Greetings Captains Margie and Harold,

We had a fantastic week sailing with you on Island Dreamer in the Florida Key. The lessons, your excellent instructions and sailing knowledge are exceptional. After returning to sail our boat it was surprising how much our sailing skills had improved. The week of instruction, food, company, laughter and stops along the way truly exceeded our expectations.

Have a great Thanksgiving and Happy Sailing,

Monica and Keith

1. Listen when she speaks- when Margie hears a sound thats different, wants to reef the sails or just doesn’t like the way something is going, I find after my instinctual  response (what do you know), that she is/was right.

2. Don’t lay the boat over on its side (heeling more than about 10 degrees).  The boat will make less leeway and go faster this way as a bonus.

3. Take your time, explain whats happening, enjoy the serenity of sailing. If you are in a hurry get a boat with 3-300hp outboards.

4. Know what the weather is, the boat can probably handle much more weather than you want to be out in. Know and teach her how to make the boat safe when the wind and weather picks up.

5.  Show her where the safety equipment is, the basics of how to use it, and what to do when you fall overboard. If you have been nice maybe she will come back to pick you up!

6. Teach her about navigation, charts, and markers. When you know where you are going you feel much more in control of your environment.

7. Give her the helm, when she gets comfortable go make lunch for her.

8. Sailing is all about where is the wind coming from. Make sure she knows this first. Then you can teach how to set the sails.

9. When you do something stupid don’t lash out at her. Yelling is a sign that YOU do not know what you are doing.

10. I just asked Margie for some input, she suggested that if the above does not work you might try just lying about how great it will be. I guess that means I must have made some of the mistakes above in the past!