- Our Sailing Schools:
- Fort Lauderdale
- Virgin Islands
- St. Maarten
- Newport, RI
Serious training for cruising sailors, and those who want to be
Blue Water Sailing School follows internationally accepted standards of the American Sailing Association (ASA). We offer basic, intermediate and advanced courses in sailing and navigation. Our week-long, live-aboard cruising course format provides the most immersive environment possible and a more thorough experience than being on the boat just a few hours a day. Sure, we have textbooks and required reading, but that’s to prepare you for “hands on” instruction and practice.
We not only teach sailing techniques, we prepare you for a sailor’s way of life.
All of our courses are summarized below. You can check availability and dates, inquire about a particular class, or even apply online by clicking the Enroll Now button. For full details about the ASA curriculum, see the ASA Course Summaries. Information about class times, procedures, policies, and equipment can be found in our FAQ and Travel Planning sections.
Our most popular course - learn to sail on a live-aboard cruise and become certified for bareboat chartering and big boat sailing. This course combines the Basic Sailing (ASA 101), Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA 103), and Bareboat Chartering (ASA 104) levels of the ASA curriculum. No prior experience or certification is necessary for this course. If you’re completely new to sailing, however, it’s very important to study and prepare before the first day of class. You’ll receive course material in advance to help you do this.
Learn how to sail and Bareboat Charter a cruising catamaran. A 7 day, 6 night live-aboard cruise entirely on a cruising catamaran. Includes everything from Course A: Bareboat Skipper (above), with additional catamaran training that meets the ASA Cruising Catamaran (ASA 114) certification standard.
For more details, see Catamaran Sailing.
Designed for past students and others who already have the ASA 104: Bareboat Charter certification and would like to get more experience and sea time without the pressure of formal instruction and testing. A one week, liveaboard course where everyone gets to be the Captain for a day, under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor.
If the course is taken on a catamaran the ASA 114: Cruising Catamaran certification is available to those who do not already have it.
In conjunction with the Starpath School of Navigation, a home study program for Coastal Navigation - ASA 105. Cost includes textbooks, ebooks, additional study materials, software & online support, testing and certification fees. This course, or previous certification in ASA 105: (Coastal Navigation), is required for the Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 106) certification.
For more information and to register: Click here
In this class for experienced coastal sailors you’ll learn advanced seamanship skills, maintenance, and troubleshooting of boat systems. Leaving from our Fort Lauderdale base, this course includes a Gulf Steam crossing to Bimini, Bahamas. After a few days cruising the Bimini Islands, you’ll make a return crossing of the Gulf Stream to Fort Lauderdale.
This course covers the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve the Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 106) certification, with practical application of the Coastal Navigation (ASA 105) material.
Requires previous certification in ASA 101, 103, and 104. These are earned as part of Course A+ - Bareboat Skipper (above). Also requires previous certification in ASA 105 - Coastal Navigation, or concurrent registration in Course N (above).
A class for experienced coastal sailors, in which you’ll apply the navigation theory of Coastal Navigation (ASA 105) on a passage to the Bahamas and back. Learn and practice advanced seamanship skills, onboard maintenance, and troubleshooting of boat systems.
This course covers the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve the Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 106) certification, with practical application of the Coastal Navigation (ASA 105) material. It also includes coursework and certification for ASA 114, Cruising Catamaran.
Students must have prior certification in ASA 101, 103, and 104 (earned in Course A - Bareboat Chartering, above). Also requires previous certification in ASA 105 - Coastal Navigation, or concurrent registration in Course N (above).
In conjunction with the Starpath School of Navigation, a home study program for Celestial Navigation - ASA 107. Cost includes textbooks, ebooks, additional study materials, software & online support, testing and certification fees. This course, or previous certification in ASA 107: Celestial Navigation, is required for the Offshore Passagemaking: ASA 108 certification.
For more information and to register: Click here
The ultimate in sailing education and the highest level of ASA certification. Upon successfully completing this course you’ll be able to act as captain or crew on sailing yachts up to 50 feet, anywhere in the world, in any condition. An unforgettable experience of open ocean and faraway islands. Requires all previous ASA certifications, except Cruising Catamaran (ASA 114).
Learn more about the Offshore Passagemaking course.
Your next step will be to sail around the world on your own boat…