The upcoming Hands On Training Courses during the CCA’s Newport (RI) Safety at Sea seminars on March 10 and 11 are full with waiting lists, but there is still space in the Medical and Race Prep Seminars on Sunday morning, March 11. Crew members planning to sail in the Newport Bermuda Race or the return trip would benefit from either of these programs.

The medical seminar will be led by two doctors with deep experience in water rescue, emergency medicine, and the Race: Dr. Jon Burstein and Dr. Jeffrey Wisch. The race prep seminar covers everything from racing rules and navigation to boat prep, weather, and sails; featured speakers include Kenyon Kellogg (moderator), Bjorn Johnson, Nick Nicholson, James Phyfe, Ralph Naranjo, and Butch Ulmer. Registration is available through the weekend, and a $60 fee includes continental breakfast. Register here.

For those unable to attend the CCA Safety at Sea seminar on March 10th, more options remain. There will be seminars held by MTAM at the U.S. Naval Academy (March 24) and by the Storm Trysail Club at SUNY Maritime (May 19). They are reportedly filling rapidly but there will also be a seminar on June 13th in Newport led by Ralph Naranjo, two days before the race starts. (Registration details will be finalized shortly and updated in this space as soon as possible.) The format will be similar to the full-day Saturday SAS in March, though the roster of speakers may be smaller. Others may come and take a hands-on World Sailing session. This will start with some didactic material and then move on to sessions including flare, fire fighting, damage control and PFDs in the pool and life raft drills.