Spare Parts 11/00

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Heavy Weather Avoidance Course
A five-day US Coast Guard-approved Heavy Weather Avoidance (HWA) course will be held at the Sea Education Association (SEA) facility in Woods Hole, Massachusetts on December 4-8, 2000. This course is specifically designed for vessel masters as well as shoreside managers who are required to make vessel routing and movement decisions. HWA stresses proper understanding and integration of vessel operational limits and capabilities with weather analysis and forecasting. Emphasis is placed on integrating elements of human performance, wind and wave analysis and forecasting and vessel stability into methods for making timely, accurate and appropriate weather and routing decisions.

Successful completion of a final exam awards participants with 10 days of sea-service credit and exceeds STCW95 requirements for showing proficiency in weather and oceanographic conditions.

For registration and course cost contact Capt. Peg Brandon at Sea Education Association (SEA) via e-mail ([email protected]) or by phone: 800/552-3633 ext 1924. For detailed information on course curriculum contact Michael Carr, Instructor-Marine Weather & Safety Maritime Institute of Technology & Graduate Studies at [email protected].


Westsail Owners Association
Westsail owners, previous owners, Westsail seekers, and those who just want to know more about this breed of live-aboard, cruising sailboat, are welcome to stop by our web site or join the organization. The new mailing address and web site are:

Westsail Owners Association
PO Box 3471
Merrifield, VA 22116-3471
www.westsail.org
[email protected]

Rick Kennerly
Annapolis, Maryland

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.