Learn to Sail

ASA 101 | Basic Keelboat Sailing

This is where your sailing journey begins!

ASA 101 is the foundation of your sailing education. In this hands-on course, you’ll learn the basics of sailing, essential sailing terminology, and how to safely take a small keelboat out for a day sail in light winds. Successful students earn a National Safe Boating Certificate, approved by NASBLA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Course Overview

Prerequisites: None! No experience required.
Learn On: Monohull
Minimum Time: 2 days
Certification Earned: ASA 101 – Basic Keelboat Certificate of Competence

What This Certification Gives You

ASA 101 certifies that you are competent to skipper a small keelboat 20 feet or more in length in light to moderate winds and sea conditions, in familiar waters, without supervision. No auxiliary power or navigation skills are required at this level.

What You’ll Learn

Knowledge Covered:

• Basic Sailing Terminology
• Maneuvers and points of sail
• Navigation rules
• Aids to navigation
• Safety gear and procedures
• Safety equipment

Skills You'll Aquire:

By the end of the course without coaching or assistance, you’ll be able to verbalize appropriate commands and demonstrate competence, safety, and good seamanship in the role of Skipper / Helmsman:

1. Depart dock or mooring fully ready to get underway safely
2. Rig/hoist/set sails safely and correctly to obtain proper sail trim
3.  Select and maintain a given tack and course
4.  Demonstrate how to get out of “irons”
5.  Head Up
6.  Bear Away
7. Sail Close Hauled
8. Sail on a Close Reach
9. Sail on a Beam Reach
10. Sail on a Broad Reach
11. Sail on a Run
12. Tack
13. Jibe
14.  As crew, give appropriate verbal responses and perform correct actions
15. Describe and demonstrate the correct actions to be taken while under sail from the time a person falls overboard until safely recovered.
16.  Return vessel to dock or mooring
17. Secure vessel
18. Tie the following knots – Figure 8, clove hitch, cleat hitch, reef knot, bowline, round turn and 2 half hitches.

Choose Your Style of Learn to Sail Vacation:

Complete your ASA 101 course in the format that suits your schedule and learning style:

• Zero To Hero
• Private Sailing Tuition
• By-The-Cabin Week

Enquire

ASA 103 | Basic Coastal Cruising Standard

Expand your sailing skills and knowledge with new topics in safety, weather and navigation.

This is the next step of your sailing journey. You’ll build on the skills you learnt during ASA 101 to be able to sail on larger yachts in moderate wind and sea conditions. 

Course Overview

Prerequisites: ASA 101 | Basic Keelboat Sailing Certification
Learn On: Monohull or Catamaran
Minimum Time: 3 days
Certification Earned: ASA 103 – Coastal Cruising certificate of competence

What This Certification Gives You

ASA 103 certifies that you are competent to sail a boat up to 30ft in moderate wind and sea conditions, in local and regional waters during daylight hours.

What You’ll Learn

Knowledge Covered:

• Cruising sailboat terminology
• Safety Equipment and procedures
• Navigation and weather
• Sail plan
• Seamanship
• Emergencies

Skills You'll Aquire:

By the end of the course without coaching or assistance, you’ll be able to:

1. Locate and examine for compliance the vessel’s federally required and ASA recommended safety equipment.
2. Demonstrate on shore or aboard the vessel the correct method for putting on a life jacket while in the water.
3. Identify the vessel’s battery selector switch and power distribution panel and ensure all switches are in the proper position for getting underway.
4. Ensure navigation lights (sidelights, stern light, steaming light, and anchor light) operate properly.
5. Perform a radio check using a working channel on the VHF radio.
6. Visually pilot the training vessel in and out of a harbor, correlating nautical chart symbols to actual landmarks and aids to navigation.
7.  Steer a compass course (+/- 5 degrees) under power for a minimum of five minutes.
8. Visually inspect the auxiliary engine and demonstrate safe engine starting, operating, and stopping procedures. Demonstrate proper gearshift and throttle usage.
9. Ensure vessel & crew readiness and depart dock or slip smoothly and under control.
10. Approach a mooring buoy (or other mark as a simulation if no mooring available); stop the vessel within boathook reach; attach the vessel to the mooring using an appropriate line or bridle; cast off from the mooring and get underway.
11. Set a bow anchor in water depth 8 feet or greater, using correct procedures including hand signal communication, vessel maneuvers, safety in handling ground tackle, and proper operation of windlass (if equipped). Raise anchor and get underway smoothly using correct procedures.
12. Describe and demonstrate the correct actions to be taken while under power from the time a person falls overboard until safely recovered.
13. Hoist or unfurl sails correctly using halyards and / or furling devices. Describe the effect on sail trim or performance while adjusting lines and controls.
14. Demonstrate correct winch operation, including safety considerations for line tension / breakage, hand / finger position, winch handle insertion / removal, and clearing overrides.
15. Get out of ‘irons’ then select and maintain a given tack and course.
16. Head Up, Tack, Bear Away, and Jibe while pausing briefly at each of the following points of sail: Close Hauled, Close Reach, Beam Reach, Broad Reach, and Run (with sails “wing on wing”).
17. Heave-to and get sailing normally again.
18. While underway, reduce sail area by reefing mainsail and genoa; then shake out reef.
19. As crew, give appropriate verbal responses and perform correct actions during the maneuvers listed above.
20. Describe and demonstrate the correct actions to be taken while under sail from the time a person falls overboard until safely recovered.
21. Lower and/or furl all sails and coil or flake and stow all lines properly.
22. Ensure vessel / crew readiness and use the auxiliary engine to bring the vessel smoothly and under control to a stop next to a parallel dock or into a slip; secure the vessel using appropriate lines and fenders.
23. Describe the purpose of, and construct without assistance and in a timely manner, each of the following knots: Figure-8, Square (Reef) Knot, Clove Hitch, Round Turn & 2 Half Hitches, Cleat Hitch, Bowline, Sheet Bend, Rolling Hitch.

Choose Your Style of Learn to Sail Vacation:

Complete your ASA 103 course in the format that suits your schedule and learning style:

• Zero To Hero
• Private Sailing Tuition
• By-The-Cabin Week

Enquire

ASA 104 | Bareboat Chartering Standard

The cert you need to bareboat charter! Time to really learn to be a Captain.

ASA 104 is the certification you need to be able to bareboat charter! It is an advanced cruising standard for individuals with prior cruising experience. With this certificate, you can act as skipper or crew on a yacht up to 50ft, sailing by day in coastal waters. 

Course Overview

Prerequisites:

• ASA 101 | Basic Keelboat Sailing Certification
• ASA 103 | Basic Coastal Cruising Certification 

Learn On: Monohull or Catamaran
Minimum Time: 3 days
Certification Earned: ASA 104 – Bareboat Cruising certificate of Competence

What This Certification Gives You

Along with sufficient experience, ASA 104 gives you the ability to bareboat charter. The individual can act as skipper or crew of a 30 – 50 foot boat sailing by day in coastal waters. The level includes knowledge of boat systems and maintenance procedures.

What You’ll Learn

Knowledge Covered:

• Cruise planning
• Systems
• Emergencies
• Seamanship
• Navigation and weather

Skills You'll Aquire:

By the end of the course without coaching or assistance, you’ll be able to:

1. Perform a routine vessel inspection, ensuring that all systems and equipment are in working order.
2. Safely operate all live-aboard systems (engine, propane, heads etc)
3. Maneuver vessel safely under power, when docking and in small spaces.
4. Demonstrate excellent understanding and control of sail trim
5. Perform 2 different MOB recovery maneuvers.
6. Plan a trip plotting couses, distances and waypoints. Plot DR and give ETA.
7. Interpret marine weather forecasts
8. Pilot a vessel into an unfamiliar harbour using all available navigation resources.

Choose Your Style of Learn to Sail Vacation:

Complete your ASA 104 course in the format that suits your schedule and learning style:

• Zero To Hero
• Private Sailing Tuition
• By-The-Cabin Week

Enquire

ASA 114 | Cruising Catamaran Standard

The cert you need to bareboat a catamaran!

ASA 114 is the certification required to bareboat a catamaran, focusing on the practical differences between catamarans and monohulls, including sail trim, twin-throttle handling, and life onboard.

Course Overview

Prerequisites:

• ASA 101 | Basic Keelboat Sailing Certification
• ASA 103 | Basic Coastal Cruising Certification 
• ASA 114 | Bareboat Cruising Certification
• The ability to demonstrate competencies in all knowledge and skills elements of those Standards

Learn On: Catamaran
Minimum Time: 2 days (1 day when paired with ASA 104)
Certification Earned: ASA 114 – Catamaran Cruising Certificate of Competence.

What This Certification Gives You

Along with sufficient experience, ASA 114 is the certification you need to bareboat a catamaran! This catamaran course focuses on the differences between sailing and living aboard catamarans and monohulls. You’ll learn how to adjust your sail trim for two hulls and how to maneuver under power with twin throttles. 

What You’ll Learn

Knowledge Covered:

• Catamaran terminology
• Catamaran features and performance
• Catamaran systems
• Heavy weather operation and emergency response
• Seamanship

Skills You'll Aquire:

By the end of the course without coaching or assistance, you’ll be able to:

1. Pre-departure checks
2. Maneuver under power
3. Steer a straight, controlled course astern for at least five boat lengths.
4. Approach a mark under power upwind, downwind, and with wind abeam, in each case stopping the catamaran within 10 feet of the mark.
5. Approach a mooring buoy (or suitable substitute if no mooring is available), attach to the mooring using a bridle, then cast off from the mooring and get underway.
6. Demonstrate the correct actions to be taken while under power to recover a MOB.
7. Demonstrate two anchor/mooring methods as appropriate to local conditions, using correct procedures including hand signals, safety in handling ground tackle, proper operation of windlass and use of a bridle. Raise anchor(s) and get underway using correct procedures.
8. Hold a steady course under sail, maneuver, reefing, MOB.

Choose Your Style of Learn to Sail Vacation:

Complete your ASA 114 course in the format that suits your schedule and learning style:

• Zero To Hero
• Private Sailing Tuition
• By-The-Cabin Week

Enquire

ASA 118 | Docking Endorsement

Able to safely and efficiently dock an auxiliary powered sailboat.

If docking a boat makes you a little nervous then taking your ASA 118 will help calm those nerves! This 1 day course is purely focused on docking monohulls or catamarans. You’ll spend the day in the marina, learning how to tie up safely into stern-to slips, bow-to slips, and T-heads. Nanny Cay Marina offers a range of docking conditions to get you comfortable onboard.

Course Overview

Prerequisites: ASA 101 | Basic Keelboat Sailing Certification
Learn On: Monohull or Catamaran
Minimum Time: 1 day
Certification Earned: ASA 118 – Docking Standard

What This Certification Gives You

The ability to safely and efficiently dock an auxiliary powered sailboat. It also gives you knowledge of basic auxiliary powered theory, engine and throttle controls, as well as proper use of docklines, safety, and crew communication.

What You’ll Learn

Knowledge Covered:

• Describe the characteristics that affect a boat when docking or maneuvering, including hull and keel shape, prop hand, prop shaft angle, pivot point, rudder(s), and windage.
• Explain the relevance of a boat’s pivot point when moving forward or astern.
• Describe the helm controls available for propulsion and steerage
• Explain prop wash, prop blast, and prop walk and their effects on maneuvering a boat.
• Define rudder authority and how it is obtained.
• Compare maneuvering differences between single-rudder and twin-rudder monohulls.
• List the precautions for maneuvering in Reverse gear.
• Explain how a bow thruster is used to maneuver a boat.
• Explain how wind and current affect a boat while docking.
• Describe the purpose, selection, and use of docking accessories including fenders, boat hooks, and dock lines
• List the common knots used for docking and their applications.
• Explain why and how to double a line, take a turn, and surge a line.
• Describe how to properly secure dock lines and fenders when moored alongside or in a slip.
• Compare the implications of fixed vs floating docks when securing a boat.
• Describe transits (ranges) and how they are used when docking.
• Explain how to use the “ferry glide” technique in current.
• Describe the use of spring lines during maneuvering and docking.
• State the safety considerations during docking.
• Describe crewmember duties during docking and undocking procedures.
• Describe the Mediterranean Mooring process and compare different methods for securing the bow.
• Compare maneuvering features between a twin-screw catamaran and a monohull, including pivot point, visibility, differential gear and power, and use of rudders. Explain the process for docking a sailboat with a failed engine.

Skills You'll Aquire:

By the end of the course without coaching or assistance, you’ll be able to:

1. Prepare a docking/undocking plan
2. Make a controlled stop alongside an object.
3. Drive forward, stop, and back up, under control and in a straight line.
4. Maneuver the boat in a confined space, including performing a ‘standing turn’ maneuver, turning the vessel 360 degrees using rudder position and gearshift/throttle control while remaining in a circle not exceeding two boat lengths in diameter.
5. In Reverse gear, back up and stop at a dock or mooring buoy.
6. Round objects in a figure-eight course in Forward gear and in Reverse gear.
7. Dock alongside (a parallel dock) using wind and prop walk to advantage.
8. Dock alongside with wind blowing the boat onto the dock.
9. Undock from an alongside slip with the wind blowing the boat onto the dock; use spring lines to spring out the stern or the bow.
10. Dock alongside with wind blowing the boat away from the dock, using an aft-led spring line.
11. Undock from an alongside slip with the wind blowing the boat away from the dock, using spring lines as needed to avoid other boats berthed fore or aft.
12. Dock bow first or stern first into a slip, as appropriate for conditions. Demonstrate proper use of spring lines and attachment of dock lines and fenders to secure the boat in the slip. Depart from the slip.
13. Perform or simulate a Mediterranean mooring using an anchor, mooring buoy, or lazy lines.
14. Coil and heave a dock line.

Enquire