy Self had hoped to bring her uncle along with her father Jack Green as a birthday surprise […]
Sailing Through a Storm
People often ask, “What’s it like to sail through a storm?” It’s challenging, for sure. A young couple from Charlottesville drove all the way to Williamsburg to take three children sailing on the York. They wound up learning quickly about sailing through a storm. Actually, when a storm approaches is the best time to roll […]
Buying a Sailboat? Do it Yourself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxU-kkiYFeU People ask, “Is it difficult to buy a sailboat?” No, and you can do it yourself without a broker. At Let’s Go Sail, the Boat Buying Cruise is for those who are determined to own their own sailboat. Unless they’re flush with cash, I recommend buying used. For one thing, the engine is already […]
Sailing Teamwork
A Portsmouth couple bought a 27 Seward to dock near their house. Then they set out to learn how to sail as a team by mastering a Capri 22 through ASA SailTime Virginia Beach. So began four outings in three days of sailing teamwork. Days 1 and 2 were compounded by considerable Navy activity around […]
10 Mistakes Newbies Make
1. OVER-THINKING—Look, this is a sport. It’s not rocket science. Many of my students had bad experiences on a sailboat as a child or with their dad or first husband. That was then. Now you have another chance. Clear your mind of preconditions and take one step at a time. Read a beginners book like […]
Sailing & Fishing
There are two kinds of boating that are mutually discrete: Sailing & Fishing. I refer people all the time to my colleagues at York River Yacht Haven who offer fishing charters. But occasionally someone will ask if they can try fishing off the back of the boat. It’s tricky because we run the risk of […]
Endless Summer
Here it is almost October and we’re still swimming in the York River. An ambitious family from Raleigh NC took advantage of a lull in the wind to jump off the boat on a beautiful Indian summer afternoon. The water is still 80 degrees, so why not? Also on board was a couple from Richmond […]
Sub Exits York
Two couples and a solo sailor chased a Navy submarine for much of the afternoon. We motored under the Coleman Bridge to the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station so they could see a sub in port. It was the third time this season that a sub arrived, which is very unusual. The last one had its […]
Bought a Boat!
Virginia reopened for sailing and fishing charters May 15. Let’s Go Sail adheress to an approved regimen for COVID-19 protocols. While opening Let’s Go Sail one morning, a fellow stopped by the dock to hail me. “Capt. Bill!” said James Owen. “Remember me? Around a year ago my wife and I sailed with you. We […]
