Boat shows are the ideal place to scratch your sailing itch. There, you can see what’s new in boats, gear, electronics and apparel, all while being surrounded by like-minded sailors. However, it’s rare you actually get to go sailing at a boat show, much less learn to sail. This year, Newport, Rhode Island-based “Confident Captain” is aiming to change that with its “At the Helm” program, based at the docks of the 2014 Newport International Boatshow.
“I consider Narragansett Bay one of the country’s best places to sail,” says Confident Captain’s Kent Dresser. “Yet, I know there are thousands of people who drive through Newport every year and don’t know how to get on a boat, even if they wanted to. My goal is to change that.”
Through Confident Captain, show-goers can sign up for one of nine different 90-minute courses, ranging from “Docking and Maneuvering” to “Managing a Sailboat Under Power in Tight Spaces” to “Women Teaching Women.”
“We’re trying to focus on the skills that sailors need the most, and are most nervous about, which 99 percent of the time involves using their boats under power and/or near docks,” explains Dresser.
Prices range from $75 to $99 for sailing courses, which will be held on a Hunter 33, 36 and 37. For more information, go to newportboatshow.com.
Photos courtesy of Marianne Lee
