Cruise with the Colgates

Back in 1973, Steve and Doris Colgate – founders of Offshore Sailing School – decided it was time to see the world under sail and take their graduates with them. The very first cruise they lead was in the British Virgin Islands in August that year. It was such a great success, they kept on going with four to six cruises a year in dream locations all over the world. This May marks the 70th Offshore Cruising Club adventure led by the Colgates. And it is very special for a lot of reasons.

Sailing through the glorious Windward Islands

Not only is this cruise commerating two landmark events, you'll be sailing in one of the most beautiful and fun areas of the Caribbean. The Windward Islands form the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Here the trade winds range from northeast to southeast depending on the season.

Longer passages between some of the islands and winds running from 10 to 25 knots, provide exciting sailing close-hauled or on a close reach in temperatures reaching 85°. The tall peaks of surrounding islands can be seen for miles. Snorkeling near anchorages is spectacular.

Read more about cruising in this Caribbean wonderland from the experts!

Come celebrate 86 years of fun!

Join Steve and Doris Colgate and the Offshore Cruising Club to commemorate two major events. In an era where companies and couples come and go, Offshore Sailing School and the Colgates happily continue on. 

• Offshore Sailing School's 46th year in business
• The Colgates' 40th wedding anniversary

We're celebrating all those years with this very special flotilla cruise in the Caribbean on five beautiful 51 footers from The Moorings. Pick one leg or both for a merry time in this spectacular cruising paradise.

• St. Lucia to Grenada — April 30-May 8, 2010
• Grenada to St. Lucia — May 8-16, 2010

 Who may participate?

Offshore Sailing Club flotilla cruises are for graduates of Offshore Sailing School with at least Day Sailing or Basic Keelboat certification. Whether you take a Learn to Sail course or go all the way up to Passage Making, you're welcome on our cruises.

If you have not yet taken a Offshore Sailing School course, you have plenty of time to get those credentials. Just take our three-day Learn to Sail course at one of our seven locations and you're in!

If you already know how to sail but are not an Offshore graduate, we have lots of great learning options at higher levels from Performance Sailing and Racing to a variety of Cruising courses.

Can  you bring a family member and will they have a good time? Yes and yes. But they'll have an even better time if they become an Offshore Sailing School graduate and enjoy the camaraderie of others who started the same way. 

How does a flotilla work?

The boats all have five private cabins: four double cabins and one completely separate forepeak single. (See below for how these are priced.) When everyone has signed up we assign individuals and couples to each boat based on several factors including which course you took. The most experienced aboard are designated as "skipper" and "navigator" – mainly to take charge in an emergency and communicate directly with the Colgates on the lead boat. During the cruise, the Colgates will spend some time on each boat sailing with you if you like.

Everyone shares in the fun and sailing – including rotating steering and crewing, preparing meals and cleaning up. In the evenings, if not going ashore, you'll experience the joy of relaxing under a canopy of stars, dining al fresco in the cockpit in a gentle breeze. 

Each day Steve Colgate and an accompanying faculty member will make the rounds, visiting each boat to discuss the day's itinerary and navigation. In a flotilla, all the boats meet at the appointed lunch and/or dinner rendezvous each evening. Many evenings we will be in an anchorage, a few at docks.

 Sign up now!

Call 888-454-7015 or click here to tell us which leg you want to go on

We already have several boats completely filled and cabins taken on others. If you are planning to take a course you can sign up for the cruise and a course at the same time to hold your berth. To reserve your berth a $300 deposit per person per leg is required. Another $300 deposit per person per leg is due on November 15 and final payment is due no later than February 15, 2010.  When you sign up a sample itinerary will be sent you, subject to change during the cruise of course.

Leg one – St. Lucia to Grenada

• Friday, April 30 – Fly into St. Lucia, sleep aboard your boat in the harbor
• Saturday, May 1 – Breakfast ashore, chart briefing, depart and cruise the islands
• Saturday, May 8 – Arrive Port Lewis, St. Georges, Grenada; celebration dinner ashore
• Sunday, May 9 – Fly out of Grenada for home

Leg two – Grenada to St. Lucia

• Saturday, May 8 – Fly into Grenada, overnight at the Grenada Grand Resort
• Sunday, May 9 – Breakfast meeting at resort, chart briefing, board boats, depart and cruise the islands
• Sunday, May 16 – Arrive St. Lucia, grand finale dinner at Marigot Hotel Discovery Village, sleep aboard boats
• Monday, May 17 – Fly out of St. Lucia

Packages per person are $2326 and include

• Your private cabin on one of the Moorings 51.5s
• Private room ashore at beginning or end of cruise
• Breakfast ashore first morning
• Grand finale dinner ashore last night
• All breakfast, lunches, snacks and three dinners during the cruise
• Celebration shirt and cap
• Windward Islands cruising guide book (one per cabin)

Special discount categories

• Two sailors traveling together and sharing a cabin and hotel room – $2076 each ($2026 each if 2010 paid-up Offshore Sailing Club members)
• Sailing both legs (singles or two traveling together) – $4152 per person ($4052 if a paid-up 2010 Offshore Sailing Club member)
• Take the forepeak single cabin (one each boat with separate access down a ladder) – $1500 per person
• Former Offshore Sailing School faculty members in one of main cabins with spouse or SO – $1500 per person 

Not included

• Four dinners during the cruise each leg (fun time to go ashore)
• Additional provisions, water, ice or fuel bought during the cruise (we recommend setting up a kitty on each boat)
• $150 per person refundable security deposit for each leg
• Immigration clearance and mooring and/or docking costs (responsibility of each boat, suggest $150 per person alloted for these costs)
• Transfers to and from airport to hotel or boats

More details

• Bring cash or credit cards for meals out during cruise and think "island pricing" (possibly high)
• Valid passport required
• Number of boats and types of boats in the flotilla are subject to change
• Maximum sailors assigned each boat depends on singles versus couples signed up (five singles in five cabins or up to four couples and a single in five cabins)
• Sailing resumes are required in order for us to assign you to a boat (we will send this when you sign up)
• Cruise is exclusive to Offshore Sailing School graduates as noted above (and a spouse or family member); sailing lessons and short courses do not qualify, three-day or more certification courses and racing courses do
• Minimum age is 18

Travel tips

For air reservations: Contact Mariner Travel at The Moorings: toll-free 888-703-3173. Select the "Vacation Planning" prompt and speak to Susan or Barbara. Participants should have trip insurance as this cruise is not refundable after November 15, 2009. Information about Travelex Trip Insurance is available. A brochure will be included with your confirmation letter.

To get to St. Lucia: Fly into Hewanova International Airport, which has many flights ($60 taxi ride to The Moorings base in Margot Bay); or fly into Vigie Field Airport (fewer flights but closer to the base). To get to Grenada: There is one international airport, $14 transfer to the hotel. Transfer costs are subject to change.

Regarding the security deposit

As always, all participants share any losses regardless of which boat has damage or loss. Like no-fault insurance, no one person is held responsible for dropping a winch handle overboard, for instance (which we will be charged for along with silverware or anything else). Since we started doing these cruises in 1973 the largest security deposit loss per person was around $50, with the rest returned (within two months following the cruise end). However, if a dinghy is lost or the engine or something big happens that is not due to normal wear and tear the loss to all could be substantial as they are not covered by security deposits. Practice your knots.