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Old 30-07-2024, 20:53   #1
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ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

New member and hopefully a new sailor along with my wife. Several options near us for the ASA classes and a couple of them offer them as stand alone courses (101 then 103, 104, etc) as well as 101 through 104 in one shot (six days)

I can see advantages to both options. Take them separately and get experience in between makes sense. But, all in one shot can be more immersive and makes building on and remembering skills easier

I've got boating experience but no significant sailing experience and my wife has neither. I'm hoping to retire shortly and have leaned heavily toward sailing versus a powered cruiser.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!
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Old 30-07-2024, 22:59   #2
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

It is important to have some sailing time between classes to practice what you learn. ASA even has prerequisites of a certain number of hours on the water before taking the next class.

That said, some classes I think naturally work well together. I took 101 and 103 together as one class that was 5 days, not staying aboard. Then a a few months later after sailing as often as I could between, I took 104 as a 3 day class staying aboard. Then a few months later I took 105-106 as a 5 day stay aboard class.

If your goal is cruising, 105-106 are the classes that really build those skills. Everything until then is just day sailing.
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Old 31-07-2024, 04:05   #3
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

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Originally Posted by wholybee View Post
It is important to have some sailing time between classes to practice what you learn. ASA even has prerequisites of a certain number of hours on the water before taking the next class...
The detailed standards, including pre-requisites, for each ASA certification may be found by clicking the title.
https://asa.com/certifications/

AS 102 & 103 both require ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1, as a pre-requisite.
Higher certifications require all lower certifications, as a equisite.
ASA recommends a minimum of xx on-water sailing hours, before undertaking higher rstings.
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Old 31-07-2024, 06:37   #4
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

We knocked out 101,103,104 in one shot. The whole course was taught on one boat and we lived on the boat for the week with our instructor. We practice all day and take our tests in the evenings. We then chartered the same boat for two weeks and pretty much did the course all over again without the instructor.

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Old 31-07-2024, 06:57   #5
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

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We knocked out 101,103,104 in one shot. The whole course was taught on one boat and we lived on the boat for the week with our instructor. We practice all day and take our tests in the evenings. We then chartered the same boat for two weeks and pretty much did the course all over again without the instructor.

Cheyne
That's exactly what we were looking at. Chartering right after is a great idea. Makes it even more immersive IMHO.

Thanks!!!
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Old 31-07-2024, 07:08   #6
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

If I could control the weather, I could prepare most students for a circumnavigation in a few weeks. However, so much learning happens through different weather, boats, and crews. (and this never ends)

If you choose to pack your classes together and then set off, you’ll be applying a lot of book knowledge and connecting the dots as you voyage. This immersive option can be too intense for some students, and they wont hit a sufficient confidence level because of the lack of actual sailing experiences.

On the other hand, taking one class a year and chartering in between lets you build confidence gradually and practice in real-world situations. Yes you will be more prepared from the get-go, but you will be years older and life is short.

Both ways work, so choose what suits you best. Have fun, be safe, and enjoy.

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Old 31-07-2024, 07:36   #7
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

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Originally Posted by Rorke Miller View Post
If I could control the weather, I could prepare most students for a circumnavigation in a few weeks. However, so much learning happens through different weather, boats, and crews. (and this never ends)

If you choose to pack your classes together and then set off, you’ll be applying a lot of book knowledge and connecting the dots as you voyage. This immersive option can be too intense for some students, and they wont hit a sufficient confidence level because of the lack of actual sailing experiences.

On the other hand, taking one class a year and chartering in between lets you build confidence gradually and practice in real-world situations. Yes you will be more prepared from the get-go, but you will be years older and life is short.

Both ways work, so choose what suits you best. Have fun, be safe, and enjoy.

Rorke
ASA Master Instructor (still learning)

Thank you for the sage advice. I did play the weather in my head a little bit but not for how my wife might react to it. It's a great point that some folks don't learn under stress very well. I taught SCUBA for 15 years and some of the best students in the pool and calm water would forget all kinds of things when in got a little bumpy or visibility went down.

Thank you again for your valuable experience and perspective!!!
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Old 31-07-2024, 08:49   #8
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

For us, especially my wife, the book learning part of the course was a bit intimidating and took quite a bit of time. We did end up getting almost perfect scores on each test, which was probably more than needed, but there is quite a lot to learn in each book, so don't under estimate that.

(Wow - I just checked prices and ASA classes have doubled in price in the few years since we took them!)
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Old 31-07-2024, 09:33   #9
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

Spaced repetition is probably the best way to retain the material long-term. That is, do a class, practice a bit, do another. As the classes generally build on each other, that also means the earlier learnings can be reinforced or corrected over time.

To me, a class every month or two with practice in between is probably optimal. Spacing a year apart is likely to result in much forgetting, in which case the larger initial bolus of a zero-to-hero combo might actually help more.

I also agree with the comment about different weather, boats, and crew (or instructors).
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Old 31-07-2024, 10:31   #10
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

I had to make the same decision, and chose to take the courses separately. I'm glad I did. First of all, that's a lot of time on a boat with strangers. Secondly, it gives you time to go out and sail, clear your brain a little, make some room and come back with enthusiasm. Lastly, it was just difficult logistically to be gone for a week. I'm going back for 103 next month and looking forward to it.
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Old 31-07-2024, 10:32   #11
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

First I don't believe sailing education is a One-size-fits-all.

From my experience I found that ASA 101 is best achived on a small boat. There is a lot of value in learning on a small boat because of the instant feedback compared to a larger boat.

I found that learning the boat systems and preparing for life onboard is best achived on a larger boat. I found it helpful to take the ASA 103,104, 114, and 106 courses on a week long liveabord courses.

During these live abord classes you are learning constantly. If you study the material before getting onboard you will get more out of your liveabord week long classes.

These liveaboard courses and or participating in a flotilla are excellent preperation for bareboat chartering.

I have described the my experience with the ASA 105/106 course in the link below. This is an excellent course to learn to sail without electronics and sail at night. Two things that you won't typically do on a Charter.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3861545

When I decided to learn how to sail my goal was to be able to travel to different destinations and bareboat charter. So unless you plan to sail in a single location I found it to be very helpful to take classes in different locations.

I learned to sail a catamaran in the USVI in December with consistent tradewinds from the East. It was sporty and it was also a great place to learn reef managment!

Taking classes in the San Juans Islands was a great place to cruise/navigate rocks/dock/anchor/ plus the tides / currents can be strong which I learned a lot from compared to my week in the USVI where tides were 12-18in.
We also had a lot of fog which was helpful to use Radar.


Regardless I hope that you find the learning path that fits your needs!
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Old 31-07-2024, 10:53   #12
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

We did a combination class of ASA 101/103 that was a 5-6 days while we lived on the boat at night. It has been awhile since we took the classes but I think it was 5-6 days and that is what we took. The ASA 104 was another live aboard class we took a year or so later.

Between the ASA 101/103 and ASA 104 class we charted the boat we took the class on for quite a few days. Doing it on your own is critical.

The ASA 101/103 class was quite a bit of work though. It was fun but it was work. We would get up in the morning, make breakfast on the boat, eat and study the book and practices knots. They we would go sailing for the day, get back to the dock, have a chat about the day and tomorrow, take a shower, eat dinner, and study the book and practice knot tying. It was a long day. Tiring but worth it.

Doing ASA 101 to 104 I think is too much. There really needs to be time to learn on one's own prior to 104. The classes are just a start. ASA recommends a minimum of 80 hours on your own prior to taking ASA 104.

The school we used, https://myrtlebeachsailingschool.com/, has an ASA 101, 103, and 104 class but one has to have experience and be able to pass ASA 101 on the first day. I would recommend Jason's school to take ASA 101/103 get some experience on your own then go back for ASA 104.

Again, this is a lot of work if the school is doing what should be done. You don't want to burn yourself out and certainly not your wife. This should be fun, and it will be, but the classes will be stressful. Don't push too hard.
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Old 31-07-2024, 11:33   #13
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

I'm an ASA instructor, and have been teaching similar things for most of my life.

In my opinion, if one has the time and resources, one should space out the classes with plenty of practice between them. If possible, take the classes on different boats and with different instructors. Maybe even with different schools.

The curriculum is (more/less) the same wherever you take the class. What is different, and very valuable, is learning things on different boats, from different people, and in different locations.
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Old 31-07-2024, 14:03   #14
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

I split mine up and that’s what I’d recommend. Get some boat time in between. And also take classes in neat places if possible. I could have taken them at home on a lake but I traveled to salt water a few times to get my certs. Much more fun.
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Old 01-08-2024, 11:18   #15
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Re: ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

I took my 101 on a 3 day course (overnighting at local hotel). Shortly afterwards I bought my 1st boat an old Columbia 8.7.

I then spent a couple of years on the water learning the boat all it’s systems, upgrading both my skills and the boat. I became a Faily good single hander, mostly day trips or overnights.

Then I took a 6 day course in the Virgin Islands (it was 101,102,103 and 113) so that could have the needs for a cat rental. There were 3 others, and our instructor was outstanding. I was the only student with solid experience and as such I sort of became the instructors support team.

I learned quickly how much I knew and what I need to learn, the others worked on very basic things and learning the book so they could past certs.
I came away with lots of great knowledge and tricks, at best the others came away with certs and basic understanding.

Five years later I bought a 36’ Gozzard in the USVI and sailed it around the islands, when I did my 1st passage, 100+ NM , I got an experienced local captain to help me do it. He taught me tons of preparation and planning concepts. That trip ran well and again I found out what I could do with backup.

About 5 months later I joined the Salty Dawg homeward rally and with the addition of 3 crew I was able to sail the boat across 1500nm from the islands home to Chesapeake bay. I was surprised how much I had learned over the years, very little came out of the 6 day class rather it was what I was able to build on from the classes with real life experience.
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