Luxury Catamaran Sailing Charters and
ASA classes in Pensacola Bay
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What type of boat will I be sailing on?
If you are taking the ASA 101-104 classes, or taking one of our 3 hour Leisure Lessons, you'll be sailing on a Hunter 38, "Sea Gypsy", a wheel steered monohull located on Pensacola Beach. If you are on a Luxury Charter or taking the ASA 114 class, you'll be sailing on our beautiful Leopard 47' cruising catamaran, "Southern Star" located in Gulf Breeze, Florida. She is wheel steered and rigged with a roller furling jib and a mainsail with two reef points. When under power, she uses two inboard diesel engines. Southern Star was designed and created with space, comfort, speed, and ease of sailing in mind, offering an exciting and comfortable sailing experience. The interior offers comfortable seating areas and a full private bathroom.
Leopard 47
"Southern Star"
2. What should I bring/wear?
Wear whatever you feel comfortable in and bring along a swimsuit if you'd like to swim. Flip flops, sandals or sneakers are totally acceptable footwear, and barefoot is good, too. Also bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, towel, and camera. We provide water and ice and small snacks, but if you'd like to bring a cooler full of your favorites please feel free to do so. And if you are interested in us providing a catering package for that special event, please let us know.
3. Do you have a minimum age requirement for children?
We welcome passengers of all ages aboard our captained charters, sunset sails and Blue Angel cruises. Our ASA Certification classes do not have a minimum age requirement, however kids older than 10 will get the most our of the sailing lessons. Our boats are safe, comfortable and fun for all ages. We have many safety measures in place, including lifelines, a throwable life-sling, and both kid and adult-sized life jackets. We encourage all to move around deck while we are sailing, explore the spacious cabin down below deck, and even steer the boat!
4. How much does the boat rock and will I get seasick?
We sail in the protected waters of Pensacola Bay, where the generally smooth and protected waters are quite favorable for boating. Seasickness is highly unlikely to occur while sailing, as our boat has two hulls and therefore provides a very stable platform. Also, it is generally a much smoother ride than on a powerboat, mainly because the sails stabilize the boat and keep it from rolling and pitching. Also there are no noxious engine fumes to contend with, which often contributes to the problem. To date, none of our passengers have experienced seasickness on our sailboat.
5. Do you offer ASA sailing lessons?
We offer ASA 101-104 on a monohull, as well as ASA 114, Cruising Catamaran, a 2 day class where you will learn to skipper an auxiliary-powered sailing cruising catamaran of approximately 47 feet in length during a multi-day cruise upon inland or coastal waters in moderate to heavy winds (up to 30 knots) and sea conditions. Knowledge of catamaran structure, components and features, performance under sail and power, boat systems, seamanship and safety, heavy weather operation, and emergency response. Our sailing lessons are private lessons for a family or a group of friends, so they may seem to be a little more expensive than group lessons with people you may not know. We like to keep our ASA certification class size to 2-3 people as there is a substantial amount of information to be communicated to the students, and smaller classes make it possible for the instructor to focus on each student and the ensure that his or her needs are met. It also gives the student more time at the helm and a crew to allow the student to fully understand the subject matter being taught and why is it relevant. We love our troops and offer active duty military and veteran's discounts.
5. Do you offer women's sailing lessons?
Yes, Captain Linda has introduced many women to the sport of sailing and continues to do so with her calm, patient demeanor. Join our mailing list to keep posted on upcoming women only sailing classes and vacation charters.