| Review: |
Ocean Sailing Academy - Charleston BKB 1 & 2
I can't say enough good things about the quality of OSA. I think their instructors (I had two between basic keelboat 1 and 2) are top-notch. I also have a small boat certification with ASA and regularly sail an 18 ft dinghy, so I have some basis for comparison. We had absolutely perfect weather for the experience I was looking for- windy (15-25 mph winds) and a bit of cool rain- both of which tested the Colgate 26's ability to respond to all manner of sail controls, and produced very noticeable effects in the way the boat handled. I don't think in lighter air that would have been as obvious. Those boats have to be some of the most nimble, yet very safe- almost impossible to tip over and capsize (unlike my current boat). If time allows, they are able to adjust the course material for students who may need a little more advanced instruction beyond the basics. In our small (3 students) class we had sufficient on-water time to easily exhaust all of the required material and actually got to the point where "we'd had enough sailing" for a while. Short of embarking on an overnight passage beyond Charleston Harbor and delving into navigation and charting, I can't imagine getting much more than what was presented to us. It was a great experience and I look forward to taking some of their more advanced courses. |
