> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.sailroam.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# The Coach
- URL: https://www.sailroam.com/catana-472-coach/
- Published: 2023-04-26T19:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-04-26T19:00:00.000Z
- Description: Learning to Sail our New Boat
- Author: Jim
- Tags: SV Roam, #jim-yares, #Migrated-1777231078460, #Import 2026-04-26 19:22

Our friend Eric Witte flew in from Baja and spent four days aboard, helping us learn to sail and operate *Roam*. We worked on docking in the morning while the wind was light and went sailing in the afternoon when the breeze came up.

![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/eb69e8e9-8c73-4a47-bab5-87ec812b0d39_2949x2949.jpeg)

Captain Eric Witte

We met Annie and Eric in San Diego early in our catamaran shopping back in August of 2021\. We did [a half-day training sail with them aboard ](https://tradewindadventures.com/?ref=sailroam.com)[*El Gato*](https://tradewindadventures.com/?ref=sailroam.com)*,* their Catana 472\. It made a huge impact on us (obviously since we wound up buying one). We even wound up in a[ YouTube video ](https://youtu.be/LZyPMpgIJwU?ref=sailroam.com)as a result!

Since then, we’ve retained Eric as a consultant and coach to help us evaluate boats and ultimately get up to speed on Roam.

After docking practice in La Cruz, we sailed over to the village of Yelapa on the south side of Banderas Bay and picked up a mooring for the night. A nice, long sail across the bay.

We concluded the trip by sailing east to [Paradise Village Marina](https://www.paradisevillage.com/nuevo-vallarta/Paradise-Village-Marina-Nuevo-Vallarta.html?ref=sailroam.com) in Nuevo Vallarta, which will serve as *Roam’s* summer home. We did a bit more docking practice there with Eric before bidding him goodbye for his trip back to Baja.

We flew every sail and inspected and tested every system on the boat. By the time Eric left us, we had established a good foundation on which we could build experience. Time and money well spent. Thank you, Eric!

### **A Few Photos:**

![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/32de7656-fe34-4299-9865-d7e901b3c41e_2658x2658.jpeg)

Eric goes aloft to make some adjustments to our halyards. A near miss by a paraglider launching off the beach in Yelapa.

![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3e810b59-1d05-412a-9246-b6ca8ed6fdb4_4032x3024.jpeg)

Roam charging across Banderas Bay under asymmetrical spinnaker. We flew every sail on the boat.

![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c0e9e2af-d223-448a-b2bc-1df85320d9d8_4032x3024.jpeg)

Pam at the helm. She’s got it!

![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fb4dcbf6-cff9-4dac-883c-5f2a193eeb5f_4032x2269.jpeg)

Eric and Pam: Dinner at [Il Pescatore, Paradise Village](https://www.paradisevillage.com/Pescatore.html?ref=sailroam.com), Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6c1583ac-80ce-4b1d-a394-51e65e956b2b_3024x3024.jpeg)

The house perro at Los Abuelos, Yelapa, Mexico