Online class overview
Every successful ocean passage begins long before the dock lines come off. The weeks and months before departure are when years of planning come together: preparing the boat, organizing the crew, making final decisions, and determining what truly matters before heading offshore.
Preparing for an ocean voyage can quickly become overwhelming. Endless equipment lists, conflicting advice, and never-ending boat projects can make it difficult to know when you are truly ready. Experienced offshore sailors understand that readiness is not about eliminating every possible problem. It is about identifying the risks that matter most, building reliable systems, and creating a plan for handling challenges when they arise.
This course provides a practical framework for preparing yourself, your crew, and your boat for offshore voyaging. Drawing on years of cruising experience and more than 40,000 ocean miles each, Gio and Julie share the preparation systems, routines, and decision-making processes they use before major passages.
You’ll learn how experienced cruisers approach departure planning, from prioritizing boat projects and verifying critical systems to organizing spare parts, provisioning, preparing crew routines, and making informed go/no-go decisions. Rather than focusing on an endless checklist of gear and tasks, this class helps you understand how to evaluate readiness and focus your time, energy, and resources where they matter most.
Offshore cruising rewards preparation, thoughtful decisions, and a willingness to adapt. Whether you’re preparing for your first ocean crossing, an extended coastal voyage, or refining your process after years at sea, this course will help you approach departure with a clearer plan and a better understanding of what it takes to successfully begin the voyage ahead.
Who is this online class for?
This class is designed for sailors preparing for an offshore passage, cruisers planning an extended voyage, and anyone who wants a more systematic approach to getting ready for time at sea. Whether you are preparing for your first bluewater adventure, planning a major coastal voyage, or refining your process after years of cruising, you’ll gain practical strategies for organizing your boat, crew, and departure plans.
No matter where you are in your cruising journey, this class will help you identify the preparations that matter most, avoid common mistakes, and develop a clearer path toward a successful departure.
What will I learn?
In this live online class, Gio and Julie share the preparation systems and decision-making processes experienced offshore cruisers use before heading to sea. You’ll learn how to organize your departure, prioritize your preparation, and create the routines and systems that support a safe, efficient, and successful passage.
List of topics:
- Developing a realistic departure timeline and preparation plan
- Prioritizing boat projects and identifying what truly needs to be completed before departure
- Conducting final inspections and verifying critical vessel systems
- Preparing spare parts, tools, maintenance supplies, and repair strategies
- Provisioning for offshore passages and managing food, water, and storage
- Reviewing safety equipment and emergency preparedness
- Preparing crew responsibilities, expectations, watch schedules, and onboard routines
- Evaluating weather windows and making informed go/no-go decisions
- Finalizing passage plans, communications, and offshore check-in procedures
- Organizing documentation, customs requirements, and essential paperwork
- Identifying common last-minute mistakes and how to avoid them
By the end of this class, you’ll have a clearer framework for preparing your boat, crew, and departure plans so you can focus less on what you might have missed and more on the voyage ahead.