The Goal of Voyage Ocean Passages

     There comes a time in many sailors' lives when they realize they want to expand their horizons and sail offshore, taking extended cruises or visiting foreign lands. Voyager Ocean Passages supports those dreams with a comprehensive training program that teaches the skills and methods of offshore sailing during actual ocean passages on a modern, well equipped ocean sailing yacht.  The knowledge gained and first hand experience allows sailors to become confident and competent, able to sail anywhere they wish.  We are more than an offshore sailing school; more like a university!

What we offer: 

Comprehensive offshore sailing instruction on actual ocean passages aboard  Voyager.  Our goal is to demonstrate or discuss every aspect of preparing and conducting an offshore passage so that our students feel confident in sailing their own vessels.  We conduct a seminar on board before departure, ensuring that all crewpersons are familiar with the boat, the gear and how it all works.  This includes: 

• voyage routing
• the Float Plan
• meal planning and provisioning
• navigation
• radar
• watchkeeping
• shipkeeping
• logkeeping
• final preparations.  

Once every question is answered and we've covered all topics, the education continues after departure.

We describe and demonstrate:

• sail trim
• offshore monitoring and maintenance
• downloading and monitoring the weather and how to apply  that to our own weather log
• communications
• helmanship
• rigging for heavy weather
• storm tactics
• deploying the sea anchor and storm sails
• what to do in emergencies like a serious injury, fire, flooding, abandoning shipand much, much more. 

This is as comprehensive as it gets, combined with the actual experience of sailing the ocean!

Sailing lessons at the Seaworthy School of Sailing  Private lessons or ASA, we are one of the few schools that can provide classes from 101 all the way to Celestial Navigation and Offshore Passagemaking.

 Offshore Sailing Seminars; at major boat shows throughout the country, at large yacht clubs with hundreds of attendees, or at small gatherings.  Our presentations are tailored to give the information your group needs.

 Upcoming Events

     The Voyager Ocean Passage 2009 schedule has just been completed!   Please visit the 2009 Voyage Schedule for more information.

Ed Mapes is available for presentations at corporate events, sailing clubs, yacht clubs, etc.   Our next seminar events are at the Detroit Yacht Club, Grosse Ile Yacht Club, Chicago Boat Show, and Miami Boat Show.  Please see the Seminar Venues Page for details.

Ed gives professional power point presentations including:

Depicting a Voyage at Sea

Voyage Routing

Yacht Inspection prior to Sailing

Provisioning and Meal Planning

Conquering Seasickness

Offshore Medical Considerations

Weather for the Mariner

Storm Avoidance

Heavy Weather Sailing

Priority Equipment 

For information, pricing, and to set up a seminar or presentation with your group, just contact us at the phone numbers or e-mail address on this web site.

We are now very excited to announce  captained charters on Voyager during the winter vacation season in the Virgin Islands!  .  These charters can accommodate up to 6 adults, and include prepared meals on board, visits to many vacation sites, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and of course sailing.  We can also offer private or ASA sailing courses during your charter.  Voyager becomes more luxurious for these charters than during her ocean-crossing mode!  Please call for more information.

Ready to Sail --- Ready to Sail --- Ready to Sail --- Ready to Sail

Ready to Sail, the book written by Ed Mapes, is now at last in print and available at Amazon.com, Borders, other booksellers, and this web site.  Ready to Sail describes the detailed inspection procedure Ed developed for making vessels ready for offshore delivery. It also describes repairs of many defects commonly discovered during the inspections. In addition, preparation of the vessel and crew for sailing is discussed at length to ensure that all is in readiness before departure.

Most persons who sail on Voyager make it a point to arrive at the point of origin of their journey several days in advance of the sailing date to enjoy themselves there on vacation with their families. Each destination is chosen because it has so much to offer to its visitors, so we can have both an exciting ocean passage and a vacation in a beautiful land.

Voyager Ocean Passages
4903 Carolina Circle
McKinney, TX 75071
Phone: 972-540-1846
Fax: 972-540-1846
Email: captainmapes@offshorevoyager.com

     Our exciting new affilliation with NauticEd will allow our friends an easy way to further their sailing educations.  Click on the NauticEd banner below, and travel to this new e-school.  Take their on-line courses to gain knowledge and receive certificates when you've successfully passed each module's on-line test.  You are allowed to work at your own pace, even stopping for a while if necessary, and pick up where you left off at a later time.  This is real, current, and valuable information that makes everyone better sailors.  NauticEd has my endorsement, and I encourage our sailing friends to take advantage of this convenient method to learn more about sailing.

Ed Mapes
Voyager Ocean Passages