By: James Evenson
In my previous life as a U.S. Navy submariner, we didn’t “go for a boat ride.” We operated a platform. You didn’t just show up and hang out; you qualified. You learned the systems, the redundancy, and the “Ship, Shipmate, Self” hierarchy until they became muscle memory. When you’re hundreds of feet below the surface, “winging it” isn’t an option.
Transitioning to the civilian sailing world was a culture shock. I see people spending $18,000 to charter a catamaran in a protected bay just to sit at anchor and sip painkillers. There’s nothing wrong with a vacation, but if your goal is to eventually cross an ocean on your own hull, that “margarita charter” is giving you a false sense of security.
The gap between coastal cruising and offshore passagemaking is massive. When the land sinks below the horizon, the psychology changes. You are no longer in a world of TowBoatUS and cell service; you are in a closed system where your resourcefulness is the only thing keeping the water on the outside. Most sailors try to bridge this gap by buying a boat and “figuring it out,” but I can tell you from 85,000 miles of experience that the most expensive way to learn is through your own insurance claims.
There is a better way. You can “charter” a berth on a professional expedition vessel and rent the brain of a world-class skipper to qualify for your own future command. The offshore community is small, and eventually, you cross paths with the sailors who aren’t just moving boats, but mastering the craft. These are the people I’ve shared docks and weather windows with, and these are the ones I’d trust to turn a dreamer into a mariner.
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