Sailing Classes and Adventure Sailing
Modern Sailing Academy
Sailing Lessons at MSA
Sailing With Suzette Smith
Modern Sailing Academy, Sausalito
April - May 2006: I may have earned the qualification for "Command at Sea" in my naval career and was threfore qualified to command US Navy warships. However, sailing is different. It had been a while since I had sailed at the Naval Academy. (Long, long ago in a place far, far away!). And no, sailing is NOT like riding a bike. One does forget! Sailing is incredibly complex and there is much to know and remember.
The first time we took out our new boat, Astraea, we hired a licensed captain to familiarize us with the boat and her capabilities and characteristics. He was a good sailor, but he was NOT a professional teacher. There is a huge difference between being just a good sailor and being a good sailor AND a good sailing instructor. The latter takes special skills and training. We decided that one trip with this captain was adequate, and we took her out a few times on her own. Now keep in mind this was August in San Francisco, where the winds whip up to 30 knots in the afternoon. Not sure if we would be classified as brave or naive. Probably the latter.
We started to realize that we needed some formal instruction when the first time we took her out we ran "slightly" aground in the marina. 
OOPS. No damage done and we were able to back her off the mud bottom easily. However realized that I needed to review the buoy system of markings!
The second time we were out we managed to discover first hand what we later learned is called an "accidental jibe". This maneuver whipped tha main mast across the boat from starboard to port and destroyed the main sheet traveller block. Oh, well, it needed replacing anyway. However, most of all, I was a nervous wreck every minute we were on the boat. OK, ALL STOP!!! Time for formal sailing lessons!
We looked around at all the local schools in the Bay Area and decided on Modern Sailing Academy in Sausalito. They are an American Sailing Association (ASA) certification school and offered the entire ASA curriuculum.
We were most fortunate that for our first course, Basic Keelboat (ASA101), we had Suzette Smith as our instructor. Now here is a professional sailor who has forgotten more about sailing than I could ever hope to learn! She has been racing most of her life, and was a member of the 1994 all women's America's Cup team! She has also done some 19+ Trans-Pacific crossings.
We had a great series of four days of lessons with Suzette on the Modern Sailing Academy boats, with us and two other students. We were amazed at how much we were learning. Suzette was a fanatic about MOB (Man Overboard). We drilled and drilled and drilled. It was April and it was cold and windy and raining and she had us doing man overboard drills for hours in "hurrican gulch" just inside the Golden Gate. It was horrible conditions! When we grumbled a little about having to do so many man overboard drills in such foul weather conditions Suzette said, "nobody falls overboard in good weather!!!". Good point, Suzette! Well, Bob and I both passed the course and were ready for the next step!
For our next course, Basic Coastal Crusing (ASA 103), we arranged for Suzette to go out with us on our own boat for three consecutive days and provide us private lessons. This was an incredibly valuable experience, as Suzette taught us not only a huge amount about sailing, but about our boat and how to sail her. (She also knew how to sail a ketch!). After our total of seven days sailing under instruction from Suzette we felt that we had enough knowledge to safely and confidently sail the Bay and take our friends out without risking their safety, or boat's safety or embarrassing ourselves! Bob and I both passed this course and, more importantly, as a result of our two courses under the instruction of Suzette we were MUCH more confident on our boat. What's more, Bob is really getting into this sport! I can see where he is much more confident in his skills and abilities, and so am I.
This is the "Serious Suzette". We were sailing just inside the Golden Gate Bridge.
She caught me taking her picture! Here is the REAL Suzette that we love sailing with. She is the best!!
Suzette had us go outside the Golden Gate for our first time in our boat! We were super excited to take Astraea under the GG. The weather was rough, overcast, and blowing. A great day to take Astraea out there!
I love this picture. We spent four days berthed in Sausalito Harbor during our lessons, as it is where Suzette is based with Modern Sailing Academy. It was a beautiful place to spend a few days.
After two courses under the expert instruction of Suzette I was ready for "Graduate School". The next step: An intense seven day sailing school called Adventure Sailing With John Connolly. This school would provide the opportunity to get three certifications: Bareboat Charter (ASA 104) , Coastal Navigation (ASA 105) and Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 106). This was a fantastic experience. However it was probably one of the most challenging learning experiences I have ever had. Seven intense days! Not only were the practical parts of the course challenging, but the final written exams were incredibly comprehensive and intense and took seven hours to complete! 
Click here to see pictures of Adenture Sailing California Coast
Or Click here to see pictures and the story of Adventure Sailing in the South Pacific