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34 | OHCC LIVING | MARCH 2026 | From First Mates to Captains: Experience You Can Trust Last month, we honored our Ocean Hills Sailing Club First Mates — the quiet professionals whose preparation, situational awareness, and steady presence make every sail safer and more enjoyable. This month we turn to honoring our Captains, who not only perform First Mate duties before, during and after sails, but undertake complete responsibility throughout each sail. That level of consistency does not happen by chance. Behind every successful sail is a captain who has met — and continues to uphold — rigorous standards designed to protect both people and vessels while keeping the joy of sailing front and center. OHSC captains are not simply experienced sailors; they are carefully evaluated leaders. Candidates must demonstrate extensive firsthand experience operating sailboats of 30' or more under varying conditions, supported by formal training equivalent to ASA or US Sailing keelboat and cruising certifications. Prospective captains must prove mastery of navigation rules, sail handling, weather awareness, radio communications, anchoring, emergency response, and person-overboard recovery. They must also show physical stamina, sound judgment, and the ability to manage real- world situations — from tight slips to unexpected groundings. Most importantly, captain candidates undergo multiple on-the- water evaluations and ongoing reviews. Every item serves one purpose: safety without sacrificing enjoyment. We are beginning a rotating series highlighting the sailors who meet them. Captain Vickie Foster has been sailing since childhood, beginning at age seven on a Lido 14 in Mission Bay and captaining her own Sabot by age eight. She expanded her skills through windsurfing and sailboat charters, formalizing her credentials through ASA training certification. Vickie calls sailing her "happy place" and brings both confidence and warmth to every outing. One unforgettable highlight includes captaining the Triton, a 70-foot catamaran, on a sunset sail across San Diego Bay, on one of the OHSC's 2025 extra outings. Captain Chris Butler, newly married to Donna, discovered sailing on Utah lakes, restoring and sailing his own 17-foot swing-keel boat long before they relocated to San Diego in 1993. There, his passion deepened through extensive ASA coursework and hundreds of sails with family and friends. A US Sailing –Certified Instructor, Chris now teaches keelboat and cruising courses at Del Mar Marina on Camp Pendleton and has served as an OHSC captain for four years. Chris continues to chase his dream of someday owning a Morgan 41 Ketch! Each month, we will continue introducing our captains whose experience, preparation, and judgment allow all of us to step aboard with confidence — and simply enjoy the sail. To our OHCC neighbors: if all this sounds appealing, remember — you do not need your own boat to be part of it. Just a sense of curiosity, a little free time, and a willingness to let the wind do the work. The rest is waiting for you at the dock. Written by Pat Melzer in collaboration with ChatGPT. Sailing Club

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