ASA 101 / 103 Booked - Any Suggestions on Studying Anything Before I Get There ?

[SouthernHiker]

I'm asking the same question to the school too, but I was wondering if anyone on here thinks there is something I should be studying or looking at before the course?

Any website recommendations for a complete newbie or anything like that? We're really excited about the course.

[Bash]

You might want to pick up on a reference book that can supplement the course materials. Two that are considered standards are: Chapman Piloting and Seamanship, which is now in its 65th printing, and/or the Annapolis Book of Seamanship. Of the two, I find the former more useful.

Read up on anchoring: they teach diddly about this in the courses in which you've enrolled.

[sec906]

Originally Posted by Bash

Read up on anchoring: they teach diddly about this in the courses in which you've enrolled.

Insist that they train you to dock and let you practice repeatedly. Anchoring and docking are critical skills that you need to be confident you can do well. Most of the rest of what they teach you can learned over time or you can fudge your way through it without much consequence.

[s/v Beth]

They will provide you with a pretty good manual, but the Annapolis book is the Bible. Main thing is to have fun! Don't let the instructor make it too serious.

[sailorboy1]

From when I took it 2 years ago, be sure to read the ASA book ahead of time. I would also recommend reading something simple like "Sailing for Dummies" (yes I read it and still look at it sometimes for stuff). The more book knowledge you go in with the more you will get out of it instead of the instructor having to explain everything. This means more doing stuff. Make a list of things to learn about. If you go to the ASA site you can get the list of things you are suppose to know how to do at the end, be sure they all got covered during your lessons.

[nautical62]

As others have said, they will probably send you the book ahead of time. One thing that is especially helpful is to learn all the terms. It can feel almost like learning a second language. Understanding all the principles behind sail trim at various points of sail is also very useful.

Have a great course. Where are you taking it?

[flashmutt007]

The wife & I just finished a week long live aboard 101/103/104 course. Really intense. As said before, read & re-read the course books and any other books you can get your hands on. Also, tie knots until you can tie them in your sleep! Pull up knot demo's on YouTube and keep tying them over and over! It felt pretty good to be able to have that part down pat when we stepped on the boat... The part about the terminology is right too... study those terms before you go and memorize what they are for and how their used. This too allows you more time during the course to spend sailing instead of studying & memorizing for the tests. Good luck!

[sec906]

Originally Posted by flashmutt007

Pull up knot demo's on YouTube and keep tying them over and over!

Check out AnimatedKnots.com too.

[flashmutt007]

Originally Posted by sec906

Check out AnimatedKnots.com too.

I used this site as well, but I found actually seeing the knot being tied on Youtube made it easier for me (saw the hands in action....)...

[Ex-Calif]

K.I.S.S. Guide to Sailing - Easy read lots of cartoons
Start Sailing Right

Although no real preparation is necessary I always like to know a little going in. In preparation I would master -

Knots
- Bowline
- Clove Hitch
- Half hitch
- Square Knot
- Figure Eight stopper

(although not necessary for the courses I use the double fisherman's and the truckers hitch a lot)

Learn these terms / boat parts -

- Types of sails (main, jib, spinnaker,)
- Halyard
- Sheet
- Standing rigging parts (shrouds, forestay, backstay)
- rudder / tiller / keel
- Port / Starboard / fore / aft

Learn these sailing terms

-Points of sail (close hauled, close reach, beam reach, broad reach, training run, run)
- tack vs. jibe
- luffing up, bearing away


Have a lot of fun!

[Tempest245]

Hi Bash...

I teach both these courses. Anchoring is indeed covered in both courses. We anchor under sail and sail off the anchorage. And have a lot of discussion on strategies, scope etc. If the wind is right we sail into our slip and dock under sail as well.


Southern Hiker,

I would echo what has been said here. Read the books provided by the school, that is the material you will be tested on. I agree that practicing knots ahead of time would be helpful. Bowline, square knot, cleat knot, clove hitch, figure 8 , etc. you'll be using them constantly.
Knowing the parts of the boat and the points of sail ahead of time would help.

Other than that, your instructor should make everything clear and see that you are comfortable with everything that is presented.

You'll have plenty of time to read all the other sailing books when the course is done.
There are alot of good ones some of them mentioned here.

I've found that the faster students grasp the basics..the more sailing we can do. And the more fun we can have out there.

Knowing where the wind is at all times and what point of sail you're on and how the sails should be set....seems to be the toughest hurdle for most students to master. Falling off the wind..and easing sails...and heading up into the wind..and hardening sail. Get comfortable with doing that and you'll have fun!

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Tempest245

I've found that the faster students grasp the basics..the more sailing we can do. And the more fun we can have out there.

Knowing where the wind is at all times and what point of sail you're on and how the sails should be set....seems to be the toughest hurdle for most students to master. Falling off the wind..and easing sails...and heading up into the wind..and hardening sail. Get comfortable with doing that and you'll have fun!

I suspect that most instructors, like Tempest, would rather be on the water with you than in the classroom. But on the boat with things happening is not a great learning environment so you have to get the basics on shore.

The faster the basics are done the more time on the water...

I really like the idea of understanding and awareness of where the wind is coming from and understanding you can't sail straight into the wind. Upwind sailing is a good thing to understand in advance.

[SouthernHiker]

Thanks for all the great stuff to study. My course is in less than two weeks, so I better get on it.

I really like the check list you left Ex-Calif.

I'll start there, and get to reading. Don't know how long it will take to get the books for the course, but I'm excited about studying them. Taking most of next week to study and prepare.

Like you guys said, I really want to be ready so I can spend the most time on the water. We are taking the course at Reef Runners in PCB.

Flashmutt007 - where did you take your course? How much more do you feel like you gained from 104? I'm planning on taking it in a month or so.

[sec906]

Originally Posted by SouthernHiker

I really like the check list you left Ex-Calif.

Checklist? I'd like to see that too.

[SouthernHiker]

Guess it's not a checklist per se, but a list of things to study up on. Ex-Calif posted it higher up.

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

K.I.S.S. Guide to Sailing - Easy read lots of cartoons
Start Sailing Right

Although no real preparation is necessary I always like to know a little going in. In preparation I would master -

Knots
- Bowline
- Clove Hitch
- Half hitch
- Square Knot
- Figure Eight stopper

(although not necessary for the courses I use the double fisherman's and the truckers hitch a lot)

Learn these terms / boat parts -

- Types of sails (main, jib, spinnaker,)
- Halyard
- Sheet
- Standing rigging parts (shrouds, forestay, backstay)
- rudder / tiller / keel
- Port / Starboard / fore / aft

Learn these sailing terms

-Points of sail (close hauled, close reach, beam reach, broad reach, training run, run)
- tack vs. jibe
- luffing up, bearing away


Have a lot of fun!