Newby in Canada

Hi all.

Just got my "new" 31C in September of 2013. So far I love the boat. It had a few issues which I have been happily rectifying. I love fixing and upgrading and knew some of these things would need to be done, so I'm not unhappy.

I have been boating since I was about 4. I've done most of the Power Squadron courses, radio operators course and certificate, and I did a week long cruise and learn. I then got certified and have taught the Canadian Yachting Association Basic and Advanced Coastal cruising for a few years in my past. I worked a winter in Maui on whale watching cats, and then taught CYA Cruise and Learn courses in Vancouver and on Great Slave Lake.

I have about 10,000 miles offshore doing deliveries of sail and power and am working on my captains license (USCG 6 pack probably with the Great Lakes endorsement), just for the fun of it. I've cruised Hawaii, Tonga, Great Slave Lake in the Canadian arctic, the BVIs, done a delivery over to Bermuda and then to the BVIs, done a Caracas, Venezuela to Acapulco (via the Panama Canal) delivery of a 61' Hatteras, delivered a 31 footer from the Turks and Caicos Islands to the Dominican Republic (during hurricane Mitch), and a few west coast of Mexico delivery trips as well. (Yo hablo espaniol).

I was a rabid sailor until I moved to the Ottawa, Canada area in 1999 and was doing a bit of casual boating on the Rideau system. I then opted, quite happily for the motoring cruising life.

I love being on a boat, on the water or anything similar. My wife is a former chef, learning the seafaring life. We've been married 27 years and have 2 kids: 21 year old film school grad working as a producer and an 19 year old in university.

I run an IT management consulting company and a film production company and have a cat.

We are looking at cruising the 31 on the Rideau canal system, Lake Ontario and the 1000 Islands for 3-4 years, then jumping up to something in the 43-48 foot range for some longer term cruising down the ICW, Bahamas and back to the Turks and Caicos.

Hope to see and meet you on the water and at a watering hole.

Dale

Wow that's some resume! Welcome to the group.

Great...another tentative newby we have to hand-hold until they gain confidence

Welcome aboard, from Canada's sunset edge

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

Yup, another rookie boater joining TF.

Welcome aboard. With your experience you're immediately moved to the "Question Answerer" status rather than "Question Asker" like me.

I like to see a plan like yours. I think you will find yourself enjoying as you learn more and build up to your next desired boat. One thing I'd toss out is that there's very little more to going for a Masters Captain License (100 Ton or lesser based on qualifications) vs. the 6 Pack and you never know when that difference might just be of some value to you. It would seem you probably have the sea time necessary for it.

BandB said:

One thing I'd toss out is that there's very little more to going for a Masters Captain License (100 Ton or lesser based on qualifications) vs. the 6 Pack and you never know when that difference might just be of some value to you. It would seem you probably have the sea time necessary for it.

Click to expand...

Since the OP is in Canada I'll assume he is Canadian and therefore not eligible for any US license other than a 6-pack unless he has dual citizenship. To the OP ..... Why not a Canadian Masters ticket ?

boatpoker said:

Since the OP is in Canada I'll assume he is Canadian and therefore not eligible for any US license other than a 6-pack unless he has dual citizenship. To the OP ..... Why not a Canadian Masters ticket ?

Click to expand...

Good point. I did the opposite and assumed he was a US citizen by choosing a US ticket. Guess either way he's got a question from us combined.

windled said:

Hi all.

We are looking at cruising the 31 on the Rideau canal system, Lake Ontario and the 1000 Islands for 3-4 years, then jumping up to something in the 43-48 foot range for some longer term cruising down the ICW, Bahamas and back to the Turks and Caicos.

Hope to see and meet you on the water and at a watering hole.

Dale

Click to expand...

Dale...

Welcome to TF. With your experience & credentials I'm sure you will be a valued resource at TF.
We love the Rideau system, travel there about every 2-3 yrs and recommend it often.
I'd also recommend you consider adding the Trent-Severn system to your list of things to do... We have done it and loved the trip.
It would make a great trip with your current vessel or as a starter voyage for your next boat.
The T-S is only the start as it gets you to the North Channel & beyond on the Great Lakes

If you ever get down to the NY Canal system - look us up - we're located on Seneca Lake in the NY Finger Lakes area.

Hi.


I am a Canadian citizen.


Regarding the US vs. CDN license: the Canadian one is a lot harder to get. Not so much on the skill side, but on the bureaucracy and number of hurdles side. It requires a few prerequisite courses and these and the training are only offered at a small number of community colleges in places that are too far from where I live. For the USCG OUPV "6 pack", we have a condo in St. Petersburg and I can do the course and exam there over two weekends. The US license doesn't require the deck safety etc. prerequisite courses that the Canadian one does and is therefore a bit easier.


So it really a convenience thing. I'd actually prefer (and may still go for) the Royal Yachting Association, Yacht Master license, which I can get at a school in Ft. Lauderdale. I haven't decided just yet. I'll look at the Master license as well, vs. The OUPV.


Thanks for the feedback folks!


Dale.

windled said:

Hi.


I am a Canadian citizen.


Regarding the US vs. CDN license: the Canadian one is a lot harder to get. Not so much on the skill side, but on the bureaucracy and number of hurdles side. It requires a few prerequisite courses and these and the training are only offered at a small number of community colleges in places that are too far from where I live. For the USCG OUPV "6 pack", we have a condo in St. Petersburg and I can do the course and exam there over two weekends. The US license doesn't require the deck safety etc. prerequisite courses that the Canadian one does and is therefore a bit easier.


So it really a convenience thing. I'd actually prefer (and may still go for) the Royal Yachting Association, Yacht Master license, which I can get at a school in Ft. Lauderdale. I haven't decided just yet. I'll look at the Master license as well, vs. The OUPV.


Thanks for the feedback folks!


Dale.

Click to expand...

Another limitation to a 6 Pack. As a non US citizen, you may be restricted to a 5 ton limit as well. All other US licenses require citizenship, so the 6 pack can't be a step for you in any direction. It's a bit of a dead end endeavor.

I'd definitely go the RYA route vs. 6 Pack in your situation. Most of the schools that offer USCG also offer MCA/RYA Yachtmaster courses. Takes a little more time but really about the same as a US Masters.

USCG Masters and MCA/RYA are recognized worldwide. A 6 Pack is only a US National License so not recognized anywhere else. I know you're just doing this for yourself, but you might as well get the most value for your effort as well.

We got licensed only because we wanted to build the knowledge and be professional in something we spend so much time doing. We respect those lifetime Captains and don't profess to be close to them in experience. But the licenses plus the hands on training by a very tough captain have made us confident. Even when we're not at the helm, we have an appreciation of what is going on, the boat's capability, and what we'd do in an emergency. We've learned things we hope never to use but having that knowledge helps us be a little more comfortable. Perhaps me more than my wife as I'm the one who might obsess over what I didn't know or didn't feel capable of handling. Instead of panic over "what if this happens" I now have a sense of what I'd do "if this happens." We will continue to take courses as there will always be something more to learn.

I know going through licensing isn't important to most and isn't necessary. It's just a thing some of us have some internal need to do. Maybe a mental illness...lol. But I spend over 2/3 of my time on a boat and I can't help being driven to learn more.

BandB:


Thanks for your thoughts. It's all good info.


Dale.