Sailing School Combines Instruction and Fun

    When Charley and Sandra Weaver moved to Amelia Island, they brought an impressive sailing
resume with them.
    Charley, a retired Navy Commander, has sailed all over the world and provided sailing,
navigation and Captain's training to students of all abilities. Together with his wife, Sandra, they have
sailed up the East Coast and the Bahamas.
    In June of 1997, the Weavers opened Windward Sailing School, an ASA certified facility that
offers standardized instruction from a professionally-trained staff. The Weavers are both graduates
of ASA sailing schools and understand that the best way to enjoy sailing is "knowing how to sail
well, and having confidence in yourself, your boat, equipment and crew."
    Windward Sailing School offers four main types of services: 1) Sailing school, which features
sailing instruction from novice to expert levels; 2) Crewed charters; 3) Sailboat Rentals (available to
qualified sailors); and 4) Corporate Team Building.

All of the instructors at Windward Sailing School are U.S.C.G licensed Captains.
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The format of the sailing school varies with the level of ability. There are four levels of classes - Basic Keelboat Sailing, Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering and Advanced Coastal Cruising. The Basic and Cruising classes include about 20 hours of instruction - one four-hour classroom session on Friday evening and two full days of sailing on Saturday and Sunday.
The Bareboat class, as you might expect, is more rugged. The boat leaves the dock Friday
evening loaded with provisions and doesn't return until Sunday evening, as you spend a 48-hour stretch on the water.

The Advanced class takes this format one step further - all the instruction is done at night!
A unique aspect of Windward Sailing School and one that is very important to the Weavers, is that
the size of the sailboat increases with corresponding levels of ability. The basic class is conducted
on a 24-foot boat. This makes the learning process somewhat easier for a beginner than trying to
maneuver on a much larger boat.
The past few years seem to indicate that this teaching idea is well-received. Last year alone,
Windward Sailing School certified about 200 students from all over the country.

Students at Windward Sailing School can learn to sail
within sight of the Fernandina Harbor Marina.
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Charley and Sandra attribute much of their success to the fact that Fernandina Beach is a very
suitable environment for sailing. The natural deep-water port enables them to conduct basic classes
within view of Fernandina Harbor Marina. Sailing is feasible year-round here, due to the consistent
wind and mild climate. The proximity to the open ocean is also a plus. There are many destinations
available for short sailing trips such as Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island to the north, or St.
Augustine to the south.

Even with all these advantages for good sailing, the school would not be a success if not for its instructors. The teaching staff at Windward Sailing School is made up of professional, experienced sailors. Every instructor is a U.S.C.G. licensed Captain, and they all have been teachers or instructors in other fields. Their teaching style might be described as "hands-off" teaching. From the
very start, the students are the ones who are "hands-on." Even in the basic class, students take the wheel when the boat leaves the dock.

The small class size ensures that each student gets plenty "hands-on" experience.
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Class size is another important feature at this school. The minimum number of students for a
class is two per boat - the maximum is four. This helps ensure that every student gets ample
"hands-on" time at the wheel and other instructional areas.
Windward Sailing School offers lodging packages with some of Fernandina's historic bed and
breakfast inns, and they can arrange for rentals cars from the Jacksonville airport. The ability to
house the sailing students in lodging only blocks from the marina, along with the many choices of
restaurants in the downtown area, often means that students will stay an entire weekend and never
have to get in a car.