Courses - Overview

If you are looking to find out about sailing, but are not sure that you want to buy a boat just yet, then this course is a good place to start. 

This 3 day on the water course is a great way to learn the responsibilities and gain the skills of handling a sailing vessel in coastal waters. 

This course is taught dockside, which means leaving the dock in the morning and returning each evening. Lunch is aboard, usually at anchor.

Online study is about 10 hours and must be completed prior to starting the sail training. 

Why take a Large Keelboat course?

A large keelboat is a sailboat which is anywhere from 27 to 38 feet in length. Courses taught for the large keelboat have several advantages over learning on smaller boats.

• Large keelboats offer more stability and comfort, especially in rougher  conditions. Training on these vessels builds confidence and competence in handling adverse weather and sea states.
• Maneuvering and docking a large keelboat can be challenging due to its size and weight. Training on a large boat helps sailors develop the skills necessary to handle these situations safely and efficiently.
• If you are planning to charter or own large sailboats, training on a  similar-sized boat provides the relevant experience. 

This 4 day on the water training course provides a solid introduction to cruising an 11 metre sailboat. Students learn to handle the boat under power and under sail with a focus on the basic tenets of being a skipper: communication, responsibility and good seamanship. 

The course is taught in Vancouver's English Bay and the Gulf Islands near Ladysmith. Our dockside course means leaving the dock in the morning and returning each evening. Lunch is aboard, usually at anchor. 

We now offer this course as a liveaboard option in Howe Sound.

Online study is 15-20 hours and must be completed prior to starting the sail training. 

Am I ready to charter and skipper my own boat?

By learning to plan a passage, manage boat systems, and sharing responsibility for the vessel, you’ll experience the realities of cruising  before committing to it on your own.

You’ll sail to new destinations, wake up in quiet anchorages, share meals with like-minded people, and build confidence with every mile.

The Bareboat Charter Master is the next step in learning the necessary skills to charter a vessel for a multi-day trip. Prerequisites for this course are the Skipper Large Keelboat. 

The certification combines:

• 6 core theory courses (navigation, anchoring, maneuvering, etc.) 
• Navigation & passage planning
• Anchoring & mooring mastery
• Boat systems & troubleshooting
• Crew leadership & safety
• Logged sailing experience 

This 5-day liveaboard experience is a set of skills learned in a focused, hands-on progression. During the course, you will act as skipper for the day. As skipper you will choose the course, plan the route, check the weather, consult the tide tables and formulate your ETA. 

More than certifications and logged miles, you'll gain experience and confidence.

("Experience is something you get, right after you needed it!")

The course is taught in the southern Gulf Islands and on the Sunshine Coast.

Online study is 25 hours and must be completed prior to starting the sail training.