ONE WEEK LIVEABOARD COURSE – COMBINED ASA 101-103-104
SATURDAY EVENING TO SATURDAY MORNING
This course is designed as a six day live-aboard course. As such the timing and order of the various learning modules are subject to adjustment based on conditions. Some learning modules will be classroom only, while others will be classroom and practical, while still others will be practical only. All classes are limited to no more than six students to allow sufficient practical time for each student to participate in all the practical lessons. Classroom sessions will be conducted on board the boat either in the cockpit or at the salon table.
SAMPLE CURRICULUM / ITINERARY CHECK IN
COMBINED ASA 101, 103 & 104 LIVEABOARD COURSE
Saturday Evening Check in 5:30 pm
Costa Baja Go Baja Sailing Office #52 Costa Baja Marina / Puerta Cortes
Meet and Greet Dinner 6-8 pm Board, stay in your private cabin.
Sunday Morning
Provisioning and Meal Planning – Classroom & Practical: Discuss meal planning for a one week charter. Discuss the proper storage of provisions on a cruising sailboat.
Galley Operations – Practical: Breakfast – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Safety and Seamanship – Classroom: Discuss USCG required safety equipment and additional recommended safety equipment. Demonstrate where this equipment is located and how to use it. Discuss “thinking smart” as an accident avoidance technique. Discuss the creation of a situational “toolbox” to aid in reacting to unexpected events.
Docking Theory – Classroom: Discuss the steps and considerations needed to leave and return to the dock. Assignment of tasks, helm commands, handling of dock lines, fenders and dinghy. Discuss how wind, currents and boat characteristics affect docking operations.
Leaving Dock – Practical: Put the above classroom lesson into operation.
Initial Sail (Three hours) – Practical: Navigate out the channel and to the first anchorage. Underway, there will be informal classroom style discussions of the Rules of the Road, Bouyage, Parts of the Boat, Sailing Terminology, Weather, Anchoring Basics and Anchorage Selection.
Anchoring – Practical: Practice anchoring the boat with each student getting a turn at the bow and as helmsman.
Sunday Afternoon
Galley Operations – Practical: Lunch – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Theory Session I (One and a Half Hours) – Classroom: Discuss USCG regulations, Rules of the Road, Right of Way, Aids to Navigation: Lights, Bouyage, Daymarks.
Mid-Afternoon Break (One Hour): Kayaking, Snorkeling, Beach Combing.
Theory Session II (One and a Half Hours) – Classroom: Parts of the Boat, Sailing Terminology, Points of Sail, Sail Theory, Sail Trim and Helm Commands.
Sunday Evening
Galley Operations – Practical: Dinner – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up
ASA 101 Written Examination.
Monday Morning
Galley Operations – Practical: Breakfast – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Anchoring – Classroom: Discuss anchors, anchoring theory, anchoring techniques, commands and concerns.
Anchoring – Practical: Raise anchor and get underway.
Sailing I – Practical: Raise and lower mainsail, Unfurl and Furl Jib, Practice sailing to
the various Points of Sail while maintaining proper Sail Trim. Note: The ASA 101 Practical Exam is being conducted during this session.
Anchoring – Practical: Drop Anchor for lunch.
Monday Afternoon
Galley Operations – Practical: Lunch – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Theory Session III – Classroom: Discuss Reefing, Heaving to and Man Overboard Procedures.
Anchoring – Practical: Raise anchor and get underway.
Sailing II – Practical: Practice Reefing, Heaving to and Man Overboard Procedures.
Anchoring – Practical: Drop Anchor for the day.
Afternoon Break – Free time for Students.
Monday Evening
Galley Operations – Practical: Dinner – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Theory Session IV – Classroom: Discuss and demonstrate Cruising Sailboat Terminology, Cruising Boat Systems, and Auxiliary Engine Systems.
Tuesday Morning
Galley Operations – Practical: Breakfast – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Anchoring – Practical: Raise anchor and get underway.
Sailing III – Practical: Discuss and Practice Intermediate Sail Trim; continue with reefing and heaving to practical.
Mooring – Practical: Discuss types of Moorings and how to pick-up and drop moorings. Practice picking up and dropping a mooring.
Morning Break: Snorkeling with the sea lions.
Sailing IV – Practical: Continue practicing sailing skills, helmsman skills and sail trim.
Anchoring – Practical: Drop Anchor for lunch.
Tuesday Afternoon
Galley Operations – Practical: Lunch – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Theory Session V – Classroom: Introduce basic coastal navigation and charting. Discuss weather: wind, waves, currents and storms. Delve deeper into the navigation rules.
Afternoon Break: Free time for Students.
Anchoring/Sailing/Anchoring – Practical: Raise anchor and sail to a new anchorage. Drop anchor.
Tuesday Evening
Galley Operations – Practical: Dinner – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Theory Session VI – Classroom: Discuss Anchor Watches and Night Sailing Watches. Explain different systems for watch setting and the importance of proper watch changes. Discuss anchor dragging determination and responses. Discuss multiple anchoring techniques. Discuss storm tactics.
Wednesday Morning
Galley Operations – Practical: Breakfast – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Review ASA 101/103 Materials – Classroom: Review all materials covered to date.
ASA 103 Written Examination.
Morning Break: Free Time for Students.
Wednesday Afternoon
Galley Operations – Practical: Lunch – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Anchoring – Practical: Raise anchor and get underway.
Sailing V – Practical: Continue honing sailing and skippering skills. During this session the students are being evaluated for the ASA 103 Practical Examination.
Wednesday Evening
Galley Operations – Practical: Dinner – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
OPTION II – Practical: Anchor for the night. Free evening for the Students.
Thursday Morning
OPTION I – Sailing VI – Practical: Finish overnight sail and anchor for breakfast.
Galley Operations – Practical: Breakfast – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Free Morning for Activities: Snorkeling, Hiking, Swimming, etc.
Thursday Afternoon
Galley Operations – Practical: Lunch – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Theory Session VII – Practical: Advanced Boat Systems, Engine Operations, Routine Maintenance, Troubleshooting, Outboard Motor Operation, Dinghy Operations.
Thursday Evening
Galley Operations – Practical: Dinner – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Basic Chart Plotting and Coastal Navigation – Practical: Introduction to chart plotting using paper and electronic charts. Principals of Coastal Navigation; Set, Drift, Course and Route Calculations.
Friday Morning
Galley Operations – Practical: Breakfast – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Anchoring – Classroom: Alternate anchoring and mooring methods
Anchoring – Practical: Raise anchor and get underway.
Sailing VII – Practical: Advanced Sail Trim, Emergency Operations, Health and Safety Considerations.
Friday Afternoon
Anchoring – Practical: Anchor for Lunch.
Galley Operations – Practical: Lunch – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
ASA 104 Written Examination.
Sailing VIII – Practical: During this sail students will receive their final Practical Examination. This sail will be planned such that the arrival at the next anchorage will be in the dark in order to give the students an appreciation for the difficulties of anchoring in an unknown location without the aid of daylight.
Boat Maintenance – Practical: Clean up the boat, pack personal gear in preparation for arrival at the dock.
Anchoring – Practical: Raise anchor and get underway.
Sailing IX – Practical: Final sail back to marina. Once underway we will discuss buoyage, range markers, channel currents, as well as considerations about arriving at the dock.
Docking – Practical: Practice arriving at the dock and securing the boat in existing conditions.
Friday Evening
Anchoring – Practical: Enter and anchor in an unknown anchorage in the dark.
Galley Operations – Practical: Dinner – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up.
Saturday Morning
Galley Operations – Practical: Breakfast – Prepare, Eat and Clean-up. Boat must depart by 10 AM so crew can clean and ready the boat for next class.