-
ASA has certified more than 476,000 sailing students.
-
Over 300 professional sailing schools around the world use the ASA system.
-
ASA membership represents about 85% of the viable, commercial sailing schools in the U.S.
-
ASA is the standard for sailing education in the US and increasingly elsewhere in the world.
-
ASA certification is recognized by major charter boat companies as well as other ASA facilities around the world.
-
ASA has had a functioning, nationwide keelboat program since 1983.
-
ASA is the only certifying organization which has adopted an instructor code of ethics.
One of the oldest and most well-respected sailing programs in the world was introduced by the
American Sailing Association and is recognized world-wide as a leader in sailing education.
Today, with 350+ sailing schools worldwide and 515,000 ASA-certified sailors, ASA represents the
largest and most trusted network of schools in the United States.
Virgin Islands Yacht Charters has partnered with a local sailing school here in St Thomas
with ASA Instructors who have years of experience, patient teaching methods,
and local knowledge to incorporate with proper theory and practical knowledge.
Why ASA, American Sailing Association?
One of the oldest and most well-respected sailing programs in the world was introduced by the
American Sailing Association and is recognized world-wide as a leader in sailing education.
Today, with 350+ sailing schools worldwide and 515,000 ASA-certified sailors, ASA represents the
largest and most trusted network of schools in the United States.
5–Day Practical Training Program
Practical
With this program you spend 5 days with our instructor sailing, mooring, anchoring, docking, and most importantly having fun in and around the gorgeous and warm Virgin Islands sailing area. You will sleep on board in whatever island and bay we end up in; we will share cooking and learn great boat recipes; and evenings will be spent swapping sailing stories, discussing philosophy and pondering humanity under the stars. Typically we will sail around the US Virgin Islands area, but can also pop over to the British Virgin Islands and train you through the process of clearing customs as the Captain of your vessel.
Our instructor works one on one with each student to help them achieve their goals. For example, you might just want to be a competent contributing crew member; or you might want to gain the knowledge to become a Bareboat Charter Skipper. This is why our program works well for couples as well as groups of friends.
At the end of the 5-day program, your instructor will sign your NauticEd Resume verifying your competence to your demonstrated skill level.
The greatest advantage of this practical training program over other programs is that you will be on a charter boat in an actual charter setting. This gives you a realistic experience and prepares you the responsibility of chartering yourself.
Theory
Bareboat Charter Master: The NauticEd Bareboat Charter Master bundle of courses is the prerequisite for gaining the globally recognized rank of Bareboat Charter Master. You are well advised to complete this online highly interactive training prior to arrival. It is doubtful that you will be able to demonstrate practical competence to the Bareboat Charter level if you have not completed these courses. They are a wealth of information and surprise even the most seasoned sailor as to the depth of content.
Qualified Crew: For those wanting a little less responsibility, the NauticEd Qualified Crew Course will be more appropriate. This will help you become an excellent contributing crew member, gain the rank of Qualified Crew, and allow your instructor to verify your Crew competence on your NauticEd Resume.
1-Day Bareboat Confidence Refresher
This is for those who need to wash the rust out; perhaps you’re flying in to do a charter with us, but you are not completely comfortable with specific boat operations or the sailing geography. We will still need you to have a qualified resume, but this course just gives you the confidence you will need to look and feel like a pro by building on what you already know and teaching you any missing vitals.
At the end of the day, (as long as you pass) the instructor will sign your NauticEd Resume verifying your competence to the Bareboat Charter Master Rank.
If you’re going to be a skipper on a Bareboat Charter, you will be well served to complete the NauticEd Bareboat Charter Master bundle of courses.
British Virgin Islands Chart Briefing
Preparing for your charter is an exciting time and there can be a lot of fun in the preparation as well. Once you arrive at base, Virgin Islands Yacht Charters will take you through a thorough chart briefing for the US and British Virgin Islands. NauticEd has a comprehensive BVI Chart Briefing that you can work through online. You'll find this to be very helpful and definitely worth the time whether you have sailed the BVI several times or this is your first time navigating through these waters.
You'll learn NO-GO-Zones, emergency VHF channels, dangerous reefs and rocks, medical emergency contacts, suggested itineraries, favorite bars and restaurants, mooring buoy colors, re-provisioning stores, and much more.
How to do this via iPad
If you have an iPad, your best experience will be to register for the course here then download the NauticEd Course and Testing App from the Apple App Store. This course and all your other courses will be then available on your iPad where you can review the course materials online or offline and take the test. In this manner, the course reference material will be available to you offline when in the BVI.
Alternatively, if you have already downloaded the British Virgin Islands Fast Check Out Chart Briefing App from Apple iTunes for your iPad, you won't need to pay for this course again here to do the test. The iPad BVI App version will give you a promocode directly that you use to register for this course for free (since you already paid Apple for it). Enter all the letters together without the spacer and all lower case.
*Hint you'll be entering 13 letters.
No worries if you don't have an iPad
When you buy the course here online you get an online version but we recognize that you need the material whilst in the islands where you will not be online. Thus, we provide you inside the course with a printable non-interactive PDF version that you can print out and take. OR if you have an Android tablet simply load the PDF onto your Android device.
List Price: $12.95