European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 24, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday july 24, 1986 the stars and stripes Rick Deforest hands Sailboat Down the loading ramp to the Beach at Rota Natal station Spain. Rofa yacht club con transform landlubbers into qualified sailors  writer Rota naval station Spain old salts can learn new tricks. And they can learn those tricks from Young salts says Navy cmdr. Paul Mcpartlin the Commodore of the Rota yacht club. Mcpartlin a Sailboat enthusiast for 12 years believes the Best Way a Young Sailor can Leam More about sailing is to teach younger sailors. People who have Learned the basics of sailing the 22-foot, Sloop egged boats used by the club teach those skills to otherworld be sailors. The philosophy seems to work since the year old yacht club has More than 200 members some family members and some the people who sail the Navy s big ships. The club offers sailing lessons that can make a stiff legged landlubber into a Sailor. Members pay $30for family memberships and $1s for singles. That s for All the training you can stand Mcnart sub members can Advance through four of the five categories in sailing certification from mates who Leam the fundamentals through racing Skippers who learn rules of International racing and advanced sailing techniques. The club does not yet offer lessons in the highest category of sailing offshore or Over the Hon Zon sailing but Mcpartlin said he s looking for some one to teach those advanced skills. The lessons Are part classroom part in the water. 1 qualify As a mate for example requires four two hour classes plus two sailing periods of two to three hours each. Once you re qualified Here you can use the card at any . Navy place around the world Mcpartlin said. Qualified sailors can rent the 22-foot boats at Rota which Are owned by recreational services for $5 an hour smaller boats Cost less Mcpartlin said. Anyone can learn to sail and a lot of sailing is com Mon sense he said. When Mcpartlin starts talking about jigging and ribbing and tacking and halyards i becomes obvious that common sense in Sailor language in t the same common sense landlubbers know. He also said sailing is an equal Opportunity  get some ladies out Here and they love it he said. They re superlative. Some Don t have the weight but you put two people in and they can do  Light people can have problems sailing alone be cause their body weight in t enough to keep it at the proper keel which Means to keep the boat upright. Most instructors at the club Are volunteers who have recently completed the the club s courses. Fred Antic bus has been sailing for years but he agrees with Mcpartlin that the a St Way to learn is to teach. I be Learned More watching these people in six months than in 10 years of sailing before said Antro bus the principal at the Dodds High school at  tune out i learn something  there s no better Way to learn How to sail than to instruct it said Mcpartlin. To see that abject fear of a person who first tries and then to see the Confidence grow it s kind of  a r v is Essif  a i  we / a 4i ?.�. /. All is carefully checked As the Mainsail goes up. Is photos by Lynda Sparks cmdr., Dan White and his son Danny prepare their boat s rigging for a Day of sailing. Members of the Rota yacht club prepare to set sail