Antares U - A First in North America
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Sailing
Lessons aboard Prince Jimmy in Whitby
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There is little doubt that taking delivery
of a new boat is exciting. But when your boat is a 44-foot
catamaran with complex systems, the event could be a
little overwhelming. That's why Antares introduced a program
to ease customers onto their new boats. This summer,
five couples took part in the 1st annual Antares U program
on board an Antares 44 in Whitby.
The onboard classes lead participants
through the entire boat and covered topics such as engine
maintenance and electrical systems. Another part of
the program introduced boaters to the finer details
of how to sail a catamaran.
Raising
the mainsail
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If you're picking up a boat for a week-long charter,
a brief, dockside orientation will do. The objective
of Antares U is to go beyond the basics and explore the
underlying principles of how and why the boat's systems
are designed as they are. Unlike a charter boat, the
electrical system on the Antares is designed for the
long-term cruiser. A solid grasp of the systems helps
boost both the confidence and enjoyment level of the
owner.
During the course of the 3-day program, a hands-on
workshop from Raymarine helped demystify the intricacies
of modern navigational systems - both at the dock and
while underway.
Over the course of two afternoons, owners were taught
proper spinnaker and screecher use and learned valuable
knowledge on how to cruise a catamaran under various
conditions.
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Sailing
with a screecher
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With winds up to 12 knots, the first sailing lesson was
ideal for flying a screecher. Even with the 13 people
aboard, the Antares consistently topped 9 knots. The gentler
winds the following day offered an excellent opportunity
to fly the spinnaker with cruising speed of 6 knots in
a 9-knot breeze.
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