ASA Certification: Is it Really Necessary

[sck5]

tofu tastes like whatever you do to it.

[Ex-Calif]

Making a boat sail is not that hard.

Making it sail fast is a little harder.

Making it sail fast where you want it to go is difficult.

I think a basic course is a good idea for the basics and the confidence it will bring. However, many places now require a check out no matter what certs you bring due to insurance. I haven't come across a place that required me to show a cert.

They wanted a credit card and whatever their check out required.

The issue I think on a 40 foot boat is getting it on the dock under power without breaking it or other boats.

[DRS]

Take a course and learn from other peoples mistakes. You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by sck5

tofu tastes like whatever you do to it.

This isn't going to involve feathers, is it?



Well, we are committed on the lessons now. They got my credit card info. Sounds like I better start trying to remember how to tie dye and grow tomatoes. I didn't ALWAYS think in terms of horsepower, hole shot, WOT and top end....

Sailboats don't require two stroke oil, you say?

[ad_astra]

Originally Posted by Canibul

I have been going to sea most of my life. Wife and I are about to sign up for a sailing course, but the reason is that we want to be able to have some documentation to help us bareboat charter catamarans in various places around the world. We plan to buy a Gemini to keep here in the Turks and Caicos with us, but we would like to fly to, say, Greece, or New Zealand, or Croatia, and charter a 40 footer for a week or two.

I am evaluating various schools right now, looking at the ASA and the RYA courses. I think I will sign us up for one called "Instant Bareboater + Catamaran" by a group called Fairwinds Sailing. Any of you ever heard of them? The course is in the USVI, south of us.

I took the instant bareboater course from Fair Wind back in June on the Chesapeake. The course was invaluable and a load of fun, although very intense. The instructor really knew his stuff and was very helpful, tailored the course to our individual plans. I will note that it will be very helpful if you study the course materials before the course, as there is a fairly limited amount of time to go over the written portion of the test due to the amount of practical skills which must be covered.

[Ashoreschool]

Everything doesn't have to be done the hard way. A few reasons for certification for a new sailor; Improved confidence, a patient professional instructor (with a boat that hit the dock a few a times), reduced insurance costs and increased charter boat availability. It's a changing world. Armed with a good solid basic knowledge, then it's time to go out and learn by doing.

[Dave the Canuck]

Originally Posted by Canibul

This isn't going to involve feathers, is it?



Well, we are committed on the lessons now. They got my credit card info. Sounds like I better start trying to remember how to tie dye and grow tomatoes. I didn't ALWAYS think in terms of horsepower, hole shot, WOT and top end....

Sailboats don't require two stroke oil, you say?

Made the switch from Stinkpotter to Raghanger 3 years ago. Very happy with the decision. Sailing taxes the brain much more than powerboating (I may get hell for that) and the body as well. One issue, though; these things are SLOW. Forget going 50 miles before lunch. As well, you can use some of the same terminology in a different context. Take "hole shot" and "top end" for instance...

[Canibul]

fifty miles before lunch? My boat can go fifty miles in an hour. But I do realize I will have some changes to go through.

Not sure that sailing will tax the body more. After five years of boating year round on a variety of center consoles down here, the wife and I both suffered from the constant pounding. I just had a knee replacement, and she had back problems, and there is no doubt in my mind that running the power boats hard contributed to all of it. I think my leg bones just basically mortared and pesteled my knee joints to mush.

[Dave the Canuck]

Originally Posted by Canibul

fifty miles before lunch? My boat can go fifty miles in an hour. But I do realize I will have some changes to go through.

Not sure that sailing will tax the body more. After five years of boating year round on a variety of center consoles down here, the wife and I both suffered from the constant pounding. I just had a knee replacement, and she had back problems, and there is no doubt in my mind that running the power boats hard contributed to all of it. I think my leg bones just basically mortared and pesteled my knee joints to mush.

That'd be some fast boat. Perhaps an early lunch?

Sorry to hear about your injuries. That being said, though, it's kind of the opposite of a boat with perfect gelcoat; obviously never been really used.

Just went through a bit of your blog. VERY nice.

[Canibul]

Glad you like the blog. It's turned out to be a fun hobby.

The tin knee made a huge difference. It would be hard to explain to someone unless they also had been 'crippled' for thirty years, and then in a matter of months became about five times more active. My new knee is fantastic, I highly recommend it to anyone with OA who is finding themselves limited by knee pain and instability.and the wife had a steroid injection and her back pain is a thing of the past, too. So we find ourselves now looking for MORE adventures, instead of continuing to decline as we had been doing. And getting set up to bareboat charter in various spots around the world is very high on our list. We want to rent a cat in Greece, in New Zealand, and in Croatia over the next few years. And we plan to find a small cat for our local waters and the Bahamas, Central America and further down the Caribbean. We are centrally located for all that. Gemini keeps coming to the top of that wish list.

[osirissail]

The bottom line reason for going to a major recognized sailing school is to get the certificate to show the bareboat charter company so you can rent a boat. Some insurance companies will offer discounts for insurance on you own boat if you have some recognized sailing school training certificate. Finally, you can actually learn something new or a better way of doing something that you never thought of even with 30 years of sailing under your belt already. Yes, an old dog can learn new tricks.

[READY2GO]

My wife would usually sit down in the cabin while I did everything topside. She would come up only to relieve my to go to the head. She just took several ASA classes, and now she can't wait to get out and practice. Seems she didn't want to be at the helm before because she was insecure. Now she has to confidense to do it. She came back from every class with a big grin on her face. Which made me as happy as her. I tried to teach her, but it's not the same from a husband as it is from a teacher.

[sail2wind]

Another thought, we have owned 4 sailboats in S. Cal, Maryland and Miami, and never lost the sight of land. We are purchasing a boat and it will be in the Virgin Islands. We are taking ASA 105/106 to learn navigation skills to allow us to confidently sail the Caribbean. the 5 days of classes are invaluable. Could I sail from the VI's to St. Martin with GPS, chartplotter and my basic navigation skill, yes. But.... The confidence gained by working closely with a professional are skills I can not aquire with friends. Have you ever tried to teach your wife golf, I rest my case, get a PGA profesional or a divorce attorney.

[YOGAO]

Originally Posted by sail2wind

Another thought, we have owned 4 sailboats in S. Cal, Maryland and Miami, and never lost the sight of land. We are purchasing a boat and it will be in the Virgin Islands. We are taking ASA 105/106 to learn navigation skills to allow us to confidently sail the Caribbean. the 5 days of classes are invaluable. Could I sail from the VI's to St. Martin with GPS, chartplotter and my basic navigation skill, yes. But.... The confidence gained by working closely with a professional are skills I can not aquire with friends. Have you ever tried to teach your wife golf, I rest my case, get a PGA profesional or a divorce attorney.

...divorce attorneys also teach golf?

Fair Winds,
Mike