Scott and Denise

Fellow and/or Future Sailor-

 

Please find this referral letter as a testament to our experiences with Captain Kevin Klinges.  In 2021, we purchased a 2018 Fountaine Pajot Helia 44 catamaran and since this was the first boat we owned in this size range, our insurance company required that we have a captain sign off on our sailing skills. 

 

Although, we had been chartering 40-foot monohulls and catamarans every vacation for the past decade, we were glad to bring a captain on board to ensure we had the necessary skills before cruising full time on the US eastern seaboard and Bahamas.  What we got with Kevin was a captain who not only validated our skills and taught us a few new ones, but also provided us with some great nuggets that made us better and safer sailors.

 

Kevin’s temperament and style combined with his knowledge and experience make him an excellent instructor.  We had such a great time working with him for those first three days, that we brought him back to brush up on docking skills, working with our new to us asymmetrical spinnaker, and later on our fist multi-day passage. Kevin always made us feel calm and confident despite docking in 25 knot cross wind and heading out on passage from Charleston to Fort Lauderdale in very “sporty” conditions. 

 

After purchasing our boat in Charleston, we spent our first winter cruising the Bahamas (hitting many of the great spots Kevin recommend and had first hand experience with).  As of August 2022, we have sailed 3,700 NM extending south to the Exumas, Bahamas and north to Acadia National Park, Maine.   We could not have logged this many miles this year without the boost of confidence from Kevin. 

 

As a retired Forensic Structural Engineer and Denise as a retired Corporate Trainer and HR Specialist, we both appreciated Kevin’s detailed, memorable, relaxed and fun style. Lots of people can sail but not everyone is a good teacher, Kevin has both of these skills.  Every time we move our boat we rely on many “Kevin-isms”, from “the sea is always watching” as such we “put money in the bank” basically, keeping the boat ready, because “someday you will need to make a withdrawal”, to the every day “wobble” routine.  Plus, getting “style points” is always fun and keeps us relaxed!

 

We have and do recommend Kevin to our fellow sailor friends and unequivocally recommend Kevin to assist anyone with their boating needs.  Feel free to reach out to us with any further questions at sailing.leni@gmail.com.  

 

Scott & Denise VanSchaardenburg

Leni - Golden, Colorado - Helia 44