Prerequisites: None
Certification: American Sailing Association ASA 101 Certification available optionally
Seasons offered: All

The goal of this course is to be able to sail an auxiliary powered sailboat 20-30' in light to moderate wind and sea conditions in familiar waters without supervision.

Basic sailing terminology

Basic sailing theory

Basic Rules of the Road

Docking and Mooring

Person overboard recovery

Knot tying for sailors

Points of Sail

Tacking and Jibing

Required safety equipment

Contact Bellhaven San Juan Island charter boat cruising for details on this keelboat sailing class.

Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat or equivalent
Certification: American Sailing Association ASA 103 Certification available optionally
Seasons offered: All

The goal of this sail boat course is to be able to cruise safely in local and regional waters as both skipper and crew on an auxiliary powered sailboat 30-35' sailing by day in coastal waters in moderate winds and sea conditions.

Topics and skills covered in this boating course include:

Basic chart symbols and piloting

Understanding Tide and Current publications

Understanding Latitude and Longitude

Taking bearings and plotting positions

Basic anchoring techniques

Fundamentals of aero and hydro dynamics

Basic performance sail trim methods and "shifting gears"

Sail reefing and heaving to

Additional rules of the road

Basic ship systems operations and maintenance

VHF radio procedures

Additional practice of crew recovery

Contact Bellhaven Northwest charter boat cruising for details on this exciting sailing class.

Prerequisites: Basic Coastal Cruising or equivalent
Certification: American Sailing Association ASA 104 Certification available optionally
Seasons offered: All

The goal of this bareboat charter course is to skipper a 30-40' sailboat on a multi-day cruise by day in coastal waters in moderate wind and sea conditions.

Topics and skills covered in bareboat sailing include:

Provisioning and cooking safely aboard

Understanding and maintaining diesel engines

Understanding and maintaining all vessel systems

Customs procedures

Cruise planning using tides and weather as variables

Person overboard recovery

Knot tying for sailors

Points of Sail

Further developing navigation, piloting, docking skills

Further developing sailing abilities

Additional practice of crew recovery

Bellhaven San Juan Island charter yachts can provide contact details on this bareboat sailing course.

Prerequisites: Intermediate Coastal Cruising/Bareboat Chartering or equivalent
Certification: American Sailing Association ASA 105 Certification available optionally
Seasons offered: All

The goal of this offshore boating navigation course is to demonstrate the navigational theory required to safely navigate a vessel in coastal or inland waters in moderate wind and sea conditions.

Topics and skills covered in the coastal navigation course include:

Light lists, Notice to Mariners and other publications of interest to the coastal sailor

Calculating and correcting leeway, set and drift from current and wind

Understand and using danger bearings

Restricted visibility procedures

Dead reckoning, running fixes and other useful navigation skills

Contact Bellhaven sailing classes for details on this coastal navigation boating class.

Prerequisites: Coastal Navigation or equivalent
Certification: American Sailing Association ASA 106 Certification available optionally
Seasons offered: All

The goal of this boating navigation course is to be able to act safely as skipper and crew of a sailing vessel 40-50' for an extended period of time during the daytime and nighttime in unfamiliar waters under all wind and wave conditions where it is still advisable to sail.

Topics and skills covered in advanced coastal navigation include:

Advanced daytime and nighttime electronic navigation using GPS, Loran, Radar, Electronic Chart

Single Side Band radio operation

Advanced weather analysis and prediction using onboard WeatherFax

True vs. apparent wind speed and angles

Advanced sail trim and performance sailing techniques

Setting and dowsing a spinnaker

Watch systems and rotations

Advanced anchoring techniques

Handling various onboard emergencies

Contact Bellhaven San Juan Island charter boat rentals for details on this advanced navigation class in Northwest waters.