"Roger Long" wrote:

I went to Annapolis Sailing School, but that's only in Annapolis now
and doesn't operate in the winter. There is also the Bitter End Yacht
Club in the BVI which has various sailing school alternatives which I
have read about.
http://www.beyc.com/new_visitors/htm..._packages.html

I have a friend who charters his CSY 37 and who was at one time the
head of the Annapolis Sailing School in St. Croix. He will guarantee
to give you as rigorous course as you want
http://www.admirals.com/gloryofchristiansted/sail.html on his boat.
It is a charter than includes food etc.
http://www.admirals.com/gloryofchristiansted/

A friend who is going to crew for me again next summer would like
start out next year feeling fully competent both for the satisfaction
and also the comfort of knowing she could get home again if I fell
overboard or dropped dead. She is willing to invest some time and
money doing something like going to one of those schools that get you
ready to take charter boats out but would like to start right at the
basics with dingy sailing. Since winter is upon us up here in the
Northeast, we are out of options in this part of the world.

I’d appreciate leads and, better, recommendations on where she could
go during the winter to learn how to sail a small boat around and know
what the sails and forces are doing on the big boat from experience
rather than just books and my explanations. Then, either at the same
or another place, learning to crew and navigate a large boat to the
point of being able to get it home in a pinch.