Moms on the Water

On May 11, 2008 people everywhere will wax lyrical about how much they appreciate their moms. Why the well-deserved outpouring? Because that second Sunday in May is Mother's Day; a day for praise, cards, and breakfast in bed. And—in the eyes of MarineMax—it's also a great time for moms to hit the water.

Participants in MarineMax's Mother's Day Celebration (held on May 4, 2008) can attend one of the company's Women on Water boating classes. These sessions will be held at 60 MarineMax dealership locations nationwide and will introduce women to boating-basics such as maneuvering, line handling, and docking. I attended a WOW class back in July and was very happy to go toolin' around in a Sea Ray 44 while learning how to back in and use a marine radio.

If you are a mom, have a mom, or know a mom who has any inclination to learn more about boat handling, the Mother's Day event promises to be a good introduction to boating and a great way to spend a spring Sunday. Classes are open to the public but registration is required. For more information, check out MarineMax's web site.

Women's Boating, Part Deux

In July, I was lucky to attend an afternoon-long, Women on Water class hosted by MarineMax. Well, my good fortune has continued: last Monday I traveled to Sarasota, Florida to spend a week attending powerboat handling classes through SeaSense, the women's sailing and powerboating school.

Mine was a five day long beginner/intermediate powerboat handling course that was held on a 42-food Grand Banks called Paper Moon(see photo above). In addition to our fantastic instructor, Captain Patty, I had two other classmates. One was studying for her captain's license and the other was eagerly readying herself to spend several months cruising in the Bahamas with her fiance. The fact that we were a small group meant there was a significant amount of individualized attention, which was certainly a good thing: We were fed a lot of information in just a few short days.

Lessons covered everything from basic line handling to understanding tide charts. Captain Patty talked us through engine troubleshooting, led us through man overboard drills, taught us proper radio etiquette, and we practiced (and practiced) chart plotting. Of course we also dedicated much of our time to docking, both at fuel docks and backing into slips.

Though less-than-ideal conditions kept us off the water at times, we each got significant hands-on experience. What I found most surprising was that for someone with relatively little experience, I really wasn't nervous about the prospect of trying my hand at docking a 40-foot boat. It wasn't arrogance. It was a testament to the fact that my fellow SeaSensers, led by Captain Patty, were kind, enthusiastic, and above all, very supportive. I don't know if that's the nature of all boating classes or my course in particular. But I do know that the class left me feeling very fortunate indeed.

Women on Water

Earlier this week, I braved the NYC traffic and headed to Liberty Landing Marina to participate in a beginner boating class for women. Women on Water is a program created by MarineMax. The aim of these free, four-hour-long seminars is to teach women (who all too often leave the boat handling to men) how to run a boat.

My class was small, due in large part to the rather nasty weather. It was an oppressively hot morning and the afternoon forecast was for rain. The good news was that the limited numbers meant more personal attention for us all. We started indoors with a classroom discussion. Our very able instructor, Capt. Merrill Miller (see photo, with a member of my class), a US Coast Guard licensed 100 ton Master, covered some basics. And because we were a particularly inexperienced crew, I mean basics. We took turns tying lines with everyone chanting, "round and round and reverse loop."

After that, we got on our boat, a Sea Ray 44 Sundancer. Each woman took turns maneuvering her around the marina and then out towards the Statue of Liberty. Capt. Miller was great—informative and lively—and I could see the benefits of being in an all-female class. There was no pressure or judgment. We were all in it together.

At the end of the day Capt. Miller’s message was clear—there’s nothing inherently difficult about running a boat. All it takes is a little practice, patience, and perhaps a trip to one of MarineMax’s Women on Water classes.