Boat U.S. - January 2008 - (Page 44) No Pressure Piloting like a “super-size” sales pitch, but it also meant we had flexibility — April would be able to give it a try before deciding what to do next. Since she had completed a classroom program, I asked Cohen and Mangiaracina to focus on actual boat handling and the spectator sport of docking. I wanted my wife in the captain’s chair, getting a feel for our 28-foot powerboat and what it’s like to have 300 hp Captain Russ Cohen, at left, explains the navigation gear to ‘First Mate’ April Croft. under your control as opposed to our sailboat’s 8 hp. After a pre-departure briefing and review of the safety checklist, we untied hen it comes to driving the were raring to go. Only this time, I would the dock lines and set out. For the rest of boat, my wife and I are like shut up and watch. the day, April was glued to the helm seat. many BoatU.S. members: I’m Capt. Russ Cohen and Capt. Len Over several hours, Cohen and Mangiaracina the Captain and she’s First Mate. Mangiaracina arrived on time. Between the It’s that way because I bought the boat two of them they have more than 35 years of patiently took her through the rules of the — with her permission, of course — but it experience and from the get-go kept the tone road, MOB drills, passing procedures, handling wakes, using trim tabs and more. saddens me that there aren’t more women in upbeat and relaxed. Meanwhile, I was unchained from the the helm seat. “If you’re stressed out, you’re not going helm seat for the very first time. A walk However, I’m probably one of the many to have fun,” said Cohen, who got the idea down below around the cabin, back to the reasons why. for the company from his wife. “She wasn’t Years ago when we had a sailboat, I was a boater but saw all of the mishaps going on cockpit and up the flybridge ladder felt liberating. quick to bark commands and failed her mis- out there. I was spending a lot of our time However, it was the docking practice erably in imparting any type of seamanship helping others and she figured there had to skills. be a better way. Classroom and on-the-water near the end of our lesson that gave me confidence that my wife could captain “our” She also tried instruction with a biginstruction are both important, but most boat. Three consecutive times April deftly name sailing school, but it quickly soured courses don’t give you experience on your slid our vessel into our club’s T-dock using when her instructor — a junior Olympian own boat. We bridge the gap.” what Cohen calls “the power of neutral.” with the demeanor of a North Korean border I soon found out that the six-year-old Smiling, she nonchalantly shrugged guard — barked more commands. company was not a simple rent-a-captain Then an e-mail come to my inbox: “Four service. It offers a highly structured curricu- off the accomplishment and gave credit to hours of on-the-water training, for up to four peo- lum for power and sailboaters and a series of Cohen, who had calmly provided the instrucple, for $400.” It was from a company called training sessions, from the four-hour course tion from the passenger seat. But there was Boat Boy Marine Training of Moorestown, NJ. dubbed “Voyager,” (our course) to a 10-hour no denying the First Mate’s route to the captain’s chair suddenly got much shorter. What piqued my interest was that the “Mariner” class over three days. “My husband has always been a training was done aboard your own boat, not Each course comes with a detailed, Captain Bligh,” she said to Cohen at the end with a school rental fleet. Learning to safely illustrated handbook outlining individual maneuver your own vessel — with its dis“modules” that cover the boating experience of the day. “This was a very relaxing and tinct handling characteristics — was, to my from soup to nuts. “We created our curricu- calm learning experience — I wish we had mind, the only way to go. lum for the average boater who may not want done it a little sooner.” — By Scott Croft Could this be the way to make a or may already have had some classroom Captain out of April, my First Mate? instruction,” said Cohen. For more information, contact Boat Boy A lesson with Boat Boy was scheduled. He explained that anyone can complete When the day arrived last fall, the unseason- the four-hour Voyager session and stop there, Marine Training at 800-493-9514 or visit ably warm weather put us in good spirits. We or upgrade to a longer course. That sounded boatboymarinetraining.com. W 44 BoatU.S. Magazine January 2008 http://www.boatboymarinetraining.com
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