Teaching on my boat

[kayakerChuck]

I occasionally teach for my local ASA school here in Michigan. They are pretty well booked on their Catalina 30.

I'm considering offering to teach on my O'Day 30, and the school is quite interested. We have not discussed details other than the school will pay for my insurance. I'd like to collect my thoughts before having a more in depth discussion with them. Help me think this through?

Here's what I'm currently thinking:

If my boat is being used, I must be aboard.
Only teaching ASA 103+, not ASA 101.
School pays for

• my insurance.
• any commercial fees for well usage.
• any damage inflicted to my boat. (I do all my own work, and maintain the Catalina 30 for the school.)
• A daily lease/rental fee. (What seems fair? $200/day?)

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I'm sure there are many other things I need to think about and include in our talks, I'm just not sure what. Help!

Thanks!

[MicHughV]

You need a large dose of "people patience" as some will get it quickly and other's won't.

I have tried to teach my wife to sail, with little luck, she has learned from others, not me.

It's not that I'm Captain Blighe or anything, just not cut out for a teaching role.

[CSY Man]

Teaching on your boat will probably be considered UPV.

Here is a laundry list of requirements

https://homeport.uscg.mil/Lists/Cont...11_rev2016.pdf

[kayakerChuck]

I hear ya on the patience thing. I've been an outdoor instructor of one thing or another for most of my life. 90% of the students are great. 10%, not so much. lol

Thanks for the laundry list. Definitely UPV. Gotta love that there is a list of requirements for UNinspected vessels- lol. Michigan also has a list of requirements.

[MicHughV]

I once thought that teaching would be a gig for me, but turns out, that was not the case.

You either are....or you are not. I belong to the "not" camp. While, I'm well "qualified" knowledge wise in many nautical areas, having built my own boat with nearly 40 years at sea, imparting this knowledge to others is simply not my thing.

My wife on the other hand has the communication skills to start a conversation with a lampost, which is what is required to "teach"

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

My wife on the other hand has the communication skills to start a conversation with a lampost, which is what is required to "teach"

You made me smile with that one. Definitely can relate to that. There are other balancing attributes also... I think that between my wife and I we make a whole person.

[Lrak]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I have tried to teach my wife to sail, with little luck, she has learned from others, not me.

It's not that I'm Captain Blighe or anything, just not cut out for a teaching role.

I wouldn't make any assumptions there. I can't teach my wife while others can. I used to get frustrated because she wouldn't listen to/believe me while she would others less educated on the subjects. My wife is a teacher and can't teach our kids, while her peers and I can. She gets frustrated because they won't listen to/believe in her abilities. The relationship baggage has a big impact on the ability to teach.

[kayakerChuck]

That's the scary one...

I've been trying to get my SO to take sailing classes with anybody but me. I might have succeeded, but I'll have to attend the classes with her. That's WAAAAY better than me being the teacher, and I'll probably learn some things, too.

[stormalong]

You did not say you have a USCG OUPV or higher license. That is the first requirement.

[dcondit]

I think you're asking if $200/day is reasonable. It might be about right but depends on school. What do they charge per student for the 103+ classes? How many days and what's the instructor fee? How much is their overhead? You should be able to run the numbers and figure out the cost the school has for everything short of the boat. The school still needs to make some money unless this is just a gap-filler to maintain reputation.


Once you have an approximate number, remember to employ your negotiation skills. Good negotiators never throw out the first number.



Another consideration that comes to mind is how you might respond on your boat versus a school's boat. If you are very sensitive about your boat then consider I you might feel when you have a student treat her a little rough. Will you get emotional? If so, be careful as it could change the tone of the class.