April 19th, 2012 Update
Cedar Key, FL - April 22nd- April 25th, 2012
Port Townsend, WA - May 20th- May 23rd, 2012
Straits of Mackinac, MI - June 17th- June 20th, 2012
Rockport, TX - July 22nd- July 25th, 2012
*THREE NEW ACADEMY LOCATIONS FOR 2012*
Monterey Bay, California- September 16th-19th
Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma- September 30th- October 3rd
SPACE IS LIMITED
JOIN US USING THE "CONTACT US" PAGE
or give us a call at
1-231-412-0011
or
1-231-838-8472
We'd be glad to call you back!
The theme of the 2012 Small Craft Skills Academy is "Basic Seamanship" for small boat sailors. Advanced seamanship, sailing techniques and tips will be integrated throughout the Basic Seamanship course. Whether you sail a pocket yacht, open boat or a trailer sailer, your boat should be thoughtfully prepared, easily handled on land and managed in a safe and seamen like manner on the water.
A Unique Approach Of Shared Experiential Learning:
The Academy is a unique opportunity based on facilitated collaborative experiential learning. Each participant will be asked to prepare a topic and present it to the Academy participants. Small boat experience is not all that counts in this style of learning for it is through brief study, presentation and collaboration with others that shared learning can occur. Presentations will be brief (15 minutes) followed by a Q/A period where all Academy participants will have the opportunity to add to the presentation through comments, share insights and ideas.
Good seamanship is your direct link into the time honored sailing skills tradition of "knowing your stuff", and having the experience to use your skills properly when needed. Accepted seamanship principles and skills have been developed through centuries of sailing and are as or more important today as in the days of tall sail. The safe, enjoyable fulfillment of our sailing dreams rests on the mastery of seamanship skills that have by tradition been learned through working sail, discussion between sailors and handed down through time, old salt to new sailor. The Academy is your opportunity to participate in learning skills on the water, in discussion between sailors and from experienced sailors in keeping with this time honored tradition.
Please take a look at the photo slide shows posted on this site that depict a wide variety of small boats and sailors. If you look through the photos and say "Yes, I get excited about sailing and can see myself adventure sailing one of these small pocket yachts but I don't have the basic skills I need", or if you say, "This is me, this is who I am, what I sail and I want to learn more", then join us at the Academy. You will have the opportunity to learn and practice the skills you need or refresh those you already have.
Contact Us:
We also hope you use this site to get in touch with us. Please open the “Contact Us” tab to reach us. You can use the contact form to reserve a place at an Academy or to initiate a call back so we can talk specifics about the Academy curriculum, program, learning outcomes, scheduling, participant boat safety requirements, etc.
Sail Small and Sail Now!
If you dream of small boat day sailing, adventure sailing or slipping off to a quiet cove for a weekend then join us to gain skills you can use to live your dream. I look forward to sharing knowledge and sailing with you at one of the 2012 Academies.
Howard Rice
Small Craft Skills Academy Facilitator
Great news from our friends in Port Townsend
Hook up your small boat and bring it to Port Townsend for the
May 19th, 2012 Pocket Yacht Palooza. The Palooza is open to the public and is a celebration of small craft and a welcome for the 2012 Small Craft Skills Academy.
