How Charter Sailing Started
Special to the KCSA Bulletin People wonder, How did you start the sailing business?” It started with a few words, Let’s go sail the York River. The object was to let couples sail a serene three hours. In retirement, Kingsmill resident Bill O’Donovan has pursued a charter boat business to share the joy of sailing. […]
Sailing Serenely
People wonder out loud, “Is sailing a serene experience?” Entirely! A couple from the Shenandoah Valley went to Richmond to visit old friends in May 2018. Then they included a trip to Williamsburg where we wound up sailing serenely on the York River. Right off the bat, we saw dolphins as we exited Sara Creek […]
How to Sail Like a Pro
People ask, “What’s the best way to sail like a pro?” Don’t forget to wear an ascot. WATCH VIDEOS—This is a good first step because you can choose from myriad short videos on You Tube to see how things work. Focus at first on the Close Reach, Beam Reach and docking. The rest is details. […]
She Said Yes While Sailing
Sometimes I get asked, “Do men propose to women on the boat?” Yes indeed. Brent Russell surprised his girlfriend Andrea Lefont with a sailing cruise on the York River, where he proposed marriage on the bow. She was stunned. He and I had arranged it so that we would sail downriver in brisk seas […]
Hurricane Coming
People ask, “What do you do in a hurricane?” The latest thing to do near Williamsburg is to batten down the hatches for the hurricane coming. Not since Isabel 19 years ago has a Cat 4 threatened the Virginia coast. At York River Yacht Haven, the yard crew pulled 33 boats of all sizes in […]
Shades of Improved Ego
People wonder, “Is sailing an ego trip?” When you start out to sail, you set yourself apart from the rest of mankind who lack your ambition. You have chosen an adventure that takes time to learn, time to hone, time to perfect. Not everyone can do it. Already you feel better. You think, This beats […]
Learning to Sail Big
Two fellows from Hampton Roads set out on a brilliant Saturday morning to advance their sailing skills by learning to sail big. Dan Fisher and Jim Brock took the ASA 101 basic keelboat course separately. Now they assembled for the next step, ASA 103 intermediate coastal cruising. They had never met before. Dan has a […]
Sailing with Heroes
People ask, “Who has inspired you the most?” Among 900 essays in the Captain’s Blog over the past seven years, Sailing with Heroes from 2016 is the most poignant. On a dark and dreary afternoon, a couple from Portsmouth drove up to the Peninsula to go sailing on the York River. Then they found the […]
Sailing Wisdom, Life’s Metaphors
People often ask, “Why is sailing so special?” Unlike any other sport, sailing lends itself to inspiration, as these three illustrations show. No other mode of transportation is so inspiring, except maybe trains (“City of New Orleans”), or the bus ride with Kathy in Simon and Garfunkel’s “America.” Sailing memories are a pleasant reminder of […]
Destroyers Compared
Sometimes people ask, “Can you compare Navy ships?” Yes, but preferably in profile. On a whim, Daniel Katekovich took his bride Connie sailing along the York River on their 30th anniversary. She had never been on a sailboat before, “if you don’t count a small catamaran.” She did great as we zoomed across the river […]
