How Do I Become A Certified Sailing Instructor?

To become a sailing instructor, one must gain experience in the sport and demonstrate their ability to act as skipper or crew of a sailboat. To become an ASA certified instructor, one must complete a US Sailing Instructor Certification Process, which includes completing a course of study and passing a five-step process.

To become a certified sailing instructor, one must enroll in one of the ASA Instructor Qualification Clinics and attend the Basic Keelboat Sailing Clinic. This free online training course must be completed every year. To become a US Sailing Keelboat Instructor, one must be 18 years of age or older, have at least 3 years of sailing experience, and have the 101 Basic Keelboat level or challenge.

Instructors at US Sailing accredited schools possess outstanding seamanship and communication skills and are trained in their proprietary teaching method. To become a certified sailing instructor, one must check that their chosen course includes the professional qualifications to become a sailing instructor.

Achieving the US Sailing Bareboat Cruising Instructor Certification is a pre-requisite for remaining and advancing in offshore instruction. The ASA Affiliated Sailing School will have an ASA Certified Master Instructor who will evaluate your sailing knowledge and skills. Testing is fairly rigorous, and the five steps to becoming a certified sailing instructor include completing prerequisites, attending the Fundamental Clinic, and completing the required documents.

In summary, becoming a sailing instructor requires gaining experience in the sport, completing a structured plan, and completing prerequisites.


📹 Become an ASA Sailing Instructor

Experience what it’s like to attend an ASA Instructor Clinic (IQC). Have you got what it takes to become a sailing instructor?


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How important is ASA certification?

However, many insurance companies require their customers to prove that they have a proper amount of sailing experience. Having ASA certifications proves to them that you have a certain level of sailing knowledge and skills. Most insurance companies will even lower your insurance rates further with every ASA certification you achieve.

If your goal is to rent a boat or “bareboat charter,” most charter companies require you to be ASA certified for the same reasons that insurance companies do. Further, if you ever plan to charter a sailboat in the Mediterranean you will be required to have an “International Certificate of Proficiency (ICP).” The ASA 104 – Bareboat Cruising certification is the US equivalent and you can receive the (ICP) upon request with no further instruction.

At the end of the day having time on the water is paramount as well as having a formal base of knowledge about safety, rules and regulations, and sailing skills. At First Reef Sailing all of our courses spend a minimum of 12 hours sailing per course!

What is the highest sailing qualification?

Yachtmaster The Yachtmaster (Offshore) Certificate is the biggest single achievement and the last formal examination at sea. In all cases the examinations are conducted separately for Sail and Power and Certificates are endorsed accordingly.

What can an RYA cruising instructor teach?

TeachingPowerboat.Personal Watercraft.Inland Waterways.Sail and Motor Cruising.Shorebased Navigation.Specialist short courses.Dinghy, keelboat and multihull.Windsurfing.

US Sailing Instructor certification
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Does ASA certification expire?

Frequently Asked Questions about ASA Certification Take the online exam when you’re ready—within one year from the date of purchasing the certification package. Before your certification expires in three years, earn 30 continuing education hours and submit your renewal application and fee.

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What is ASA 101 certification?

  • Sailing terminology and its applications
  • Essential knots and line handling
  • Points of sail and corresponding sail trim
  • Knowledge of national boating laws and safety requirements, a.k.a. “Rules of the Road”
  • Introduction to docking and boat handling
  • Safety and seamanship

The latter half of the course focuses on the ASA 103, Basic Coastal Cruising curriculum. While building on local San Francisco Bay knowledge, students will refine their newly acquired know-how while expanding on and improving these skills. Topics of instruction include:

  • Close quarters maneuvering under power
  • Heaving-to
  • Man overboard and recovery procedures
  • Sail reefing at the dock, underway, and while in a hove-to
  • Correcting sail trim for weather helm
  • Tide and current analysis
  • Introduction to chart navigation
How do i become a certified sailing instructor near
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Do sailboats tip over easily?

What causes a small sailboat to capsize? It is often the misalignment of weight, not just the wind. Indeed, even in light wind, if the weight is misaligned, the boat can tip over. Weight sources are people and importantly the boom! When the weight of people is on one side, the tipping of the boat will cause the boom to move to that side by the force of gravity, not necessarily the wind. Indeed, in light winds the force of gravity on the boom can have a greater effect on the position of the boom than the force of the wind! Thus, in light air there is still the potential of capsizing if both the weight of people and boom are on one side. This brings us to the first rule that must be followed:

Rule 1: The centerboard must be fully down at all times when a sail is up.. Now, there may be times with the boat goes aground. For a keelboat, you can put the motor in reverse as strong as possible to see if the boat can be backed out of the mud or sand. At the same time you can try to rock the boat. For a small sailboat with the centerboard down, you can try to use the motor. Preferably, however, you should use an oar to push off from the bottom or oars to row off the bottom. The outboard motor propeller, if made of plastic, is meant to break if it hits a rock or a hard bottom. At this point, it is very tempting to raise the centerboard a few inches to loosen the boat from the bottom. But do not do this – you risk capsizing! First, take the sail down. Then maneuver the boat off the bottom using the oars, motor or other method. Again, fully lower the sail before raising the centerboard even an inch. Note Rule 1, above.

Rule 2: Don’t stand up in a small sailboat when underway.. This rule helps in weight distribution in as least three ways. First, because of the boom, it may be harder to move your body to the correct location on the boat, and second, if the boom, because of gravity or the wind, hits your body (hopefully not your head), it reinforces the force to capsize the boat at a higher center of gravity. Third, if your body or head is at or above the level of the boom, the boom cannot move to let the air out of the mainsail. This exacerbates the force that will tip the boat. Note that standing up is not the sole factor that can cause a boat to capsize, but it can be a contributing factor. At all times, keep low and be prepared to uncleat the mainsheet and let the sail out. Be prepared to shift weight rapidly if necessary, but otherwise keep a low profile and move slowly. In summary, don’t stand up in a small sailboat, except perhaps while boarding.

Sailing Instructor course
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How to become a sailing instructor in the USA?

Steps to Becoming an ASA Certified Sailing InstructorEnroll in one of the ASA Instructor Qualification Clinics. … Attend the Basic Keelboat Sailing Clinic. … Progress to the next level(s) of Certification after having completed your Basic Keelboat Sailing Clinic.

Certified ASA Sailing Instructors have demonstrated that they have excellent sailing skills and possess the ability to teach others. If you have the experience, now you can have the credentials you deserve.

By qualifying to the ASA Instructor Standards you obtain internationally recognized credentials. These credentials document your experience and level of proficiency- from Basic Keelboat Sailing to Offshore Passage making- and assist you in commanding the respect you have earned.

  • Enhancing your career development potential as a professional.
  • Qualified to teach and certify students to uniform national Standards which are internationally recognized.
  • Playing an important role in improving the quality and extent of educational opportunities for the recreational sailor.
  • A member of a professional organization which provides you with teaching materials and services, a centralized national certification authority, continuing education programs for ASA Instructors, member discounts on useful products and services, and a wide variety of other benefits.
  • Recognized internationally as a leader in sail education.
Sailing Instructor jobs
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Do I tip my sailing instructor?

However, it is standard practice in the industry to pay a gratuity to your instructor. A typical tip would range between 15% – 20% of your course fee.

Your instructor will meet you at 3 pm in front of the Conanicut Marina office in beautiful downtown Jamestown, Rhode Island, a small, quaint New England town. If you drive to Jamestown, be sure to arrive early enough (approx. 30 minutes extra) to park your car in long term parking, which the office will help you with. We will walk down the dock and catch the launch out to the moored sailing school cruising boat, a Dufour Gib’Sea 43-“Weatherbird”, located in the anchorage off of the marina.

Once we are comfortably aboard, we get acquainted regarding our boating experience, set class goals individually and as a group for the week, get orientated to the boat, the curriculum, the itinerary, and plan the week’s meals. Your instructor goes ashore to buy provisions while you as a group work on the first skill of the week, searching the boat for all US Coast Guard required safety gear. Upon returning with provisions, we load them aboard and stow them as a group, learning the strategies of proper stowage. Dinner is ashore at one of the great restaurants in Jamestown just up from the marina on Narragansett Ave. Your transportation ashore and back to the boat will be the marina’s launch servicing the mooring field.

We have a simple breakfast, get prepared for class (sunscreen, hats, gloves, water bottles, etc), and learn about basic boat chores. We continue our boat orientation in the morning, leave the mooring, learn to hoist sails and steer straight, tacking, rules of the road, while sailing amongst beautiful classic yachts in Narragansett Bay, which is one of the most popular sailing grounds of America. We drop the anchor in Potter’s Cove or Dutch Harbor on Conanicut Island, learning the principles of anchoring a boat for an overnight stay. We prepare dinner aboard and enjoy a beautiful New England starry night.

ASA Sailing Instructor
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What qualifications do you need to be a sailing instructor?

Qualifications needed to become a sailing instructorRYA Dinghy Sailing Instructor Certificate.First Aid Certificate.RYA Powerboat Level 2.Safe and Fun Safeguarding Course.RYA Membership.

Teach sailing and live life outdoors!. Dinghy sailing is an extreme sport for many, though for some, the attraction lies in a peaceful Sunday afternoon cruise. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or a relaxation addict, Flying Fish guarantees to improve your personal sailing, life skills, and ensure you become a qualified Dinghy Instructor, all in the beautiful backdrop of Syndey Harbour.

Becoming a Dinghy Instructor means you are able to effectively run RYA dinghy sailing lessons for a wide range of people.

With an RYA Dinghy Instructor qualification, you will be able to teach sailing all around the world, work with people who will become friends for life, and grow significantly as a person.

Level 1 Sailing Instructor course
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What is a RYA qualification?

RYA offers many training programmes and courses, which cover all the essential seamanship skills – from understanding nautical jargon to carrying out all the work to keep your boat sailing safely and performant. The courses are sound and practical. They saved lives and helped thousands to enjoy their time at sea.

Why take an RYA Course?. RYA courses are highly regarded worldwide due to the high standards maintained by the RYA training centres and RYA instructors. They provide the full range of practical and shorebased courses to help you gain all the necessary abilities and skills to enjoy yachting with confidence. The courses will get you prepared to sail as a competent crew or skipper on a yacht independently and safely. You should also consider taking a practical preparation course. There is no official RYA prep course, but many sailing schools offer on-the-water preparation courses.

Our trips cover most of the RYA syllabus and can help you with the RYA exams. Many of our participants passed the RYA certifications and keep returning year after year to us to become yet more confident and experienced. Our practical on-the-water training builds confidence, teaching you everything from basic terminology and safety tips to how to skipper a yacht and manage its crew.

ASA Instructor Certification
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Can you wear trainers for sailing?

  • You will need:. A buoyancy aid is essential
  • A wetsuit
  • Water-friendly shoes or old trainers.
  • Waterproofs are important – a jacket with hood or trousers for younger sailors
  • A cap in the summer or woolly hat in the cooler months
  • Sunglasses (with a glasses band or tied on with string)
  • An optional extra is a dry bag, to keep your belongings dry
  • Sunscreen, whatever the weather – the effect of the sun is more intense on the water

Yacht sailing offers a more comfortable adventure, as some larger boats are equipped with toilets and kitchen facilities. Although you’re less likely to contact the water, be prepared for rain and ocean spray. It’s a good idea to dress in layers, so you can warm up by adding or removing as needed.

  • You will need:. A lifejacket is essential
  • A decent raincoat with a hood
  • Waterproof trousers (may not be needed in warmer climates)
  • A jumper or fleece
  • Mid layers – a t-shirt or a long-sleeved top
  • Comfortable and lightweight trousers or shorts
  • A cap in the summer or woolly hat or beanie in the cooler months
  • Sunglasses (with a glasses band or tied on with string)
  • Non-slip shoes or sailing boots
  • A drybag that can be easily carried and stowed away.
ASA sailing Instructor jobs
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How much do sailing instructors make in the US?

The average hourly wage for a Sailing Instructor in the United States is $26 as of June 27, 2024, but the salary range typically falls between $24 and $29.

How much does a Sailing Instructor make hourly in the United States? The average hourly wage for a Sailing Instructor in the United States is $26 as of June 27, 2024, but the salary range typically falls between $24 and $29. Hourly rate can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential.

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:


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How Do I Become A Certified Sailing Instructor
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Debbie Green

I am a school teacher who was bitten by the travel bug many decades ago. My husband Billy has come along for the ride and now shares my dream to travel the world with our three children.The kids Pollyanna, 13, Cooper, 12 and Tommy 9 are in love with plane trips (thank goodness) and discovering new places, experiences and of course Disneyland.

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