Thank you, Kelly! Do you have what it takes to learn to drive a Catamaran? Kelly gets a big look at what it’s like to get catamaran sailing lessons from Yachtcations Owner Chris Block.
Video Summary:
- Yachtcations and Chris Block: The segment features Chris Block, the owner of Yacht Cations, based in Kemah, Texas. Chris specializes in providing sailing lessons on large catamarans, catering to individuals who may be new to sailing or those looking to transition to this lifestyle.
- Learning on Large Catamarans: Unlike traditional sailing courses that start with small boats, Yacht Cations begins training on 45-foot catamarans. This approach is based on the philosophy that as people age, they have less time to progress through incremental steps, thus starting directly with larger vessels.
- Texas Boating License Requirements: For those born after 1993 wishing to take sailing lessons, a Texas boater’s license is required. This segment emphasizes the accessibility of sailing lessons for a wide age range, including younger individuals.
- Cliff’s Sailing Journey: The interview features Cliff, a student of Chris at Yacht Cations. Cliff previously sailed in the Virgin Islands and obtained a bareboat license. He chose to take further lessons to gain confidence before chartering luxury yachts. His interest in sailing was inspired by YouTube channels like Sailing La Vagabonde.
- Behind-the-Scenes of Sailing Lessons: The show gives a behind-the-scenes look at Cliff’s lessons, highlighting the hands-on approach of the training. It covers various aspects of sailing, including driving, docking, anchoring, and handling a large catamaran. Chris’s teaching style is noted for its patience and effectiveness in letting students learn through experience.
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Full Transcript of the YouTube Episode – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYbQnGa46fI
Transcript:
all right everybody good morning it’s Kelly Williams Show and I’m so excited because I’m hanging out with Chris block owner of yacht cations and y’all are located right here in Kemah Texas we have always been located right here in King of Texas you didn’t move from somewhere six years you’ve always been here I did a little time in the Virgin Islands and learned something there and brought it back here very nice very nice okay so Chris today actually um you have a lesson and it’s cliff and so because you give lessons for people who have never sailed correct uh never sailed or maybe they did some boating and they just want to learn the large catamaran lifestyle yeah folks are you know selling their house selling their business retiring and want to do something a little bit different and instead of taking lessons where you start off on a small 22-footer and graduate up to a large boat like a 45-footer we start you on a 45-footer okay see and that’s really interesting because you think you’d start learning on something like a little boat you know what you don’t because why you’re wasting it doesn’t valuable as you get older you don’t have the time exactly so it’s like we don’t need to start you on the tricycle to get you on the motorcycle let’s get you on a motorcycle and yeah and go yeah go have fun um
I love this and this is you know these lessons and things they’re open for anybody you can somebody can call you and say hey I need some lessons I’m ready to move and get on a catamaran the only license that’s required yeah I had to look this up the other day is if you were born after 1993 what I’m close yeah but if you were born I wouldn’t I wouldn’t be eligible if you were no if you were born after 93 you do have to get a Texas boaters license okay but that means and I don’t want to do the math right now but I don’t know 20 some odd year olds can learn how to do this now oh wow and be well prepared yeah and have me you Cliff yeah um all of us helping to be able to do this on demand when it’s time to do this I like it that is very very cool okay
so we’re going to get a little bit of uh behind the scenes today with Cliff because he’s getting a lesson today this is really really exciting and and uh what lesson is it he’s ready to take it all the way out somewhere really cool I think when we get to about lesson five and Cliff’s a little ahead of the game so yeah you know it’ll be today um I get to the point where doing a lesson is asking my student to take me sailing oh wow and so today Lesson Four we’re going to work on a lot of driving docking anchoring we have to go to the pump out dock which yes it’s a blank job but somebody’s got to do it exactly you have to go to the fuel dock very common we got to add a little bit of fuel to this boat yeah um just to keep it running and uh yeah so we’re at that point where it’s not going to be a lot of sailing today and depending how we do in the driving part it’s going to be mostly driving okay which is tough on a boat that’s 26 feet wide it’s wider than most people are used to yeah that’s amazing so it’s 45 feet long 26 feet okay that’s really cool okay
so stay tuned because we’re gonna have behind the scenes look at how Chris gives lessons to people to drive these awesome catamarans this is really cool so okay Chris have fun today will do thank you uh we’re gonna see in just a minute yes you will and your thing very good all right we’ll see you and I am right here with the one and only Cliff knockaroy right here ladies and gentlemen I know he does not play golf well do you play golf I do not he does not okay so Cliff is actually drove down he is taking private lessons from Chris right here at yakkations which anybody can do so how cool is that on these gorgeous catamarans Cliff what made you really quickly you know decide to you wanted to take lessons well I wanted a little more experience I I spent a week on a catamaran in the in the Virgin Islands cool and got a bare boat license wow but before I chartered somebody’s million dollar yacht I wanted a little more experience and so that was a very good decision I like it you’re a good clue thinker yeah exactly I love it um was this kind of always a dream of yours I started watching like most people do the YouTube channels yeah sailing the Vagabond things like that yeah and I thought wow that would be a good hobby or maybe a lifestyle eventually I like it
I like it you know what do you do in Arlington I own a restaurant what restaurant it’s called Angelo’s I like it spaghetti where does the Angelos come from the name I don’t you know I started working for the for the family when I was 14. oh my goodness worked my way up I like it that’s very cool I’m not sure where they got it I think it started with a and that was the first name in the phone book okay get a little bit of behind the scenes just a little bit today of your lesson um and I’m really excited and I’m so excited to get to meet you today because I’m sure I’m going to be back filming you some more with some further and further lessons as you get ready uh to take it out on your own which I’m really excited for you all right Cliff are you excited for today I am
I’m real excited okay awesome how’s Chris is an instructor he’s amazing he’s very patient yeah he’s got that personality and he lets me work my way out of problems she’s just telling me what to do yeah and that’s the way I learned so it helps a lot yeah he doesn’t yell at people yeah well he had yelled at me I can’t speak for everybody you’re going to be interviewing people later no kidding uh okay good well we’re excited for your adventure doing all this and uh good luck on your fourth lesson thank you all right nice to meet you today all right okay guys stay tuned for the behind the scenes of Cliff McElroy’s lessons right here with the amazing Chris block we’ll see you in a little bit
built-in Prime you gotta press and hold till it fires and you’ll hear it loud stereo you can hear that pump kicking on yeah it’s about the fuel pump and a water pump okay generators on that light should be green it’s green give it a few minutes to kind of warm up and make sure everything’s cool if it does shut down uh immediately or within minutes it gives you a flashing code and that’s your little secret that cover ring next to it okay 90 of the time when a generator shuts down it’s because of a lack of cooling water cooling water is due to health profite [Music]
everything’s part of the list I usually keep those covers out here yeah I could remember right here that’s why it’s all repetition yeah [Music] foreign radios are very important check checks Cliff you got that horn it’s gonna be the blast today no friends yes carelessness or laziness a little bit shorter than the other one so tell me what you do we’ve got how many things to remove there’s nine there’s nine things to remove good we got the first one now we’re going to um let’s start disconnecting these lines okay all we can leave the port side on last why okay well no I guess the wind’s going that way which way is the wind blowing flowing from from whatever direction that is okay so now let’s let’s double check that how do we know where the wind’s blowing from uh the gate the wind vane on top of the legs what else would you use this challenge what’s it so feeling it the way the water’s moving okay let me see oh flag she said as a captain you’re allowed to tell crew members including myself Kelly