Sailing Lessons & Courses

Sailing Lessons / Courses

 Our trained Canadian Yachting Assoc. (CYA) and American Sailing Assoc. (ASA) instructors offer a variety of sailing lessons and courses which will to teach you to sail and improve your existing sailing skills.

All classes/courses are taught in an easy-to-understand format. We understand that not everyone learns the same way, so we always approach each topic using different teaching techniques so that everyone learns in a friendly and non-competitive environment.

Catalina 22

Sailing lessons are taught on a Catalina 22′ sloop rigged sailboat. Class sizes are limited to 3 people so that all students are always actively involved.

Introductory Half Day Sailing Lessons

Our half day introductory sailing lessons provide students with a great introduction to what sailing is like. It’s amazing what you can learn in 4 hours on the water. We will teach you the sailing basics – tacking and sailing upwind, gybing and sailing downwind, basic sail trimming and some sailing maneuvers like crew overboard recovery and heaving to.

This course is an excellent way to find out whether sailing is something you would like to get interested in. No previous sailing experience is required.

This is a non-certification course.

Contact us for more information.

Half Day Sailing Lessons

This course is tailored more towards individual needs. Most students have had some sailing experience but perhaps no formal lessons. Others may have not sailed for a few years and would like a few brush-up lessons. Some sail quite frequently but want instruction in particular areas – like sail trimming to cope with stronger winds etc.

This is a non-certification course.

Contact us for more information.

CYA – Learn to Cruise

Sail Canada Certification
Sail Canada Certification

This Canadian Yachting Assoc. 4 day course (typically 2 weekends) is an excellent entry level sailing course. This course is the equivalent of taking the ASA 101 Basic Keel Boat and the ASA Basic Cruising courses.

The CYA – Learn to Cruise Standards are extensive but don’t let this intimidate you – we cover all topics thoroughly and spend lots of time on the water to ensure that you are confident with your sailing skills.

On water topics include: tacking, gybing, points of sail, sail trimming, light wind and strong wind sailing, anchoring, heaving to, techniques for recovering a crew overboard (COB), docking, motoring skills plus more.

On shore topics include: buoys and navigational aids, weather, basic nautical chart reading, tide and currents, cold shock, hypothermia, sea sickness, required/recommended safety equipment, refueling procedures, boat parts, navigational lights, rules of the road (COLREG’s) and more.

This is certification course and it acknowledges that your level of sailing competency will enable you to cruise safely in familiar waters as both skipper and crew of a sailboat 6 to 10 meters in length in moderate wind conditions during daylight hours.

This course will put you well on your way to chartering a boat!

Contact us for more information.

Sail  Canada Coastal Navigation

Sail Canada Certification
Sail Canada Certification

This course focus’ on the essentials of navigation when all electronics fail. With nothing more than a nautical chart, a set of dividers, a compass, and a set of parallel rules you will be able to safely navigate your way along any chartered coastal or inlands waters.

You will learn how plan your route, determine your course, plot dead reckonings, estimate position, determine position using 2 point, 3 point and running fixes. Determine the effect of current and leeway and set a course to steer to compensate for both. Calculate Distance Made Good (DMG) and Speed Made Good (SMG) by using vector diagrams. Determine distance off the shoreline by using bearings from your pelorus, calculate danger bearings to avoid potential hazards, determine the height of tide or speed of current at anytime during the tide or current cycle and much more. See: CYA Coastal Navigation Standards

This is a real confidence builder knowing that you have something to fall back on should all your electronic navigational aids fail. It also makes you a better electronic navigator as you become more familiar with reading charts, planning courses and factoring in current (flood and ebb times) and tide (high water and low water times).

This is a certification level course and is recognized worldwide by charter companies. (Most charter companies will require some form of coastal navigation before they will agree to chartering a boat.)

Contact us for more information.

Radio Operator’s Certificate – Maritime (ROC-M)

ROC-M Text Book
ROC-M Text Book

Everyone who operates a VHF, MF or SSB radio is required by law to have a Radio Operators Certificate – Maritime license.

This is the same course offered by the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron (CPSS). The course is very straight forward and will teach you the proper way to use your radio. Emphasis is placed on making Distress (Mayday), Urgent (Pan Pan) and Safety (Securite’) calls. The course is also focused on the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) feature and how this fits into the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS). Students are presented with different situations and must determine the appropriate call to make. Radio lingo and the phonetic alphabetic are also covered.

This course will give you your permanent (life time) ROC-M (DSC) license recognized worldwide. (Charter companies in Croatia and other places are now requiring a radio operators license for marine radio).

Contact us for more information.