For many of Buffalo’s waterfront visitors, it was a memorable moment when Amistad visited us several years ago. Over 100,000 visitors in just a few days.

We organized a small fleet of boats, school children were on-board, it was an amazing experience. Our hope is that this floating good will ambassador will assist in opening up [...]]]>

Capt Pierre Wallinder

We can also offer Payment Plans for qualified candidates. Let’s discuss what you needs are, and see if we can [...]]]> If you are an ASA Student, or a Club-Member or Family, we offer a very generous Referral Fee to you if you refer a new student to us. Please call 716-432-6589 or email info@sail-buffalo.com for details.

We can also offer Payment Plans for qualified candidates. Let’s discuss what you needs are, and see if we can get you out there in the boating community. Start your life long dream now, nothing to wait for, just do it!

We have the quality boats, a convenient location downtown Buffalo, accredited certifications and a really friendly team of instructors and members, you are invited to come down and check out the boats for yourself.

Capt Pierre Wallinder

The Australian, 16-year-old, Jessica Watson just finished her solo sailing around the world, nonstop and unassisted. Yesterday she finally arrived in Sydney, her home port, after 210 days and more than 23.000 nautical miles sailing.

She have chosen a route that is a traditionally recognized path and distance for ‘around the world sailors’. As this [...]]]>

Jessica Watson - Photo: Ben Upton

The Australian, 16-year-old, Jessica Watson just finished her solo sailing around the world, nonstop and unassisted. Yesterday she finally arrived in Sydney, her home port, after 210 days and more than 23.000 nautical miles sailing.

She have chosen a route that is a traditionally recognized path and distance for ‘around the world sailors’. As this is a Southern Hemisphere voyage the significant landmarks are the southern tips of the American and African continents, as well as some of the most challenging oceans a sailor will ever face.

Congratulations Jessica !

Jessica Watson will get her name in the Guinness Book as the youngest Ever, Solo Around the World Sailing Voyage.

Check her Route:

• Departing from Sydney, heading to North to the Line Island,
• South to Chile and Cape Horn,
• Cape Horn to Cape of Good Hope,
• Rounding South Africa,
• Southern Ocean back to Sydney.

Adylton Bastos

It just once again reemphasize that without any building space, which [...]]]> In record wind with gusts over 60 MPH the boats stayed by the dock and we were inside the Naval Museum
until 1 PM. Thank you to our members/friends, students and visitors who defied the nature and came down to the waterfront on such a day!

It just once again reemphasize that without any building space, which functions as a foul weather shelter, its very difficult to hold any predictable schedule by the shoreline.

For visitors, please come back, you have a rain-check for a Friday Night Sail at no cost.

For those of you who already have the ASA 101 and who wants to join the boat share program, I promise the weather will be much better soon, so join anytime you feel ready to do so.

Enjoy the pictures attached, many more events and happenings will follow as the weather changes.

Capt Pierre Wallinder

Every sailor hopes he will never need to say those three words. “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”, but you need to be prepared in case you find yourself  in a situation you need to send a distress call to the Coast Guard.

CG Speed Boat - Photo: Scott Ableman

Every sailor hopes he will never need to say those three words. “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”, but you need to be prepared in case you find yourself  in a situation you need to send a distress call to the Coast Guard.

The proper way to send a distress call:

You may only have seconds to send a distress call. Here’s what you should do:

Procedure for VHF Channel 16 MAYDAY:

1. If you have an MF/HF radiotelephone tuned to 2182 kHz, send the radiotelephone alarm signal if one is available. If you have a VHF marine radio, tune it to channel 16. Unless you know you are outside VHF range of shore and ships, call on channel 16 first.
2. Distress signal “MAYDAY”, spoken three times.
3. The words “THIS IS”, spoken once.
4. Name of vessel in distress (spoken three times) and call sign or boat registration number, spoken once.
5. Repeat “MAYDAY” and name of vessel, spoken once.
6. Give position of vessel by latitude or longitude or by bearing (true or magnetic, state which) and distance to a well-know landmark such as a navigational aid or small island, or in any terms which will assist a responding station in locating the vessel in distress. Include any information on vessel movement such as course, speed and destination.
7. Nature of distress (sinking, fire etc.).
8. Kind of assistance desired.
9. Number of persons onboard.
10. Any other information which might facilitate rescue, such as length or tonnage of vessel, number of persons needing medical attention, color hull, cabin, masks, etc.
11. The word “OVER”

Stay by the radio if possible. Even after the message has been received, the Coast Guard can find you more quickly if you can transmit a signal on which a rescue boat or aircraft can home.

For example:

MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDAY

THIS IS BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK-BLUE DUCK WA1234

MAYDAY BLUE DUCK

CAPE HENRY LIGHT BEARS 185 DEGREES MAGNETIC-DISTANCE 2 MILES

STRUCK SUBMERGED OBJECT

NEED PUMPS-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND TOW

THREE ADULTS, TWO CHILDREN ONBOARD

ONE PERSON COMPOUND FRACTURE OF ARM

ESTIMATE CAN REMAIN AFLOAT TWO HOURS

BLUE DUCK IS THIRTY TWO FOOT CABIN CRUISER-WHITE HULL-BLUE DECK HOUSE OVER

Repeat at intervals until an answer is received.

Procedure for Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Radio: DSC MAYDAY

Here some additional information about the Coast Guard in our region

Ninth Coast Guard District

Group Buffalo
1Fuhrmann Blvd.
Buffalo NY 14203-3189

VHF Radio Coverage Chart – Lake Ontario

VHF Radio Coverage Chart – Niagara and Eastern Lake Erie

Adylton Bastos

Plastiki is a catamaran constructed with 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles. Her crew embarked (20 March) in a 100-day eco-mission from San Francisco to Sydney. Their objective: witness some of the most devastating waste accumulation on our planet composed mostly of plastic.

Pledge to better our oceans and planet.

Reduce, reuse, recycle [...]]]>

Do you know what is the Plastiki ?

Plastiki is a catamaran constructed with 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles. Her crew embarked (20 March) in a 100-day eco-mission from San Francisco to Sydney. Their objective: witness some of the most devastating waste accumulation on our planet composed mostly of plastic.

Pledge to better our oceans and planet.

Reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink !

Adylton Bastos

Hi- decided to show you this action filled snippet on how fast a sailing boat goes when the wind is strong and the crew is experienced looks like. This is of course not something we practice on our courses, we would not expose any beginner for something that may be considered as scary, compare this [...]]]>

Hi- decided to show you this action filled snippet on how fast a sailing boat goes when the wind is strong and the crew is experienced looks like. This is of course not something we practice on our courses, we would not expose any beginner for something that may be considered as scary, compare this demonstration of skills to when skiers go down hill very fast.   Our teaching is done in a way more relaxed way, and in not so strong wind conditions.

Some people like the thrill of hard wind, some people don’t, we are all different, and that is good. I enjoyed talking with a formerly very active Hobie Cat sailor the other day at the marina,  when he was telling me about the local Hobie Fleet. I had no idea they are that many, up to 40 active sailors, and they have their fleet along the shoreline in Angola this year. He was telling me about the wind conditions he like to sail in, and you guessed it, the more and harder that wind blows, the happier this guy is.

To teach a beginner, you must start build skills step by step, in sequences. Our first lesson is very relaxed, just us by they dockside, talking about all the different things on the boat and what everything does and why.

So don’t let above movie scare you, but think of it as extreme sailing, something the very experienced can do, after many years of hard practice.

Enjoy!

Capt Pierre Wallinder

For anyone who would like to know what a tall ship is and what kind of financial impact they may have upon arrivals to various ports, here is a small but interesting film. Why is this posted on my blog?

Please reflect on the fact that water connects Coastal Cities, Buffalo is [...]]]>

For anyone who would like to know what a tall ship is and what kind of financial impact they may have upon arrivals to various ports, here is a small but interesting film. Why is this posted on my blog?

Please reflect on the fact that water connects Coastal Cities, Buffalo is a Coastal City.  Floating ambassadors are excellent good-will makers. We need more international collaboration. Learning by doing is an excellent way of gaining knowledge.

Small and large vessels increase tourism!

Capt Pierre Wallinder