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 : $1300. for single persons (plus 5% tax)*. Fee includes four nights accommodation, bedding and towels, and 8 healthy meals while on-board (5 breakfasts , 5 lunches & 5 dinners). Also included are all learning materials including home-study book, log book, CYA exam and certification fees. There will be no other costs other than those you may wish to spend on yourself while ashore.
FIVE DAY OVERNIGHT Course Dates for 2013 |
Persons Able to Join |
|---|---|
| June 14-18 | YES |
| July 5-9 | YES |
| September 8 - 12 | YES |
| other dates TBA |
*Group Rates (2 or more): There is a discount of $50. per person if there are 2 of you joining and $100. discount per person if your group comprises 3 or 4 persons. Alternate departure dates can be arranged for these larger groups.
2) THE VICTORIA "HOME" BASED CRUISING COURSE OPTION offered weekends out of our Victoria (Oak Bay) base.
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 There will also be an evening session to review our work and to write the exam
Course Fees : $850. for singles and $800. (plus 5% tax) for groups of 2 to 4 persons joining. Includes CYA home-study book, log book, and exams. Participants will be expected to dress appropriately for sailing and to bring their own lunches.
Weekend Home Based Course Dates for 2013 |
Persons Able to Join |
|---|---|
April 6, 7 and 13, 14 |
yes |
| MAy 4, 5 and 11, 12 |
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 (reputed by many to provide tbe best all-around sailing condiitons around Vancouver Island). The wide variety of navigational challenges posed, such as the presence of reefs and shoals and navigational makers, to strong tides and currents provide invaluable learning experiences here (another good reason why you should practice in someone else's boat).
Because we like to teach "around" the course and not just to the exam, and recognizing that many students wlll not go on to take the Intermediate Cruising Course, we include additional training and discussion on a range of additional topics. For example, our course will also give you a good insight as to the kind of boats and equipment you might consider or whether owning rather than chartering is best for you.
A CYA course is recognized the world over and provides you with all the basic skills you will need to begin day cruising. And with some additional navigational training and experience, you should have the ability to cruise or Skipper a charter boat most anywhere around the world.
Our method of teaching is to send you the study materials long before hand. So when you arrive, we can concentrate on the practical side of sail training by "doing"what you have studied Note that we keep group sizes down to a maximum of four for all our live-aboard 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. Check out the Sail Canada website to see the range of topics that will be covered under "Basic Cruising Standard".
COMBINATION HOME AND OVERNIGHT BASED CRUISING COURSE : This year we are introducing a new cruising course which features one weekend of instruction out of Victoria (rather than 2), followed the next week by another three days of instruction while living on-board our sailing vessel. The course is concluded with a one evening session to review and to write the exam. This slightly longer course (5.5 rather than 4.5 days) will give participants more time to practice their skills as well as to enjoy cruising and anchoring amongst some of the most lovely areas of the Gulf and San Juan Islands (with the opportunity to go ashore and explore). We take no more than 4 students on all our courses.
Our introductory fee for this new course will be $1000. per person (plus 5% tax)- with a 5% discount for couples. Fee include all course materials, exam, and food while aboard our sailboat, as well as any other expenses while sailing. Our three day cruise will include the Gulf and San Juan Islands. Proposed departures are as follows:
Combination Home and Overnight Cruising Option - Dates for 2013 |
Persons Able to Join |
|---|---|
#1: Five days: June 22, 23 Ashore Victoria and June 27, 28, 29 Cruising on boat |
YES |
#2: Five days: July 19, 20 Ashore Victoria and July 26, 27, 28 Cruising on boat |
YES |
#3: Five days: Sept. 14, 15 Ashore Victoria and Sept. 20, 21 and 22 Cruising on boat |
YES |
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 5% tax. Fee Includes the homestudy book, exam and wallet-size certifcation card indicating proof of taking this course and passing.