ASA/US Sailing

[unbusted67]

Have people taken classes from these organizations? What was your experience?

[Pblais]

I took the ASA series with my wife. It was a great experience. The two organizations take the same approach and the differences are very minor. Both are designed as a series you complete at your own pace in increments.

As with all instruction it's nice if you can meet the instructor first. Both organizations certify the instructors but they are of all different types of people. It is a great way if you don't live close to major sailing area as you can pick up the course one at a time or some in groups all over the US and some do courses in the BVI's. You can do them as part of a vacation if you do the book work ahead of the trip.

Our first ASA course was with 3 other people and a single instructor and the next two were just us an an instructor. Some clases are taught on larger boats and groups may vary in size. I think it's nice if you take the fiest course on a small keelboat like a J22. You don't get all bogged down in heavy equipment and results are more right now.

[S/V Elusive]

Thread moved to the Training Certification forum with all the other ones.

[delmarrey]

You need one more,  Other

I took my first two trainings at NTC, San Diego.

[S/V Elusive]

delmarrey ... amazing .. so did I

[delmarrey]

Did you get a set of these. I still have the old training manual with the hand drawn pictures and illistations.

I should have stuck with continued training but life has it's potholes.

[TexSail]

I learned to sail in the Carribean (primarily Jamaica) seat of the pants style but from some very capable sailors. I finally took 3 ASA classes because it is getting harder to charter now without some documented training. My instructor was quite good and I learned a couple of things (I didn't know what a "cunningham" was prior to the course). Also the US terminology was different from what I had learned. (boom vang vs. kicking strap, marlinspike vs. fid, etc.)

[Vasco]

Marlinspikes and fids are different although both are primarily used for splicing. Fids are for cordage while a marlinspike is used for wire rope. Just being picky.

[JusDreaming]

took both asa and us sailing. I think the exact location determines the quality of the instruction more than the orginization

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Del and Thomas,
I noticed the year '78 on your card. I was teaching classes (Cat 22s) at the Naval Sailing Center located on the Silver Strand south of the AmphibBase then. 75 - 81. I applied for a job at NTC Sailing Center (part time) since I was in the Navy at the time but they asked if I knew anything about repairing outboards and I really didn't then and knew I couldn't fake it. So I stuck with volunteer instructing at Coronado.
I am a qualified American Red Cross Basic Sailing Instructor (now defunct) and a qualified U. S. Sailing Basic Sailing Instructor.
Interesting? Maybe.
JohnL

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

You need one more,  Other

I took my first two trainings at NTC, San Diego.

I need an "other" also.

I took courses from Captain Mel Hill in Clearwater Florida.
I do not still have my card.
My wife has hers though.

I don't need no stinkin card.....AHRRRR!

[alaskadog]

Vasco, just some pickyness here on my part but a marlinspike is a metal tool usually use for unlaying 3 strand rope for various splicing operations. I suppose one could use a marlinspike to unlay or pick apart wire rope or cable but I have never seen that done. Fids are usually used in rope work also but more as an aid in weaving the rope strands through one another in various kinds of splices. At least that is the way I was taught.

[Randomandy]

I took ASA through bareboat with a few different instructors and a couple of different schools totalling about 13 days. My experience was that ASA is about giving the holiday sailor the basics for fair weather sailing. It wasn't very rigorous though. I don't feel very prepared at all for difficult conditions or for getting out of dangerous situations.

[Stranded Mariner]

I learned sailing when I was a teen, on my friends little 10' dinghy. Later we sailed in maritime college, on sloops and converted life boats. Sometimes on yachts of friends.

After I left maritime college and started sailing in the merchant marine, we bought a little 12' sloop to play around with when I was on leave. I lived in Holland at that time, and there were plenty of lakes to explore.

Then I did not sail for many years, till I was stationed in the Caribbean for my company. The past more than 10 years I live in china, and there is not much opportunity here to sail on bigger boats. Early this year we had a long holiday, because of the Chinese new year. To refresh my knowledge, get the feel again, and for the fun of it, I took some courses with an ASA school in Phuket Thailand. That also gave me an opportunity to get to know the area better, where I will base my 'Waratah' when she is finished.
I went with a good friend of mine from Shanghai, and it was good fun and I learned a lot of new things.

[Mark424]

Originally Posted by Randomandy

I took ASA through bareboat with a few different instructors and a couple of different schools totalling about 13 days. My experience was that ASA is about giving the holiday sailor the basics for fair weather sailing. It wasn't very rigorous though. I don't feel very prepared at all for difficult conditions or for getting out of dangerous situations.

I would agree with Randomandy. I always tell people there are multiple rather distinct skill sets: Sailing, big boat handling, & cruising(navigation, anchoring, weather, systems, etc). I think the fastest way to learn to "sail" is in a dinghy or very lightweight keel boat. These boats are much more responsive to the wind, waves, sail trim, helm, etc, so you'll develop the instincts for the wind/boat interaction. Once that becomes intuitive you can move up to larger boats and understand boats and sails that you can't just muscle around. If you want to cruise, somewhere along the way you need to pick up the rest of the skills, navigation, anchoring, weahter, boat systems, night nav/sailing, etc.

I was lucky enough to be able to take a couple dinghy classes (FJs) in grad school. The teacher was the racing team coach, so after some basics, we raced. There is nothing better to teach you what's working and what isn't to have someone in an identical boat go whizzing by you. I also took a bunch of keelboat and larger boat classes at Orange Coast College. They have a great program. Racing crew experience also helps greatly in building instincts and confidence.

Later when I took the ASA tests so that I could charter it was a snap. The ASA courses are geared to people who want to charter. They aren't necessarily interested in becoming good sailors and don't want to spend a lot of time or money.

A french dive master in Moorea once criticised the PADI certification saying to says that you are "allowed" to dive, it does not say you are "qualified" to dive. The same applies to ASA courses - they say you are allowed to charter - but should be treated as the beginning, not the end of learning.