REfitting for Bluewater Sailing
This informative seminar based on Nathan’s years of experience refitting boats and working as a charter fleet engineer will provide a step by step process of refitting a boat for bluewater cruising. Nathan will begin with the systems that will get a boat sailing and motoring, safely and efficiently. Diving into rigging, engine maintenance, steering, and electrical systems, on the first day, before moving on to systems that will make the boat safer and more comfortable on day two.
We will explore how to identify and troubleshoot problems in all boat systems and how to perform simple fixes, major overhauls, and new installations. The entire seminar will focus on a refit that will save you both time and money keeping in mind the goal of getting your boat out on the water as soon as possible, and maximizing your enjoyment. You will benefit from being at Spring Cove Marina where we can observe refit projects first hand, aboard Ultima and other boats.
October 7 & 8, 2022 from 0900 – 1600 at Spring Cove Marina
COST $900
Limited Seating // Coffee, Water, Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner Provided
John Kretschmer Workshop Schedule 2025
Best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices. Scroll right to left to see full table.
John Kretschmer Workshop Schedule 2024
Best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices. Scroll right to left to see full table.
Five Keys to refitting a Used Sailboat
Get a glimpse of how to navigate and priortize a full refit on a used sailboat. Be realistic, stay on budget, where to spend money to save you time and effort in the long run, helping you maximize your time safely offshore and not in the yard. Click on each item below to see more information.
prioritze
Taking time to organize your projects within your budget. Spending time on boats that must be done in yards and saving other projects for rainy days and at an anchorage. Realistically undergoing projects yourself and when to hire out contractors.
Benefits of D-I-Y
Saving money for the cruising kitty, learning systems to troubleshoot when things break, being self-sufficient at sea.
Process
Discussing applications, techniques, and the process to save time and money on boat projects. Planning for effective project management, learning from the mistakes I’ve made.
When to ask for help
Admitting you may need an extra hand, reducing stress prior to launch, what to do if you’re feeling stuck, best sources for help online & hiring consultation.
Maintenance & Upkeep
How you can plan to maintain and upkeep your boat by the season, allowing maximum safe and efficient cruising.
I would stop short of saying that it’s all because of John that my wife and I now own a bluewater boat and are preparing for an ocean crossing, but he has played a significant role in building our knowledge foundation and our confidence, two indispensable assets for setting off over the horizon.
I could go on and on about the multiple Kretschmer seminars and workshops my wife and I have attended over the years, including offshore safety and celestial navigation. But that would be only an objective listing of the unlimited universe of information available in this internet age. The value-added features that John brings to that generic information pool are his passion and his storytelling, which, come to think of it, kind of go hand in hand. His passion unwittingly draws you into his often humorous storytelling, leaving you with the belief that you CAN achieve your dreams despite sobering obstacles. That’s the thing, I think, more than anything else, that is unique and powerful about John: his ability to inspire. To do big things, you need big inspiration.