Southern Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification

Description
This course teaches a beginner, with no previous sailing experience, to acquire the skills necessary to handle a sailing yacht proficiently and safely in all wind and sea conditions.

This course prepares the student to safely and efficiently sail boats about 23 feet in length, in light to moderate wind and sea conditions. The theory of sailing, points of sail, nomenclature, rigging, docking, rules of the road, safety at sea, and response of the boat to the movement of the helm are covered, along with sail trim, knots, buoys, international code flags, true and apparent wind, wind shifts and telltales. All of this is aided by Southern Sailing provided workbooks, and other visual aids. In this 12 hour course you will sail in the ocean off St. Augustine Florida., or 3 mile wide St. Johns river in Jacksonville, as weather permits, in the 23’ Sonar, a fast and responsive pure sailing performance boat, with a maximum of four students. Upon successful completion of the first 12 hours of this course and a written exam, you should be able to handle on your own. The instructor will review your skills learned in the course, teach you how to sail some different boats and finally have you solo sail. Your success will give you the opportunity to become certified at the nationally recognized Southern Sailing and will allow you to begin sailing on your own. If you are a novice to the sport of sailing, you will find the confidence you need to make sailing a permanent fixture in your repertoire of talents through this basic course.

Whether this is the first time you will have sailed or you’ve had the opportunity to sail in your past, there are many ways you can learn to sail with SSA. You may take the first 12 hours of the Southern Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification in a variety of schedules, currently the most common schedule is all in one weekend, six hours on Saturday and six hours on Sunday, plus a lunch break. You may also choose to take lessons privately on our boats, or yours.

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Southern Sailing Basic Keelboat Syllabus

Day 1 & Day 2 Theory of sailing – What causes a sailing yacht to move through the water? Function of keel and rudder (hydrodynamic effects) Points of sail (beating, reaching, running) The effects of the wind on the sails for each. Aerodynamic effect of sails and their translation and direct effect on the performance of the yacht. How to change sail shape to respond to various water and wind conditions. Nomenclature of all parts of boat, running and standing rigging, controls, and electronics. Docking and undocking including compensation for winds and tides. Basic knots and hitches and their uses. Function of winches- avoidance of overrides Hoisting, tensioning and trimming the main. Use of roller furling genoa including proper lead positioning Use of traveler to change sail shape and power up or down. Use of tiller to tack and jibe properly. Use of mainsheet to control tacks and jibes in light, moderate and heavy weather. Proper flaking a mainsail to preserve shape and longevity.

Proper fore and aft trim and weight distribution.	Cost is $29* per hour per person
Proper heel angle for various conditions Reducing excessive weatherhelm. Proper use of outboard. Rules of the road. Use of VHS radio Safety at sea – man overboard procedures Reducing sail area in squalls Sailing thru heavy wake from large power yachts Sailing up to a mooring in congested anchorage. Compensation for currents Respecting channel markers Avoidance of running aground.	Cost is $29* per hour per person [ Double Occupancy ] Single Private $44. per hour (6 hours a day for 2 days *) includes catered lunch, snacks and beverages.