Captn Z and the ASA





This is where it began. Oakland Park n Rec boat club house. Located at Lake Merit in Oakland Ca. I just happen to come across this on the web whilst looking for a place on the ASA site. How lucky. I saved over ＄100.00 by taking the class here and alot closer to home.


This is the classroom. A lot of room for only 3 people. The class was small. Good for learning also boat size is limited of course. My self and two girls, who worked with girlscouts. Plus the teacher, Sara, who really knew herstuff.












This is where the hands on stuff started.













This is the fleet













This was suppose to be the training Boat a Catalina 22 . However once we got all loaded up and launch, the motor died and would not re-start. Turns out it had two gas switchs, because it could take an external or internal fuel source.












Lunch break at Jack London Sq. We ended up on a Columbia 27. Nice boat, lots of head room., heavy boat. Not good for single handed. One had to go forward to raise the sails. Before this docking we covered, rigging sails & points of sail, sail trim & tell tails, knots, etc since we ended up rigging two boats so we were behind, but not that much. Everyone in the class had some sailing background already so we went pretty fast through stuff

After this we went through. Man over board drills. The whole time dodging the pleasure boats out for the day. Winds were very light.



The next day, Sunday. I was the only one ready to take the written test. So this is where I had it. The others reviewed yesterday stuff and went through rigging again. Also docking and launching. Since I have my own boat Sara figured I could catch up. So I took the paper test.









Next are the docking and launch drills using the outboard. Piece-o-cake, having done it on my own many times. But good for those who did not.











Lunch break again at Jack London Sq. It is farmers market day there, so the crew takes a break and does some shopping and has lunch. This time we are back on the first boat the Catalina. Nice boat handle well, very responsive. Does well in light winds, however today we have more than enough winds. So we are using a very small jib. In this picture there are no boats close to ours. However I docked there and there were two others at the time. It was like parallel parking between cars on the street. Only I did not have to back up, just slipped in between the boats. One of which was $$$$$$ . It was a nice education on how to pull that off.

Afterward, we went back out for more man over board drills, plus making circles and holding on each point of sail. The man over board drills were a a challege, boats coming from all directions, high winds. It was good practice. I learned about using the sails to steer and not depending on the tiller to do all the work. Whilst all this was going on, were questions and answers on who has the right of way as the varied boats came around us.



End of the day and class. I was the onlyone who finsihed the girls wanted to do thier paper test another day. As for me, I wanted it all done when I walked away. So I passed it all and got my ASA approval. SWEET! Next up, Coastal crusing, I'm still thinking on it, the last class of the season is in Aug. I'm still con$idering it, but I will most likely go for it! Then teacher training in the spring...

...to be con't