STEVE SHENKEL
USCG LICENSED CAPTAIN & ASA INSTRUCTOR
The most enjoyable way to pursue the journey is to harness nature’s power and to be under sail.
BIOGRAPHY
After 50 years of sailing and owning 25 sailboats, I still look forward to that first moment just after you raise and trim the sails when the boat leans a little and starts to move through the water under sail power. I’ll be the first to admit that if you have to get from here to there in a short period of time, the most practical way to do that is to start up the motor and go there. But if you have left the hustle and bustle of the world behind, if only for a brief afternoon, the most enjoyable way to pursue the journey is to harness nature’s power and to be under sail.
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I learned to sail racing Hobie Cats in the 70’s. Although today I no longer race, I attribute an accelerated learning curve to sailing principles from racing. Unless of course, you don’t mind coming in last, racing forces you to learn how to most efficiently make the boat move through the water, learn how to read wind shifts, and beware of obstacles, tides, and currents which may affect your passage over the course you need to complete.
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When it became difficult to crawl into a wetsuit to go sailing Hobie Cats, I started sailing cruising monohulls and this opened the opportunities to sail to destinations such as Catalina Island via trailer sailing and charter in the British Virgin Islands
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After a career as a manufacturing engineer/project manager, I retired in 2013 and had the opportunity to become an ASA Certified Sailing Instructor. The chance to share my joy of sailing with people new to the sport is a real blessing. I look forward to an opportunity when we can sail together.
COURSE & CERTIFICATIONS
USCG Licensed Captain (OUPV) Near Coastal
ASA 101 Basic Keelboat
ASA 103 Coastal Cruising
ASA 105 Coastal Navigation
American Heart Association Certified Basic First Aid/CPR/AED
NASBLA Boater Education Card
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CLUB & SCHOOL AFFILIATIONS
Past Commodore Phoenix Hobie Fleet 66 (1976-77)
Hobie Class 16A State Champion 1978
AYC 1990 Spring Series Non-Spinnaker Fleet 1st Place
Lifetime Member Lake Pleasant Sailing Club
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BOATS OWNED
Sailboats
Venture Cat 14
Hobie 14
Hobie 16
Hobie Adventure Island
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Dingys
Fatty Knees 7
Hobie 9
Hobie 12
Sea Snark
Force 5
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Sailboards
Windsurfer (brand)
Bic 250
Minstral
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​Cruising Monohulls
Windrose 18
Santana 21
Aquarius 23
Windrose 22
O’day 23
Balboa 22
MacGregor 26 S
Montgomery 17
Beneteau 235
Precision 18
Venture Cat 14
Hobie 14
Hobie 16
Hobie Adventure Island