Jib Set Sailing Club
The Vancouver-based Jib Set Sailing Club has come to Nanaimo with a new base established at Nanaimo Yacht Charters and Sailing School, 1690 Stewart Avenue (next to Muddy Waters Pub). The Jib Set was founded in 1968 as a way of allowing people the chance to experience the thrill of sailing without the expense and commitment of yacht ownership. It’s something like a floating timeshare providing members with four-hour sessions on a top-quality sailing yacht. Those unwilling or unable to manage a yacht on their own can crew with an experienced skipper until they acquire the necessary skills.
Membership costs $149 a month, plus a one-time initiation fee of $499 and a club deposit of $200. Only persons 19 and over can join the club and 20 hours of club service a year are required. Yachts are booked online for one session of four consecutive hours and subsequent reservations are only accepted after each session is completed. All bookings are on a first come, first served basis, but the club is still new to Nanaimo and long waiting lists are unlikely. Considering the much higher cost of owning or chartering a yacht, this is a very affordable way to get out on the water.
Nanaimo Yacht Charters and Sailing School offers a variety of courses, beginning with a basic sailing/cruising certification course at $699. For those in search of a sailing holiday, there are bareboat yacht charters for seasoned sailors and crewed yacht cruises for those who only want to relax. Nanaimo is the gateway to British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast, and Desolation Sound, all prime cruising areas. The prices are good compared with those charged for yacht charters in the Caribbean and South Pacific, starting as low as $1,200 a week in mid-summer for a four-berth Catalina 27 and rising to $4,500 a week for a 12-berth Beneteau 50. These prices are for the whole boat, not per person. Taxes, insurance, provisions, and a skipper (if required) are extra. For more information call 250-754-8601 or 1-877-754-8601.
