Local Notice to Nauticals
January 2023
Happy New Season for Sail — Welcome Aboard!
Our 2023 seasons is packed with plenty of opportunity to BE-Nautical. With New Crew, Courses, and Craft, there will be plenty of opportunity to be on-the-water to Learn, Practice or Explore. We’ve also designed two new ways to BE-more-Nautical. A crew list, shared with only a few vetted people altering to opportunities for racing, cruising, and boat deliveries.
Though this is the first official edition of the Local Notice to Nauticals, stay tuned for more advanced courses (ASA 108), international instruction (ASA 104, 105, 106, or even 108), EduTilla opportunities, and more. This will become a resource to steer you to your designation for sailing adventure.
BE-Nautical is expanding its crew of instructors both on the Lake as well as beyond. Our crew of well trained (most trained by BE-Nautical), capable and passion instructors are ready to share their enthusiasm and love of sail - you’ll see and feel it through their instruction.
New Crew
Tierney Acott
Tierney has worked her way through the sailing community both as a student and now an instructor. With her passion for small boats, she’s volunteered and taught at Northwestern University. She started her ASA Certifications with Captain Brian and has grown and earned her ASA instructor stripes. Tierney will share her extensive experience in core fundamental, Small Boat (ASA110) and Keelboat and Cruising (ASA101-103) in Wilmette and help lead our Racing Fundamental, and Racing Crew Courses. She’s slated to instruct a few Women’s Courses this year as well. Local to the Chicago area, she’s also sailed in Ireland and California. She’s excelled at teaching through her IQC’s and is ready to certify students. She and Brian will be the mainstay in our Wilmette and Waukegan instructor team.
Amy Gallagher
Another BE-Nautical Student, from several years past, she’s earned her student and instructor certifications through ASA106. Amy has spread her wings throughout the Great Lakes cruising with her mother and husband Patrick and now calls Florida home. She has plenty of boat deliveries and international experience to share and is hosting a trip in France this season. She’ll be offering basic through advanced ASA Courses in Florida and beyond, including Women’s Courses. Stay tuned for more classes featuring Amy as the instructor.
JT Quinn
JT has extensive experience sailing in and around the Caribbean and beyond. He’s currently certified to teach through ASA104 (I’ll be helping him earn his 205 and 206 certifications on a passage to Grenada or Puerto Rica — students are welcome) and unlocking several opportunities for BE-Nautical students in the Caribbean. He’s available, both as an instructor and qualified captain to teach, host a cruise or offer private instruction. Watch for more courses offered in the Caribbean through BE-Nautical with JT confidentaly at the helm.
Frank Jaeger
Frank I met over 12 years ago at Sail Chicago (an annual boat show in Chicago). Since then he’s sailed with me through nearly all of his ASA student and instructor certifications. Frank’s passion shows through his love for teaching. He was recently recognized among several thousand ASA instructors as one of the coveted ASA instructors of the year. He now owns and runs his own school, Spinnaker Sailing Crew, and you’ll soon see one of his newly published books offered through BE-Nautical. Frank will offer private and certified instruction with BE-Nautical from his base at Burnham Harbor, and collaborate with Captain Brian with various group and corporate leadership and experiential courses.
Captain Brian
If you don’t know me already, I’m the owner and founder of BE-Nautical. Founded over 23 years ago, I show my passion energy for sailing and protecting our water, every day. Having sailed extensively in the US and internationally, I share my experience and passion, helping students gain confidence and experience in core fundamentals and earn their ASA certifications. I also offer EduTilla courses — taking your sailing education on the road to interesting, technical sailing, designation across the US and aboard. I also build a platform and give opportunity for those with similar passions to share with you. As an ASA Instructor Evaluator, I offer my experience to other instructors, including those mentioned above, helping them earn their ASA teaching certifications, in turn sharing their skills and passion with other students. Sailing education is a continuum. I strive to offer various ways, waters and locations to practice and hone your skills through our Explore Options.
Beginners & Families, Intermediate and Advanced. From core fundamental & certification courses on the lake or beyond our shores there’s plenty to expand your horizons this season. Keep a watch for Small Boat (ASA110, dinghy and catamaran) through Passage Making (ASA108) courses including Navigation and Weather (ASA119) courses, we’ll keep you busy this season.
New Courses
ASA117 - Basic Celestial Navigation
This course returns as many students have their sights on sailing well beyond the shore where there are no landmarks from which to derive a position. Using the Sun, Moon and Stars, this course will teach you the ways ancient mariners crossed oceans with the aid of a sextant and copious notes. Even if you’re not planning an ocean crossing the skills and concepts you’ll learn will make you a more observant, rational sailor. There is a Celestial Fundamentals course that is a companion course without the additional rigor of the ASA117 course. These courses are offered near the Spring Equinox in March.
ASA110 - Small Boat Sailing
Basic, core fundamental sailing skills are best taught on smaller boats. Whether a dingy or moderate size vessel, this size craft gives you the feel that a larger boat may not, helping you understand the basic physics of sailing. This course is taught on both dingy size - 420 or Sunfish and dual hull catamarans, (Hobie cats). Although you literally get your feet wet, you’ll definitely get a sold “feel” for the physics of sailing. Look for our ASA110 course offered beginning in late June (when the lake warms up).
ASA114 - Cruising Catamaran
With addition of two new crew members in the home for catamaran sailing - Florida and the Caribbean, we’ll offer plenty of opportunity to learn critical skills handling and sailing a Catamaran. This course can be taught aboard your charter or part of a group course ahead of a planned family or group vacation. Put yourself on a list for more information and opportunity.
ASA106 - Advanced Coastal Cruising
Back by popular demand, Advanced Coastal Cruising is a multi-day course with an extended cruise and night sail. You’ll learn critical skills important for a passage or extended cruise. Depending on the weather, it may include a lake crossing or an extended coastal cruise and overnight stay. This course is typically offered early in the season, Memorial Day Weekend and later in the season, October time-frame.
Advanced Cruising Techniques
Part of our Core Fundamentals class structure, this non-certification course that will share the boat with ASA106 students in a lake crossing or extended coastal cruise.
ASA119 - Marine Weather
Knowledge of sailing weather is fundamental to moving the boat. You need to understand how to read the forecasts and current conditions to predict the effect it will have on the boat in your locale. Offered early and mid Season.
BE-Nautical is brining two new boats to our fleet. Mahogany, a 1948 Sparkman & Stephens Designed, Fisher Pilot. Fisher Boat works was a boat builder in Detroit that was busy during WWII supporting the Navy and their fleet of Warships and Auxiliary Craft. Mahogany is one of the very few wooden boats build in this era still on the Great Lakes. She’ll join White Oak currently being built and added to the fleet in May.
Captain Brian is bringing wooden boats to the fleet as part of a sustainability message, building with renewable resources, and a end of life message, the problem of deteriorating fiberglass boats and their effect on the environment.
New Craft
Mahogany
With years of attention and care, she will be one of the hardest working ladies on the lake supporting our ASA104, 106 and 108 students safely through their courses. Sturdily built with moderate to heavy displacement, she is ready for the longer passages, comfortably and safely carrying our crews to safety.
Sparkman & Stephens has been a prolific boat designer and builder for nearly a century. Their designs have stood the test of time for safe, swift yachts. You’ll see their design from popular builders like Tartan, Morris, Hinkley, Swan, Catalina and even Grand Banks. Their designs have crossed oceans and raced in the famous Americas Cup and ocean crossing Fastnet and Whitbread races.
White Oak
A Haven 12-1/2, modeled after the popular Herreshoff 12-1/2, except with a swing keel for shallow water options and easier trailer launching and retrieval. She is being build locally by John Kozmiuk from locally grown White Oak and Vermont grown White Atlantic Cedar. Human built with sustainable materials, White Oak will have a Gaff Rig, offering students even more rig options to experience. White Oak will make her debut to the fleet in May and will be learning platform for the ASA101, Beginners and Families for Sail - you might even see her on the race course in our all-fleet races.
Crew Opportunities
Interested in offering your skills as crew for racing or delivery options? Fill out a form on our Home Page under Crew Opportunities and we’ll include you in Crew opportunities at no or low costs. We’ll ask a few questions about your experience along with options for crew - racing, sailing and delivery (local or national).
New Opportunities
Interest in Destination Courses
We are polling interest in advanced ASA classes (as well as EduTilla opportunities) in the US and abroad. Sign up and indicate your interest and to steer you to your next designation for sailing adventure.
BE-Nautical - Finding ways to engage, enthuse and expand your opportunities on the water.
From the entire crew at BE-Nautical, Happy New Season and Welcome aboard!
Brian
Captain Brian Earl
BE-Nautical
847-917-7245