INTERMEDIATE CRUISING STANDARD

The objective of this course is to provide a sailor with the basic knowledge and experience required for the undertaking their own sailboat cruise that includes an overnight stopover.

The course includes the planning, living aboard, seamanship, and efficient boat handling capabilities that enable one to safely command a 25' to 35' sailboat, in possible moderate wind and sea conditions, during a cruise of at least 48 hours.

At SailQuest this is offered as a 6-day training cruise. Normal cruising territory is typically includes the Gulf Islands or Desolation Sound of B.C. Depending on student wishes (and budgets), the course can be provided virtually anywhere a cruising sailboat can be chartered. Check out our section on Cruising Vacations.

COASTAL NAVIGATION STANDARD

This course covers the use of publications and instruments (including GPS), aids to navigation, and the plotting of positions to enable a sailor to safely navigate their cruising sailboat in charted waters. There are no prerequisites. This course runs for a minimum of 18 hours and involves a serious amount of "self-study" on the part of the student.

Courses are provided during both the fall and winter terms through Swiftsure Sailing Academy or directly from SailQuest on a custom "small group" basis. top

MARINE RADIO (VHF) OPERATOR'S LICENSE

Industry Canada requires that: "A Restricted Operator's Certificate (ROC) or higher grade certificate is required by the operator of a VHF radiotelephone equipped vessel."

In order to challenge the exam, candidates must be able to provide suitable identification (they do not have to be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants), there is no age limit and the Certificate is issued for life.

Courses for this certification normally run for 6 hours over 2 evenings and are arranged through Swiftsure Sailing Academy or on a small-group "tutorial" basis directly with SailQuest. top

ADVANCED CRUISING STANDARD

This Standard covers sailing theory, sail and boat trim, maintenance, heavy weather precautions, navigation practice, watch keeping, spinnaker handling, and a passage of 48 hours to enable a student to safely sail up to a 15 metre cruising sailboat in coastal waters and in any weather.

Prerequisites include Basic Cruising, Intermediate Cruising and Coastal Navigation Standards; Red Cross or St. John Ambulance Emergency First Aid Certification and VHF radio certification (Radio Operator's Restricted Certificate - Maritime). Minimum course time for this Standard is normally 6 days.

Note: To maximize the likelihood of successfully completing the Advanced Cruising Standard, a student should have:
a) had experience as a skipper equivalent to at least two seasons or twenty days of cruising, and
b) applied the knowledge and practised the skills in the Intermediate Cruising and Coastal Navigation Standards. top