The Work
St. Thomas Sleigh Ride
A December delivery from the USVI’s to Tampa, FL, aboard a Lagoon 42. Captain Steve Ochenkoski leads a crew of 3, including the yacht’s owner, and shares professional voyage prep, route planning, and navigation tips during the 6.83 day passage. Averaging189nm per day, we often see speeds of 11 knots by continually adjusting our downwind course to maintain advantageous wind angles with nothing more than mainsail & jib. Dedicating time for daily instruction ensures all crewmembers are comfortable operating, editing, and interpreting the data & graphical information displayed by the integrated chartplotter.
Boothbay to Haverstraw Bay
A Beneteau 55 is relocated from Maine to NY - 349nm in 60.5 hrs. Crewmembers interested in improving their passage skills include a lawyer, a musician, and an Ivy-league professor (is this the beginning of a joke?). We motored through the Gulf of Maine on an unusually placid fall day, sailed west through Buzzard’s Bay, endured 40kt. squalls on Long Island Sound, motored around Manhattan, and sailed north up the Hudson River, on one tack, for 30+ miles. ProSailServ provided coaching and instruction along the way, with a focus on nav rules/vessel lights, and tide/current planning.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Based in Boston Harbor for the summer of '21 as a private sailing instructor, Steve combined online zoom classes with on-the-water lessons, covering ASA Basic Keelboat, Coastal Cruising, and Bareboat Cruising curriculums. Coursework highlights included extensive docking practice, night pilotage, spinnaker use, boat systems, anchoring, and navigating on paper charts – which provides a baseline knowledge for using chartplotters effectively. Good communication, practical skills, and continued education ensure sailing with friends & family is fun and safe.
Operation 'Another Gale'
An owner wishes to have their 45' sloop relocated from Long Island Sound to southeast Florida, to enjoy cruising the Keys. Departing late October 2020, with a passage plan revised daily due to a string of storms and gales, Captain Steve Ochenkoski and a crew of 3 put their sailing experience and weather routing skills to the test delivering the vessel during the busiest hurricane season on record. Careful Planning allows us to round Cape Hatteras in pleasant conditions, witness a NASA launch as we pass offshore of Cape Canaveral, and provide custom tutelage to a family member that accompanied us as crew.
Bermuda Bound
Following stringent Covid-19 safety protocols, ProSailServ assists aboard a Swan 60 sloop on a September shakedown passage from Newport to Bermuda. Recently launched after an extended yard period, the vessel is made ready for the voyage in record time. ProSailServ brought commissioning and voyage prep experience to the table, performed rigging inspections and systems maintenance, and expertly advised on routing and navigation. The wind was favorable, the days were warm, and the moonlit overnights guided us safely into St. Georges.
Smooth is Fast
ProSailServ provides coaching aboard a Swan 65 ketch sailing from the Caribbean to Annapolis. Crewmembers practice pro sail handling skills and gain confidence at the helm, day and night. Smooth reefing and offshore sail handling techniques are reinforced regularly, allowing us to enjoy sailing through 35-50 kt. squalls over the length of the 10 day, 1600 mile, July 2020 passage. Below decks, the full crew participate in all aspects of systems management, navigation, and galley duties. New friends build their confidence & find laughter and camaraderie through this collaboration with North America's top Crew networking service, Offshore Passage Opportunities: since 1993.
Swaged and Sprayed
A 52' New England-based sloop allocates 8 weeks to relocate, upgrade, and be prepared for a Bahamas Christmas cruise. Detailed advance planning is required to meet the deadline. ProSailServ handled all aspects of the project and captained the delivery. Standing rigging & mechanical systems upgrades, along with new hull and deck paint, are completed on time and in budget. ProSailServ respects schedules and has the experience needed to source and manage solutions that allow yacht owners to maximize their sailing time.
Hitchin' a Ride
A family pursues sailing as the perfect socially-distant outdoor adventure, but realizes they need professional guidance to make the right choices. ProSailServ asks all the right questions in determining their needs, abilities, and goals. Working with them every step of the way, a used boat is selected, inspected, and purchased. Easily maintained, simply rigged, and budget friendly, the boat allows them to safely build their skills, maximize their time on the water, and eliminate dockage and storage fees. It's easy to forget that beautiful views and fresh breezes may be enjoyed from any cockpit, regardless of boat size.