Captain’s Log: Chicken Jibe
The Basics
The boat: Lagoon 46
Crew: Captain Trevon (instructor) and Stephanie (first mate)
ASA Students: Dave, Jake, and Nina
Courses Completed: ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran)
Day 1: Big Sailing Dreams
The crew met up for dinner and drinks at Compass Point Marina and swapped stories before beginning their sailing adventure. Dave already had quite a bit of sailing experience under his belt but was interested in formal sailing lessons so he could get his International Proficiency Certificate (IPC) and bareboat charter anywhere in the world. Nina has big dreams of owning her own boat and sailing the world but her husband, Jake, said not so fast— let’s make sure we take a few ASA courses first! Captain Trevon could already tell this would be a motivated and ambitious crew!
Day 2: The Importance of Boat Briefings
The morning started off with a boat briefing and then maneuvers under power outside of Jersey Bay to Pilsbury Sound and through Current Cut. The crew kept their cool through a variety of crossing situations and by lunch, they were in Caneel Bay! They practiced picking up a mooring ball and after lunch, practiced man overboard drills. After showing a knack for maneuvers under power, they pulled out the jib and made their way back to Caneel Bay to grab a mooring for the night. Unfortunately, during their boat briefing the crew had forgot to check the dinghy for a gas can and there wasn’t one aboard! Luckily, the Mahi filets were already thawed so the crew had a great dinner aboard the boat. What a great reminder to check everything during your boat briefing before you leave the marina!
Day 3: Tacking Away
Everyone was ready to set sail bright and early so the crew raised the sails and off they went! They practiced tacking through Windward Passage and out toward Jost Van Dyke. By afternoon, the crew had tacked all the way up the Narrows and to Leinster Bay! After such a successful sail, the crew rewarded themselves with a snorkeling session. They saw tons of reef fish, a jellyfish and even a sea slug!
Day 4: Chicken Jibe
Wind is great for sailing but too much wind and crews have to get creative with their sailing techniques! With high winds abound, Captain Trevon taught the students how to reef the main sail and do something not every ASA student gets to try— a chicken jibe! This type of jibe is a large, wide tack to avoid the boom slamming across the boat during high winds. The students loved learning the new maneuver and were impressed with their own ability to maintain control in 25 knot winds and 5 foot waves!
Day 5: Dinghy Dave
The true excitement of the day came not from the day’s sail but from Dave’s dinghy adventure! Dave noticed the crew’s dinghy had come loose from its cleat and was drifting into the dark of the night before it could be raised onto its davits. Quick to take action, Dave jumped into the water after the dinghy before realizing he didn’t have the key to the outboard motor to bring it back. Alas, he did manage to get the dinghy back and secured to the yacht and earned himself the nickname, Dinghy Dave!
Day 6: Taking the Scenic Route
In the morning, the students plotted a “scenic route” course to practice their navigation skills. They took off west in Pilsbury sound with a full sail, put a reef in the main exiting the sound, and rounded Dog Island. The waves and winds became sporty and Dave took the helm as the crew jibed to the west end of Buck Island. There, the winds were a bit lighter and the crew stopped for lunch and a swim. By the end of the day they made it over to Christmas Cove for dinghy delivered pizza and a beautiful last night at sea.
Day 7: Sad-urday
“Always a subdued enthusiasm from the crew when dropping the ball for the last time during a great week of sailing,” Captain Trevon wrote in his Captain’s Log, aptly naming the day “Sadurday.” The crew practiced a few more sailing manuevers before returning the boat to the marina. Not wanted to say goodbye quite yet, the crew enjoyed a final brunch together ashore and promised to stay in touch!