1) THE FIVE DAY CRUISING COURSE OPTION
This option combines “home” study and on-board tutoring with cruising. It consists of five days and four nights sailing the Gulf Islands in our 35 foot Beneteau sloop (or Catalina 42). We usually depart in the early morining from Oak Bay Marina and finish before supper time on the final day. Our season is pretty well all year round
Course Fees : $1250. + tax per person. Four nights accommodation, bedding and towels, 8 healthy meals are included while on-board (5 breakfasts , 5 lunches & 5 dinners). Also included are all learning materials including home-study book, log book, and CYA exam and certification fees.
FIVE DAY OVERNIGHT Course Dates for 2012 |
Persons Able to Join |
|---|---|
| May 2 - 6 | yes |
| June 8 - 12 | yes |
| July 25- 29 | yes |
| Aug 17 - 21 | yes |
| other dates TBA |
Group Rates : If you can organize a group of three to four persons we might be able to work around your dates (AS WELL as provide your group with a discount of 10%).
2) THE VICTORIA "WEEKEND BASED" COURSE OPTION
This option consists of home study, followed by an evening session reviewing our home work, and completing the Ashore Exam. The Afloat Sessions will be conducted on two consecutive weekends from 0900 to 1700 hours, from our Victoria base (sailing from Oak Bay marina using our Beneteau 351. There will also be an evening session to review our work and to write the exam
Course Fees : $800. + tax per person. Includes home-study book, and log book, Participants will be expected to dress appropriately for sailing and to bring their own lunches.
Give us a shout if the dates given below do not work for you. If you are flexible, there is a good chance we can fit you in other dates we are presently planning. Organize a group of three to four and receive a 10% discount.
Weekend Home Based Course Dates for 2012 |
Persons Able to Join |
|---|---|
| May 19, 20 and 26, 27 | yes |
| June 16,17 and 23, 24 | yes |
| July 14, 15 and 21,22 | yes |
| Sept. 1,2 and 8,9 | yes |
Learn what it takes to be crew and/or skipper aboard a sloop-rigged sailboat. In completing this course, the holder is certified by the Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) as being competent to either crew or skipper a sailing vessel of under 10 metres in conditions where: 1) no navigational hazards exist, 2) winds and seas are moderate, and 3) you are within " 5 miles of safe harbour".
We 
will be sailing Oak Bay waters and venturing out into Haro and Juan de Fuca Straits. These waters feature a wide variety of winds (proably be best sailing condiitons to be had around Vancouver Island) as well as some navigational challenges. These range from the presence of many reefs and shoals (requiring basic navigational skills) to widely fluctuating tides and currents (streaming as high as 5 knots in Baynes Channel for example). In passing this course you will have more than just met the CYA standards prescribed above.
In addition, this course will also give you a good insight as to what kind of boat and equipment is best suited to your needs and whether the crusing life is for you. This CYA course is recognized the world over and provides you with all the basic skills you wil need to begin cruising in earnest on your own. Study material which can be sent to you, will maximize the time you will be able to spend sailing and practicing your knowledge on the water.
We like to keep group sizes down to a maximum of five for the weekend home based courses and to four persons for the overnight courses.
Afloat knowledge and Skills taught will include boating terminology, safety and emergency procedures, knots, basic maintenance, sail handling, docking, anchoring, points of sail, reefing, passage planning, basic navigational skills, man overboard procedures, tides and currents, manoevering under power, Collision Regulations weather, and much more. This course will be taught according to (CYA) standards.
Caribbean Cruise & Learn Option. If you woul
d like to obtain your CYA accreditation and combine it with a winter sailing holiday in the Leeward and Windward islands of the Caribbean, then join us on our 48 foot yacht (also called the Ibis)and bring your sun screen!. We will be sailing from the Grenadines north, visiting such islands as St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Antigua, St. Barts and St. Martin. Click here for more information.
PCOC CARD: The Canadian Coast Guard now requires that all boaters - power and sail, be in possession of a Pleasure Craft Operators Card (PCOC ). This card demonstrates a basic knowledge of marine safety issues. Whatever your boat, if it has a motor, you will be required to have this card and to produce it when asked. This card is good for life.
Our Home Study course is followed by two evening CLASSES (after which you will write the exam). Cost $60. plus HST. Includes a homestudy package, exam and wallet-size certifcation card indicating proof of taking this course and passing.