This fall, during the Annapolis Boat Show, the Sail to the Sun ICW Rally will be hosting a day long seminar event for both Rally participants and members of the cruising public. The Sail to the Sun Cruising Seminar will be held at the Annapolis Maritime Museum and is geared to helping cruisers new to cruising on their way south, with seminars discussing the ICW and the Bahamas.If this is your year to cast off the dock, this is the seminar with the information you need and want from the people who have been there and done that - Lin Pardey, Jeff and Jean Grossman, Greg Knutson, Dave Skolnick, Wally Moran and more - and if you're still in the planning stages of cutting the lines, this seminar will provide you with valuable information towards your goal.
Our featured guest speaker is cruising icon Lin Pardey, who will be discussing offshore sailing - and who better to discuss this topic? This seminar will be of interest to newbies and old salts!
Also speaking will be Captains Jeff and Jean Grossman on the topic of couples training. Jeff and Jean also assist new cruisers in every phase of purchasing a boat and entering the cruising life, and will be able to address your questions on those topics during the anything goes Roundtable discussion following the speakers' talks.
Captain Dave Skolnick, past president of the Seven Seas Cruising Association, will be discussing the topic on every new cruiser's mind - how to cross the Gulf Stream. Dave's tips and advice will make this tension fraught decision much easier for all captains crossing the Gulf Stream.
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| Speaking to a crowded room, I discuss cruising the ICW |
worry no more. Greg Knutson, president of Mantus Anchors, will be discussing anchoring techniques. Greg has done a considerable amount of cruising himself, so along with his manufacturing expertise, he brings along his knowledge of cruising to assist participants in getting the good night's sleep that comes with a well set anchor.
For those wanting information on boat insurance, Cary Wiener of Pantaenius Insurance will be joining us for the roundtable discussion. Cruisers hoping to add Cuba to their voyage will want to speak with Cary, as Pantaenius is one of the few firms offering this insurance for American vessels.
Guest speaker Lin Pardey will be discussing offshore cruising from the perspective of a first time cruiser, and provide you with advice on how to handle the situations you will experience. This will be a discussion of interest to all sailors, not just new cruisers.
I will be presenting my Sailing South - First Timer's Guide to the ICW talk, explaining how to travel the ICW comfortably, safely and enjoyably. This part of your trip should be a fun experience, not a purgatory to be suffered through, and with 27 ICW transits under my keel, this talk will help you to make it so.
Cruising the Bahamas will be discussed by Cruising World's expert staff. Cruising World just published my feature article on cruising in the Abacos... so if you have questions about how and where to cruise these beautiful islands, this topic will definitely be of interest to you.
Following the speakers, there will be an open Roundtable Discussion with all of your speakers available to answer all of your cruising questions. Considering the huge amount of experience available, you'll have to be pretty creative to stump them. These Roundtable discussions have proven to be great fun in the past, and this one - from the chatter I'm hearing from the speakers - will be most entertaining.
And if that isn't enough, there will be a social hour with refreshments to follow, so you can mingle with and meet the speakers and your fellow southbound guests.
If you're interested in attending, you can purchase tickets directly below, or at Sail to the Sun Cruising Seminar, and additional information is available also at ICWally.com. The seminar is on the Monday of the Annapolis Sailboat Show, 9 -5, at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. Lunch is provided, with coffee before and refreshments to follow during the social hour.
Tickets are limited, so if you're interested, sign up now. Note that early bird discount tickets are only available until September 10, so don't hesitate. Special thanks to our event sponsors, Panteanius Insurance, and Mantus Anchors, and to our media sponsor, Cruising World.
As everyone knows by now, the 2016 Sail to the Sun ICW Rally will be heading out from Hampton on October 17, and end up in Miami in mid December.
On the way, the Ralliers will enjoy some great events put on at marinas, and be hosted by towns and cities along the way, share potlucks, explorations and cockpit chats until well into the night. It's a fun way to head south with new friends, as participants in my first two rallies will tell you - repeatedly tell you in fact - if you ask them.
This year's Rally has two remaining spaces, which opened up due to health concerns for the participants, who now are planning on joining the 2017 Rally. If you're interested in joining us, check out the information at www.ICWally.com, request a brochure, and join in the fun. Just don't wait too long - these are highly coveted spots.
p.s. the Sail to the Sun Cruising Seminar is included in your rally fee!
