Six Day Instruction Program

The Six-Day Instruction Program is an excellent way to learn how to sail. You will experience six days of sailing instruction on the Monterey Bay and Pacific Ocean.

Please read the Questions and Answers below to describe the difference between our six and eight day courses.

The course structure is the same as our weekend group classes, but you'll have the chance to live the real sailing lifestyle after class each day. Pacific Yachting & Sailing offers you the free option of living onboard one of our sailboats after your course time. Our Six-Day courses accommodate a maximum of four students (two students, minimum).



Come as a couple and close the class at two for an additional charge.

The boat you'll be staying on is moored at our docks. The accommodations are simple but adequate. All of the yachts have sleeping berths, galleys (kitchens) with cooking stoves and iceboxes, and heads (bathrooms). Additional bathrooms with showers are close by the docks. Due to the variety of excellent eating establishments within a short walking distance, most students do not cook onboard, however it is permitted. If you do wish to cook aboard, cooking utensils can be supplied at an extra cost if requested. Bedding will also be provided at an extra cost, if requested. We recommend that you arrange to stay at a local inn or hotel the evening prior to the start of your course. There are many local restaurants, grocery stores, a state beach and even a museum all within easy walking distance of your boat.



Testimonials

Cost (per student)
Private (2 students)	6 consecutive days	$1,385.00 Non-Member	$1,300. Member
Private (2 students)	3 weekends*	$1,440.00 Non-Member	$1,360.00 Member
Group (3-4 students)	6 consecutive days	$950.00 Non-Member	$860.00 Member
Group (3-4 students)	3 weekends*	$950.00 Non-Member	$940.00 Member

* does not have to be on consecutive weekends
** this is a special rate for non-members who pay in advance for all 3 courses in advance

Textbooks and Certification:
Sailing Made Easy textbook (101)	$210 includes ASA membership
Coastal Cruising Made Easy textbook (103)
ASA Logbook
ASA Basic Keelboat exam
ASA Basic Coastal Cruising exam

Schedule: Our scheduled Six-Day courses are based on 3-4 students. We put together single students weekly. Students can optionally follow through the Eight-Day Bareboat Course as long as there are at least 2-3 participants. Students registered for private (2-students/consecutive) instruction may start the Six-Day Program on a date of their choosing.

Q: What is the difference between the Six-Day and the Eight-Day Courses?

A: The Six-Day Course is designed so that a student with a dedicated desire can become proficient in sailing a 27-34 foot sailboat. Completion of the Six-Day Course prepares students to take the ASA Basic Coastal Cruising.

This is the level of certification required by many charter companies to bareboat charter, however we recommend following through 8 days total, completing the extra 2 day Bareboat Course to refine all of your skills to near perfection. All charter companies have different requirements to Bareboat Charter (you are the captain with a competent crew). Many companies will require a 2 hour practical check-out no matter what certification you have.

The Eight-Day Course provides the student with an additional two days of practice and instruction to learn more advanced sailing skills. Completion of the Eight-Day Course prepares you to take the ASA Bareboat Chartering or US Sailing Bareboat Cruising Certification.

When a student has completed eight consecutive days, and they have completed all of the practical requirements, our USCG Licensed Captain can certify them to the ASA Bareboat level without a review /check-out. We incorporate a check-out for no extra charge in the last day of an 8 day course(Bareboat Chartering).

Q. Will I be certified to take out 27-34 foot sailboats on the Monterey Bay after 6 days of instruction?

A. Most students that complete 3 week-ends or six consecutive days- which include the Basic Sailing & Seamanship, Basic Coastal Cruising & Intermediate Coastal Cruising courses, need a 4 hr review & 2 hr check-out to satisfy the ASA practical requirements for the Basic Coastal Cruising level certification. However, some students that have had previous sailing experience can pass the Basic Coastal Cruising requirement during course time. Note: Pacific Yachting requires that a sailor has ASA or US Sailing Bareboat Certification or that they can pass our practical check-out.

We recommend following through 8 days total, completing the extra 2 day Bareboat Course to refine all of your skills to near perfection.

The ASA package for the 2 text books (Sailing Made Easy and Coastal Cruising), log book, and 3 written exams- Basic Sailing & Seamanship, Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Chartering is $150. You can take the ASA written exams after you pass the practical check-out.

Because students learn at different paces, we cannot guarantee you will be certified within any time period. However, if you are a good listener, and prove to pick up the essential skills that show you are comfortable with all aspects of boat handling & sailing, you will likely get certified in eight days.

Q: Can I charter boats with Pacific Yachting after six days of instruction if I passed the Basic Coastal Cruising Certification requirement?

A. Here on the Pacific Ocean we require that all of our Bareboat Charterers (you are the Captain) have the Bareboat Certification (8 days) and have at least one crew member that has Basic Coastal Cruising experience. There are many charter companies in less challenging areas that only require Basic Coastal Cruising certification.

Q: Is there any advantage in taking the Six/-Eight-Day Course over three/four weekends?

A: Students who take our courses 8 days consecutively, statistically seem to retain the practical requirements for certification better than those who take the courses on intermittant weekends.

However, students that complete 4 week-ends consecutively or close together, usually do fine passing the practical requirements for Bareboat Certification.

American Sailing Association (ASA)
All Pacific Yachting and Sailing courses incorporate the highest standards of nationally recognized sail training-those of the American Sailing Association (ASA) and US Sailing.

ASA and US Sailing are both nationally recognized sailing certification and accreditation programs. These organizations, which include sailing schools, charter companies, sailing instructors and sailors, set competency standards for both sailing knowledge and on-the-water skills for sailors and instructors from basic to offshore sailing levels. Certification simply means a person has demonstrated a standard of proficiency by passing both written and on-the-water skills tests (much like a drivers license). It provides a means for charter companies to assess a sailor's ability. There are tests for various levels of sailing from Basic Keelboat to Offshore Passagemaking.

The Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Chartering standards meet the requirements of many chartering situations*. The Basic Keelboat certification is also a recognized State Safe Boating course. To earn ASA certification the sailor must pass a series of written examinations as well as an on-the-water examination of practical sailing skills. Because Pacific Yachting & Sailing is located in northern California, directly on the Pacific Ocean, we require all sailors that want to charter our boats have the Bareboat level of certification. Certification at PY&S

At Pacific Yachting and Sailing, ASA is offered as an option, at additional cost. Whether or not you chose the certification option, qualified graduates of our Instructional Program receive Pacific Yachting and Sailing's Charter Certificate at no additional charge. This entitles the sailor to charter PY&S' sailing vessels. We recommend that the sailor maintain documented sailing time at least once every three months to keep current in their skills. To receive PY&S charter certification the student must successfully complete the Bareboat Course and an on-the-water skills test (Practical Checkout).**

Note - most students that complete 4 week-ends or 8 consecutive days- Basic Sailing & Seamanship, Basic Coastal Cruising, Intermediate Coastal Cruising, and Bareboat Chartering can satisfy the ASA practical requirements for the Bareboat level of certification. In other words, it's likely you will be able to take out a boat as a bareboat skipper, with experienced crew, after 8 days in most cases.

Our courses are designed to prepare the student to successfully challenge the certification standards for that particular skill level. Most of our students are able to pass the ASA practical skill requirements during course time. Some students, however, require an additional Review Course or two before they are ready to challenge the Practical Checkout. No two students are alike. We all learn at our own pace. Those with previous boating experience can pick up the fundamentals more quickly than those without previous experience. While there are no guarantees, on average, students at our sailing school are ready to charter on their own after they complete eight days of formal instruction.

*While certification provides a basis for chartering companies to evaluate a customer's competency, even with ASA or US Sailing certification many charter companies may require an on-the-water test of sailing skill (called a "practical checkout") before chartering.
**PY&S Charter Certification is available to others who successfully challenge the Practical Checkout.
Students can take the ASA written exams at any time after they have taken the appropriate practical course(s). Most students that are local come back after the 8 days of instruction (up to the Bareboat level) and take the 3 exams at one time. The exams are not open book.

Optional Certification Cost for Bareboat Certification (8 days):
Includes: Membership to ASA, ASA Log Book, three textbooks - "Sailing Made Easy, Coastal Cruising Made Easy, and Cruising Fundamentals", the ASA Basic Keelboat, Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Chartering written exams - $220.00