I am Captain Dave Subers. In addition to being a licensed boat captain, I am also an experienced sailor who can smoothly pilot either catamarans or monohull sailboats.

My experience as a sailor includes relocating sailboats up and down the coast for various people, including close friends and unfamiliar customers.

I normally try to sail whenever I can, but usually there are unavoidable instances when the course we need to traverse is directly into the wind. Due to the tight schedule we follow on a delivery, tacking and gybing is simply not an option. Therefore, it’s a given that the engine will be running as to avoid adding more unnecessary miles to the trip. In case we get a break in the wind, I will have both the mainsail and jib ready.

Based on my previous experience in sailboat deliveries, it’s impossible to sail purely because what usually happens is I have to sail hundreds of miles in the same direction.

When sailing, I try my best to cover a lot of ground (or in our case, water) in a single day and travel mostly during daylight hours. I also use the shortest and safest possible routes for maximized efficiency, and anchor for the night if there are any anchorage spots available.

After resting and anchoring, I typically start early before the sun even rises. And in the event when the boat is offshore and stopping for the night is not remotely possible, we simultaneously stand navigational watches and keep on moving to the next port.

For your peace of mind, here’s a short list of my sailboat piloting skills:

• I am well versed when it comes to piloting a low or underpowered sailing vessel around inlets with strong tidal currents.
• I am aware that the keel of the sailboat can cause draft constraints, so I always consider it when sailing.
• If I know there’s a possibility that I’ll have to pass through unknown areas, I will talk to fellow boaters via VHF to gain more knowledge about the local waters.
• I know how to locate and pinpoint specific areas where shoaling may occur.
• I know about the vertical clearance limitations of overhead power lines and bridges along the inland and intercoastal waterways to the sailboat mast height.
• I am familiar with the process of looking for bridges and determining their exact lock schedules. I also know how to arrange bridge and lock openings.