Pacific Yachting and Sailing

ASA & U.S. Sailing

All Pacific Yachting and Sailing courses incorporate the highest standards of nationally recognized sail training-those of the American Sailing Association (ASA) and US Sailing.

ASA and US Sailing are both nationally recognized sailing certification and accreditation programs. These organizations, which include sailing schools, charter companies, sailing instructors and sailors, set competency standards for both sailing knowledge and on-the-water skills for sailors and instructors from basic to offshore sailing levels.
Certification simply means a person has demonstrated a standard of proficiency by passing both written and on-the-water skills tests (much like a drivers license). It provides a means for charter companies to assess a sailor's ability. There are tests for various levels of sailing from Basic Keelboat to Offshore Passagemaking.

The Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Chartering standards meet the requirements of most chartering situations*. The Basic Keelboat certification is also a recognized State Safe Boating course. To earn ASA or US Sailing certification the sailor must pass a series of written examinations as well as an on-the-water examination of practical sailing skills.

Certification at PY&S

At Pacific Yachting and Sailing, ASA or US Sailing Certification is offered as an option, at additional cost. Whether or not you chose the certification option, qualified graduates of our Instructional Program receive Pacific Yachting and Sailing's Charter Certificate at no additional charge. This entitles the sailor to charter PY&S' sailing vessels. We recommend that the sailor maintain documented sailing time at least once every three months to keep our certificate valid. To receive PY&S charter certification the student must successfully complete the Intermediate Coastal Cruising Course and an on-the-water skills test (Practical Checkout).** Note- most students that complete 3 week-ends- Basic Sailing & Seamanship, Basic Coastal Cruising & Intermediate Coastal Cruising, need a 4 hr review & 2 hr check-out ( we have once a week) to satisfy the ASA practical requirements for the Basic Coastal Cruising level certification. In other words, it's likely you will be able to take out a boat as a bareboat skipper, with experienced crew, after 7 days.

Our courses are designed to prepare the student to successfully challenge the certification standards for that particular skill level. Some of our students are able to
pass the ASA practical skill requirements during course time. Many, however, require an additional Review Course or two before they are ready to challenge the Practical Checkout. No two students are alike. We all learn at our own pace. Those with previous boating experience can pick up the fundamentals more quickly than those without previous experience. While there are no guarantees, on average, students at our sailing school are ready to charter on their own after they complete six days of formal instruction plus an additional Review Course.

*While certification provides a basis for chartering companies to evaluate a customer's competency, even with ASA or US Sailing certification many charter companies may require an on-the-water test of sailing skill (called a "practical checkout") before chartering.
**PY&S Charter Certification is available to others who successfully challenge the Practical Checkout.

Optional Certification Cost:
ASA Basic Keelboat/ Basic Coastal Cruising Package (Includes ASA Log Book, two textbooks, and written exams)-$100.
ASA Bareboat Chartering written exam-$25.
ASA Advanced Coastal Cruising written exam (includes Coastal Navigation)-$50.

Contact Webmaster