Picking a Direction

When we started looking at this sailing idea, I identified several courses that I felt we would need to take at a minimum:

• Basic Keelboat (ASA 101)
• Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA 103)
• Intermediate Coastal Cruising/Bareboat Chartering (ASA 104)

And, if we decide to go catamaran:

• Cruising Catamaran (ASA 114)

We've completed the first class (except for the test...which we need to schedule) and the question is where to go next.  The school we used for the first course does offer the coastal cruising options...but does it make sense to learn this in Colorado when we plan to sail on the ocean.  Um...no (if you think otherwise, you may want to consult a basic US map. :-) )

Now, there are some pretty cool classes that teach all these courses over a week or so while you live aboard the boat.  The problem is that we don't have the ability to get away for this sort of class until the fall...and I just can't wait that long.

What I'd like to do is take the basic cruising course locally and then rent a boat and do some sailing locally on our own to practice the basic skills.  Then, in the fall, do a live-aboard option for the last course and maybe take the boat out just the two of us after completion of the course.  Unfortunately I'm not finding much that works that way.

Maybe we can charter a sailboat and find an instructor that will go with us to create the class I want ourselves.  Happen to know a sailing instructor with some free time in the fall?