Whatever you do on a Sailboat, stay safe & have fun !
Remember, enjoyable everyday sailing can be different from ego driven competition racing. In competative racing you learn to use the wind & currents & shape of your craft. To Race - take the course on Race Rules before you sign up.
Basically, Keep the water out & the People in, don't hit anything bigger or slower than you are.
The Instructors at MacSailing School are our neighbors . We can book them and the students split the cost. Or anyone can just take their courses.
Here is a progression of courses, but you can also be self taught, or perhaps, your family always sailed.
Local Vancouver Sailing Schools and Women friendly schools
CYA Sailing Standards, Keelboat
Learn to Cruise
Basic Crew
Basic Cruising
Basic Keelboat Racing
Intermediate Cruising
Advanced Cruising
Offshore
Learn to Sail
White Sail (Level I)
White Sail (Level II)
White Sail (Level III)
Bronze Sail (Level IV)
Bronze Sail (Level V)
Silver Sail (Level VI)
Gold Sail (Level VII)
Basic Powerboat
Intermediate Powerboat
Basic Outboard
Coastal Navigation
Advanced Navigation
Celestial Navigation
Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachmaster Offshore – What’s the Difference?
The definition of a Yachtmaster is: ‘A yachtsman or woman competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage that can be completed without the use of astronavigation’.
Yachtmasters should be able to enter any well-charted harbour for the first time, with sufficient depth, by day or night.
A Yachtmaster Coastal has ‘the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises, but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages’.
In other words, the theory is the same for both, but less practical experience and skill is required for the Yachtmaster Coastal exam.
How old when starting / number of years using sailboats.
Types & size of boats you have crewed on
Types & size of boats you have Skippered
Location of waters sailed.
Solo Skipper experience
Navigation & Chart reading skills
NOTE: the self taught person is often missing the aspects of teamwork and task assignments. Often safety and security for crew and self, is different for a lonely learner. It can also be slower, and learning by mistakes can be expensive.