Head to Wind Archives

COVID19 and Sail Training (Updated: Jan 2022)

by Fin | Wed Jan 2022 | Boat Smart, Deep Waters, Head to Wind, Rules & Regs

Topmast is committed to conducting courses in a safe and responsible manner to ensure the health and safety of our students and Instructors. At Topmast we are mandated by the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and will act accordingly. We carefully examine...

Baltic 42 in the Erie Canal – Scraping By!

by Fin | Sat Jul 2019 | Boat Smart, Head to Wind

This spring I was fortunate to spend some time with Erin and Marie on their Baltic 42. We had a great sail from Rhode Island to New York city where I jumped-off and Erin and Marie carried on up the Erie canal to Lake Erie. One of the concerns was the 2m keel and...

Heart Attack in Paradise

by Fin | Mon Mar 2018 | Deep Waters, Head to Wind

Jim Garvin is the kind of student Sailing Instructors really enjoy – he’s teachable, he gets along with everyone and he’s along for the experience more-so than the certificate. Jim Garvin is low maintenance. So low maintenance in fact, that when he had a...

Becoming an RYA Instructor: the nitty gritty.

by Fin | Thu Dec 2017 | Deep Waters, Head to Wind

Topmast gets a few enquiries from Sail Canada and ASA instructors who want to become RYA instructors. Because of the difference between the schemes there is no easy cross-over. Find out how below. This is the process:1. Become an RYA Yachtmaster with commercial...

Falling Leaf – Man Overboard Method Christened.

by Fin | Thu Jun 2017 | Boat Smart, Head to Wind

Before RYA Examiner Dave De Wolfe came out to Kingston from Halifax to examine two of Topmast’s students at the Yachtmaster level we had a phone conversation about the efficacy of various man overboard techniques. It took a few minutes but we both agreed there’s a big...

First RYA Powerboat Certificates in Canada

by Fin | Thu Jun 2017 | Head to Wind

A wet May has made for some interesting challenges in the sail training business. However, when Topmast ran Canada’s first Powerboat Level 1&2 course over the May 27/28 weekend there was nothing but sunshine. With every intention of carrying out the short theory...