Marrett married a sailor who asked her on their first date whether she wanted to cruise to Easter Island, more than 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile. But even after the yearlong trip, Marrett still didn't really know how to sail, she says. So she started from scratch, taking lessons on a shallow lake with a community sailing group that included lots of kids. The trip, sponsored by Orange Coast College Sailing Center in Newport Beach aboard the center's 65-foot flagship, Alaska Eagle, is mainly for experienced sailors. But throughout the year, the center offers classes on sailing basics aimed at women.
Many old salts think women make better sailors than men in some ways.
Colgate says women are better able to concentrate on several things simultaneously, which comes in handy on the water. Moreover, once we learn to sail, women tend to steer with great intuitiveness and sensitivity, which is encouraging. National Women's Sailing Assn. Offshore Sailing School, tel. Orange Coast College Sailing Center, tel.