Well this was amazing! I highly recommend the sunset cruise with Captain Pat. He met us at the Holland Yacht Club and took us to his stunningly beautiful sailboat, the Nancy Anne. After a brief safety chat and some sailing basics, the six of us plus the captain were out on the water.
Our 2.5 hour sail took us out on lake Macatawa, and cost about $60 per person, which I think is a pretty excellent value, considering you get this beautiful, brand new boat - a new 2017 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 419 sailboat - and the expertise of Captain Pat. I had no idea doing something like this was so accessible.
Captain Pat was funny, knowledgeable, gregarious. In a movie, he would be played by either Redford or Eastwood - one of them would probably direct, too. You know this guy has some great stories, and we got to scratch the surface with a few. He also has thousands and thousands of hours of sailing and a masters license from the US Coast Guard and races every Wednesday night in the summer, so you know you're in excellent, safe, cautious hands.
My brother-in-law Brad has taken some sailing classes and was excited to learn more. Captain Pat showed him the ropes, and talked him through a lot of really practical stuff. Brad was at the helm almost the entire time, with the exception of entering the locks upon our return. He got a lot of hands-on experience and seemed to really enjoy it.
The rest of us enjoyed sitting on the beautiful boat, watching the shoreline get small as the sun started to set. We brought our own wine, he had cool glasses that wouldn't spill and some snacks. I was thankful for my fleece and hat, since it was a little cold during certain points on the water (although other times in the right light and wind direction, it was almost balmy).
We had a wonderful experience, and I would absolutely do this again if given the chance. read more