NORTH FORT MYERS, Florida - Florida Sailing and Cruising
School (FS & CS) has announced an eight-day "Offshore
Powerboat Cruising" course, emphasizing traditional
and electronic navigation, that includes a week-long,
round-trip cruise aboard a 36 to 46 foot trawler from
Fort Myers to Key West.
Students live aboard the twin-engine trawler during
the course and learn how to navigate with charts and
compass as well as with electronic instruments such
as the global positioning system. Students will plan,
prepare and provision for a seven-day cruise. During
the cruise they will maintain the ship's systems while
underway, operate the vessel inshore and offshore
and in dark and daylight, navigate with electronics,
make a night landfall, establish an overnight anchorage
and more. After a stay in Key West, including "shore
leave," the students will prepare and embark on the
return trip.
Reservations are being accepted for several instructional
cruises in 2001. The minimum number of students per
class is two; the maximum is four persons per vessel.
The Offshore Powerboat Cruising course, priced at
$2,395 per person, is one of three new powerboat courses
announced by FS&CS. The school also introduced a two-day
course called the "First Mate" to help mates and skippers
communicate and work onboard effectively for safety
and enjoyment. Safe Boating 101, a one-day course,
helps students new to boating learn terminology, knots
and lines, seamanship tips and protocols, and read
charts.
The new courses bring to 25 the number of power and
sailing courses offered by Florida Sailing and Cruising
School. All courses are taught by U.S. Coast Guard-licensed
captains. Sailing instructors are also certified by
the American Sailing Association (ASA). Florida Sailing
& Cruising School is a division of Southwest Florida
Yachts, Inc., which operates one of the largest yacht
charter fleets in Florida. The charter and instruction
fleet consists of more than 20 sail and power yachts
at two locations, Marinatown Marina in North Fort
Myers and Burnt Store Marina on Charlotte Harbor.
