Learn to Cruise Courses -Sailing Lessons on a Keelboat leading to Canadian Yachting Association Certification.

2008 Learn to Cruise Courses The learn to Cruise program is for adults who want to learn how to sail and handle a cruising keelboat safely. A keelboat is a larger sail boat with a weighted keel and overnight accomodation. Two courses are taught by a CYA Advanced Instructor and lead to CYA Basic and Intermediate Cruising qualifications recognised worldwide by charter companies and boating associations. Contact: Phil at (613)634-7462 Learntocruise@cogeco.ca Brochure and mail in application form

Comments from some Course participants in 2006 & 2007:

"Relaxed yet business like instruction. A very good learning atmosphere, instructor's depth of knowledge was obvious. Thanks, an excellent experience, I am a more competent sailor as a result of your instruction."
G.R. Burlington ON. 2006 (boat owner of 2 years)

"Great instructor would highly recommend him, relaxed style, sense of humour, listened to feeback, patient and flexible."
C.L. Godfrey ON 2006(new to sailing)

"Instruction couldn't be better very patient. I had a marvelous experience. Thank you for all of the training, I am miles ahead of where I was prior to the course. It has motivated me to go on and improve my skills."
E.C. 2006 Newmarket ON

"Excellent guidance: I gained confidence in my ability to communicate with the crew and sail the boat, while advice was still available. Thanks for answering my 1000 questions. Great job of bringing a crew together. I'm sad to be ashore!"
T.D. 2006Peterborough ON

"The approach & delivery were spot on...pitch, timing and pace of instruction were ideal..a great week and a wonderful experience the constant presence and active engagement of the instructor are invaluable. The vast amount of helm time just lifts this live aboard training way beyond comparable shore-based rivals"
M.H. Kingston ON 2007 (Dive Instructor)

The Courses:

• The Basic course leads to the CYA Basic Standard .It is intended for people with no or little sailing experience. On successful completion you will be able to sail a 6-10m keelboat in familiar waters and moderate conditions by day, as skipper or crew. The course also covers the Pleasure craft operators card which is included in the fee. The course covers practical sailing skills including knots, raising and lowering sails, tacking, gybing, points of sail, heaving to, reefing sails, crew overboard recovery, anchoring and docking (under power. Theory includes how a boat sails, terminology, rules of the "road", required safety equipment and its use,coping with emergencies, basic weather, tides and basic navigation.

  The Basic course is taught as a 6 day live aboard course. Most other basic courses are taught in four days of sailing on smaller day sailing boats. The live aboard on a comfortable cruising boat with small class sizes of 3 people or 2 couples gives more time to practice skills and covers material beyond the basic curriculum.
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• The Intermediate course leads to the CYA Intermediate Standard. The Basic Standard and further sailing experience are prerequisites for this course. If you are an experienced sailor but without the Basic Qualification you can challenge the Basic before taking the Intermediate Course On successful completion you will be able to cruise safely as both skipper and crew of a sailing yacht of 8 - 12 meters in moderate wind and sea conditions by day. The Standard emphasizes on-the-water skills at a level acceptable for bareboat chartering The Intermediate Course is designed for more experienced sailors who plan to cruise or bareboat charter. Cruise planning, living afloat, weather, boat systems, emergency procedures, more advanced docking, seamanship and basic elements of coastal navigation are taught and practiced. Improved sailing skills are developed including efficient gybing aand tacking, sail trim, flying a cruising spinnaker and two methods of return to a crew overboard. If time permits we will also experience night sailing.The course is taught in a 6 day live aboard format. This longer format, coupled with a small class size provides sufficient time for coaching and practice to meet the skills required and for covering all information necessary for the ashore skills exam in depth.
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• For adult dinghy sailing see Learn to Sail Page