Santa Barbara Sailing School, Courses and Sailing Instruction

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Learn how to sail boats up to 27′ long.

Overview:
This 20 hour course is a comprehensive introduction to the basic principles of sailing. Taught on stable 22 and 24 foot keelboats, you will be skippering on your first day of class and be confident sailing on your own.

Curriculum includes nautical terminology, docking, rules of the road, sail trim and shape, headsail changes, reefing, crew teamwork and responsibilities, docking under sail, safety procedures, points of sail, tacking/jibing, knots and crew overboard.
Goal: Competent to sail up to a 27’ sailboat in familiar waters.

Prerequisite: None

Please Note: We will find all of your partner(s) for all group classes.

If you have not completed the required reading before your arrival, or are not a valid candidate to test out of a given level, we may have to alter your program’s formula. In any case, our goal is to provide the best instruction possible, even if we have to adapt a new game plan.

Tuition
Public Group of 4 max: $466/person
Test Out: $243
Damage Insurance: $5
Certification Fee $49

Tuition Pricing does not include the following additional costs:
12% Port Tax
Sailing Made Easy Text Book:  $24.95 + tax
ASA Log Book:  $9.95 + tax
ASA Certification Fee:  $49.00 + tax
Postage:  Determined by your ZIP code

We accept major credit cards only. We do not accept cash.

It is customary to leave a gratuity to your instructor if you enjoyed your ASA certification course.

Course Format: Reserve Online

Day # 1                         10am-4pm
Day # 2                         10am-4pm
Day # 3                         9am-5:30pm

101 – Basic Keelboat Sailing Curriculum

General Description:
Sailors must sail a boat of up to 27 feet in length in light to moderate winds and sea conditions in familiar waters without supervision. A preparatory Standard with no auxiliary power or navigation skills required. Successful candidates earn a National Safe Boating Certificate approved by NASBLA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

A Certified Sailor has successfully demonstrated his or her ability to:

Identify the following parts of a sailboat:

hull
mast
mainsail

keel
boom
bow

bow pulpit
gooseneck
jib

traveller
stern
stern pulpit

deck
lifelines
cabin

spreaders
shrouds
backstay

headstay
forestay
 

Describe the functions of the following items on a sailboat:

mainsheet
rudder
tiller / wheel

boomvang
boom topping lift
jib sheet(s)

halyard(s)
winches
fairlead vs. padeye

downhaul
outhaul
cunningham

stays / shrouds
shackle
telltails

spring / breast lines
fenders
cleats

Define the following terms: 

port
starboard
skipper

helmsman
crew
forward

aft
coming about
jibing

running rigging
standing rigging
heel

ahead
abeam
astern

windward
leeward
beam

Identify the following sails and parts of a sail:

mainsail
jib
storm jib

spinnaker
genoa
hanks

battens
batten pockets
bolt rope

luff
leech
foot

head
tack
clew

Explain the following terms and points of sail and identify them from diagrams:

in-irons
head to wind
luffing

close hauled
close reach
beam reach

broad reach
running
starboard tack

port tack
windward boat
leeward boat

heading up
heading down / bearing away
sailing by the lee

Apply the Navigation Rules (International and Inland Navigational Rules for prevention of collision) by means of diagrams in the following situations and identify the sailboat or powerboat that is the “stand-on” and “give-way” boat.

  • Port tack and starboard tack sailboats
  • Windward and leeward sailboats
  • Overtaking situation
  • Boat on the right (danger zone)
  • Boats meeting head-on
  • Apply Rule 5 (Look-out Rule) contained in the Navigation Rules (International and Inland Navigation Rules for prevention of collision)
  • Describe the actions to be taken when sailing in the vicinity of commercial shipping (Rule 9. Nav. Rules)
  • Define hull identification number.
  • Describe the difference between planing and displacement hulls.
  • Describe proper means of waste disposal including penalties for improper disposal and means for Notification of authorities in the event of oil spillage.
  • Describe how and when to file a float plan.
  • Describe registration numbers and how to display them.
  • Describe a capacity plate, where to find one and the information which is contained on the plate.
  • Describe an alternate means of determining a boat’s passenger capacity.
  • State the federal standards for determining intoxication using Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).
  • What is the BAC of the state in which you sail?
  • Give 5 situations which may be considered negligent operation on the part of boater.
  • Describe when and to whom boating accidents must be reported.
  • Describe under what circumstances an operator must render assistance to another boater in danger.
  • Describe the information an operator should acquire before operating his/her boat in an unfamiliar area.
  • Describe where a boater would get the information in the item above.
  • Be able to identify lateral aids to navigation by color, shape and numbering.
  • Be able to identify Safe Water, Information and Regulatory Markers by corol, shape and numbering.
  • List required safety equipment for recreational vessels between 23 and 40 feet.
  • Describe procedures for safety trailing and launching a boat.
  • Describe sound signals used by recreational vessels and their meanings.
  • Identify the location and color of running lights used by recreational vessels.
  • Describe common anchor types and anchoring procedures.

Gear & Equipment

  • Select and properly use a personal flotation device.
  • Select proper clothing for sailing.

Sailing

  • Hoist the basic sails, set appropriate luff tensions, and coil and hang halyards and other lines.
  • Without an Instructor or direction, act as helmsman / skipper and crew on a sailboat using proper commands and responses while sailing away and back to a dock and mooring under various wind directions. Sail a windward / leeward course while performing successful come about and gybe.

    Sample Commands: 


    “ease sheets” “easing sheets”
    “heading-up, sheet in” “sheeting in”
    “ready about” “ready”
    “helms-a-lee” “hard-alee”
    “ready to jibe” “ready” “jibe-ho”

  • Lower, fold and stow sails properly.

Man Overboard

  • Describe and demonstrate the actions to be taken by a helmsman / skipper when sailing from the time a person falls overboard without warning until the crew member is safely recovered.
  • Speed is secondary to safety in performing this procedure.
  • Describe how to get an exhausted person aboard.
  • Steer a sailboat by the lee for 100 yards without gybing.
  • Steer a sailboat moving backwards for 20 yards with sails backed.
  • Secure a sailboat to a dock so as to ensure limited movement and set out fenders properly.

Knots

  • Describe the function of and tie the following knots without assistance:
    • bowline (in less than 20 seconds)
    • figure eight (in less than 15 seconds)
    • cleat hitch (in less than 15 seconds)
  • Tie the following knots without assistance in less than 20 seconds:
    • reef / square knot
    • clove hitch
    • round turn and two half hitches

Special Note for Basic Keelboat Standard Certification

The American Sailing Association’s Basic Keelboat Sailing course was recently approved by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard as a recognized Safe Boating Course. As such, it meets all requirements for mandatory education and licensing for every state in the United States.

The Items listed below have been added to the Basic Keelboat Sailing Standard published in the ASA International Log Book. Please note that these items will be taught and tested in courses which lead to ASA Basic Keelboat Sailing Certification.

Apply the Navigation Rules (international and Inland Navigation Rules for prevention of collision) by means of diagrams in the following situations and identify the sailboat or powerboat that is the “stand-on” and “give-way” boat.

  • Boats meeting head-on
  • Define hull identification number
  • Describe the difference between planing and displacement hulls.
  • Describe proper means of waste disposal including penalties for improper disposal and means for notification of authorities in the event of oil spillage.
  • Describe how and when to file a float plan.
  • Describe registration numbers and how to display them.
  • Describe a capacity plate, where to find one and the information which is contained on the plate.
  • Describe an alternate means of determining a boat’s passenger capacity
  • State the federal standards for determining intoxication using Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).
  • Give 5 situations which may be considered negligent operations on the part of a boater.
  • Describe when and to whom boating accidents must be reported.
  • Describe under what circumstances an operator must render assistance to another boater in danger.
  • Describe the information an operator should acquire before operating his/her boat in an unfamiliar area. Describe where a boater would get the information in the item above.
  • Be able to identify by color, shape and numbering, lateral aids to navigation.
  • Be able to identify by color, shape and numbering, Safe Water, Information and Regulatory Markers List required safety equipment for recreational vessels between 23 and 40 feet.
  • Describe procedures for safely trailing and launching a boat.
  • Describe sound signals used by recreational vessels and their meanings.
  • Identify the location and color of running lights used by recreational vessels.
  • Describe common anchor types and anchoring procedures.