OK, let’s be honest. Some of you aren’t shelling out thousands for a sailboat or powerboat. According to experts, there’s more than one way to get on board.
Fractional sailing
It’s a timeshare for boats. Companies such as SailTime and Pinnacle Yachts sell access to boats during the five-month sailing period in Chicago. “It’s a new concept,” said SailTime’s Maureen Remsing, whose company guarantees each owner seven outings a month. Visit sailtime.com
Volunteer
“I get picked up as crew,” said manager Freya Olsen, 27, program manager for a National Marine Manufacturers Association’s marketing initiative called Grow Boating. Olsen doesn’t own a boat but knows several owners who participate in “beer-can races,” informal regattas held at Chicago yacht clubs on Wednesday nights. Some need extra hands or even “rail meat,” a term for people who just sit there and add extra weight to keep boats from capsizing on windy days, Olsen said. “A lot of these boats [that need crew] are forgiving to beginning sailors. It’s really not that hard to learn, especially with an experienced group,” she said.
Schmooze your way on board
Express your newfound passion to other boaters, who are a pretty welcoming community, Olsen said. “Going down to the docks and taking an interest makes it a very social thing,” she said.
Take classes
Some rental businesses require clients to be certified. Classes give the uninitiated a chance to decide if boating’s for them. Classes are offered at:
– Chicago Sailing, Belmont Harbor; 773-871-7245 or chicagosailing.com – Columbia Yacht Club, 111 N. Lake Shore Drive; 312-938-3625 or columbiayachtclub.com
– Northwestern University Sailing Center, 2379 North Campus Drive, Evanston; 847-491-4142 or (northwestern.edu/fitness-recreation)
Boat names
Boat names tell more about the owner than the boat. Here’s some of the most requested names since 2000, according to Boat U.S., a group that calls itself the “Triple A of boating.”
– Aquaholic
– Serenity Now
– Seas the Day
– License to Chill
– Black Pearl
– Mental Floss
– Bite Me
– Happy Ours
– Luna Sea
– Sea Ya
