ASA Instruction Information

As part of the American Sailing Association (ASA) family, Richard is dedicated to promoting safe recreational sailing by administrating an internationally recognized education system. The ASA's education system consists of Certification Standards for students and instructors. These Standards are minimum requirements of knowledge and ability in safety and seamanship. ASA certification provides documentation of an individual's achievement and is recognized by many national authorities, charter, and insurance companies.

Labe Yoseph Sailing/Diving Adventures is associated with American Sailing Association and our courses prepare you in a natural progression for skill development. Your ASA certification prepares you to sail worldwide with major charter companies. We are also all about fun. Sailing by definition is fun but must be done safely and that can be accomplished with knowledge and experience.

It is imperative that you adequately prepare for the specific course you are attending by reading the recommended text and completing the practice problems. If you arrive to Labe Yoseph without properly preparing for the course by reading and completing the practice problems from the recommended reading list, then you most likely not satisfy the course requirements or meet your intended goal of any specific certification.

Basic Keelboat (BKB 101)

The Basic Keelboat Sailing course is approved by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U. S. Coast Guard as a recognized Safe Boating Course. As such, it meets all requirements for mandatory education and licensing for every state in the United States.

This is a preparatory course with no previous sailing skills required. You will progress from landlubber to experienced sailor.

Skills learned:

Sailboat Familiarization
Sailing Terminology
Points of Sail
Navigation Rules
Review of types of sailboats and boat hull designs
Proper Waste disposal procedures
Tacking & Jibbing Rules of the Road
Man Overboard
Steering & Stopping
Sailor's Knots

Basic Coastal Cruising (BCC 103)

Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing (BKB101)

A hands-on "liveaboard" sailing course on our 46' sailboat. The Intermediate Sailing course is perfect for the sailor who wants to leave the confines of daylight sailing in light wind conditions. Get hands-on experience on big cruising boats with wheel steering and diesel engines. We sail in coastal waters still in sight of land but with more wind and waves and new challenges such as tides and current. Are you Ready?

We begin the course becoming familiar with big boat equipment like roller furling genoas, self tailing winches, diesel engines, and most important, how to properly flush a marine head! The misunderstood and most troublesome piece of equipment on the a cruising or charter boat is the marine head.

You'll gain hands-on experience with wind, tide and current as we learn how to get our nautical charts to give up their secrets to us so we can safely navigate these coastal water to our chosen destination.

While living aboard, you'll also learn:

VHF marine radio communications.
Weather forecasts and how they affect your sailing plans.
Sail Reefing and wind conditions.
Safe anchorage for a peaceful overnight stop.
Picking up mooring on the first pass, every time.
Learn how to dock and undock a big boat.
Recovery of crew overboard.
More useful knots.

This is the course to take if you dream of chartering and sailing a big boat on your own in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean or the Mediterranean or the South Pacific, or...

You will become familiar with big boat systems like roller furling genoas, self tailing winches, diesel engines, wheel steering and other topics to prepare you for a liveaboard 7 day adventure. You will gain hands-on experience with tides and current, meteorology, docking and all other requirements that charter companies demand.

Numerous discussions and exercises take place through the week including:

Developing special cruising menus and provisions for an extended coastal cruise including cooking and eating meals while under sail.
Management of boats' resources (water, electricity, and fuel systems) for the comfort and safety of crew on an extended liveaboard cruise.
Develop an understanding for the different between cruising and charter boats. Learn what to expect when you charter a boat. If purchasing a boat may be in your future, Richard can help put into perspective the things to look for and common mistakes made when purchasing boats.
Create a rotating duty roster for routine and daily maintenance procedures on engine, rigging and boat systems. Learn to obtain and interpret detailed weather forecasts appropriate for extended coastal cruising.
Discuss phenomena of sea breeze and land breeze and effects on our weather.
Discuss the procedures and documents required to enter foreign waters.
Advanced navigation exercises are learned and applied throughout the cruise.

In addition to the flow of normal shipboard events, a variety of simulated emergencies including crew overboard, engine and rigging failure and other situations designed to build confidence in a variety of sailing conditions.

Bareboat Chartering & Intermediate Coastal Cruising (BBC104)

Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing (BKB101) and Basic Coastal Cruising (BCC103)

An advanced cursing Standard for individuals with cursing experience. The individual can act as skipper or crew by day in coastal waters. The standard includes knowledge of boat systems and maintenance procedures.

A wide range of topic all related to the health and safe operation of the boat. Boat systems will be reviewed and many what-if situations will be reviewed to prepare the student to think and deal with boat system operations and possible adjustment of plans should any boat system need attention and possible repair. The following is a partial list of the topics reviewed during the course:

Fuel tank capacity and calculation of distance time sailing
Water capacity and planning
Sea sickness and the prevention
Appropriate clothing for sailing conditions
First aid kit for one week cruise
Spare parts list
Documentation and procedures for entering foreign ports.
Galley procedures
Weather and the effects on long cruises
Radar reflectors
Rafting at anchor
Anchoring and necessary safety procedures.
Marine head use and health and care thereof
Engine checks and why we do them.
Maneuvering of boat in confined spaces.
Marine stove usage
Towing dinghy
Navigation and chart planning
Visual bearings for position fix

Coastal Navigation Standard (CON105)

Prerequisites: None

General Description: Able to demonstrate the navigational theory required to safely navigate a sailing vessel in coastal or inland waters. There is no Sailing Skills part to this Standard and practical application of this Sailing Knowledge is found in the Advanced Coastal Cruising Standard.

A Certified Sailor has successfully demonstrated his or her ability to:

Explain the chart symbols and conventions on U.S. nautical charts in accordance with the terminology of chart #1.
Identify a source of official U.S. Coast Guard navigation publications.
List the publications required for prudent navigation in the local area including the following ASA minimum requirements:
- Large scale charts of the area and chart #1
- Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats
- USCG Navigation Rules
- State small vessel regulations
- Local rules and regulations, if applicable
- Local sailing directions
- Tide and current tables, if applicable
- List of lights, buoys, and fog signals
- Radio aids to navigation (if using radio or RDF)
List the instruments required for prudent navigation in the local area including the following minimum requirements:
- Steering compass and deviation table
- Handbearing compass and / or pelorus
- Binoculars
- Protractor or parallel rule
- Depth sounder or leadline
- Pencil, eraser, and notebook
- Dividers
- Watch or clock
- Log / Knotmeter
Describe the purpose of "Notice to Mariners."
Use the tide and current tables to find:
- Times and heights of tides at reference and secondary ports.
- Direction and rate of current at referenced and secondary stations.
Convert courses and bearings between true, magnetic, and compass.
Check compass deviation by means such as a transit bearing.
Plot a dead reckoning position on a chart using speed, time and course to steer.
Allow for the effect of current and leeway to plot the estimated position.
Determine a course to steer which takes into account known current and leeway.
Determine current given the course steered and speed and two observed positions.
Plot a chart position from terrestrial objects using:
- Two or more bearings on different objects taken at one time.
- Bearings at different times (i.e. a running fix).
- One bearing and transit range.
- One distance (i.e. a sounding or dipping a light) and one bearing.
Use the above techniques to chart a course of at least 20 miles and 3 course changes.
Explain the terms and characteristics used for lighted navigation aids.
Explain the significance of shapes, colors, and lights used in the buoyage system.

In order to satisfy the requirements of this course, you MUST absolutely complete the ASA text, Coastal Navigation Manual/Course which you can find here.

It is imperative that you read all of the reading list books and complete the practice problems prior to your arrival to Labe Yoseph.