Our accelerated ASA 101 - 104 experience

[PalmettoSailor]

Yep, there is no way to learn to sail other than starting off in skiffs as a tyke, serving 3 tours in the Navy and mastering celestial navigation under the tutalage of Captain Bligh personally.

If you want to start when you're in you late fortys or later, well too damn bad, wait until you're reincarnated.

[sailjunkie]

Originally Posted by midlifesailor

If you want to start when you're in you late fortys or later, well too damn bad, wait until you're reincarnated.

Sorry, but I couldn't disagree more strongly! I mucked around with power boats as a kid, then took time off to go to University, start a career and a family. A very close friend took me out sailing when I was 40 and I caught the bug bad when I was 41. I haven't looked back.

We have belonged to a sailing co-op since then (members who buy boats can stay as social members, and it sure beats a yacht club! ), and have welcomed people in their 50's and 60's as members. While some decide that sailing is not for them, many others take to it like ducks to water!

Sorry for coming on strong, but why would you want to discourage people from taking up a sport that we all obviously love?

[sailjunkie]

Originally Posted by jackdale

I am a PCOC examiner. Personally I would like to see the equivalent of the ICC; both theory and afloat skills are assessed.

http://www.irishsailingassociation.c...0the%20ICC.pdf

I heartily agree, Jack. Afloat skills should definitely be tested, and the ICC looks like a good standard.

It has always bugged me that someone can stop by a booth at the Vancouver Boat Show, and walk away after 10 minutes, with a PCOC. While some folks suggest that it is better nothing, it reminds of someone who knows just enough to be **** dangerous.

[PalmettoSailor]

Originally Posted by sailjunkie

Sorry for coming on strong, but why would you want to discourage people from taking up a sport that we all obviously love?

That was a seriously heavy dose of sarcasm.

I was lampooning the folks who seemed to want to prop themselves up by bashing the way the OP entered our sport/obsession.

The guy got some good training, probably equivilent to a year or more DIY experience, and we have folks bashing him and telling him ASA stole his money.

I call BS. The guy never said he's ready for an Atlantic crossing due to his classes. He said he feels he has a foundation to build on and that's what classes are for.

With all the sailors you see that obviously don't know the basic rules of the road, or spending 40 minutes trying to set the anchor right where they'll drag down on you, you'd think there'd be some support for someone taking the initiative to build a good foundation in the basics before setting out to build experience.

[redfishnc]

I have never taken any sailing classes and owned a Catalina 30 for 3 years sailing around on Lake Ontario and Pamlico Sound. I struggled with some things and did alright with others. Have not sailed in about 8 years but have recently signed up for an ASA instructor to provide private lessons. A skiing instruction told me that group lessons only go as fast as the slowest learner in the group. Instruction for me in the past has proved valuable; snow skiing (at 50), skeet and trap shooting (at 54) and now sailing at 61 on my new to me Com-Pac 27. I still recognize nothing is better than experience based on a good foundation of knowledge and I just want to be better. I walk down my dock and look at how lines are cleated off and if this is any indication then a lot of boaters might reconsider taking instruction. I live about 20 minutes to Masonboro inlet and want to be able to sail safely and efficiently in the ocean off the Cape Fear coast. Just being 'good enough' has never been the bar for me.

Sea Witch
Com-Pac 27

[dnf777]

Originally Posted by midlifesailor

That was a seriously heavy dose of sarcasm.

I was lampooning the folks who seemed to want to prop themselves up by bashing the way the OP entered our sport/obsession.

The guy got some good training, probably equivilent to a year or more DIY experience, and we have folks bashing him and telling him ASA stole his money.

I call BS. The guy never said he's ready for an Atlantic crossing due to his classes. He said he feels he has a foundation to build on and that's what classes are for.

With all the sailors you see that obviously don't know the basic rules of the road, or spending 40 minutes trying to set the anchor right where they'll drag down on you, you'd think there'd be some support for someone taking the initiative to build a good foundation in the basics before setting out to build experience.

Bravo. Well said.

[arknoah]

Originally Posted by midlifesailor

He (the OP) said he feels he has a foundation to build on and that's what classes are for.

With all the sailors you see that obviously don't know the basic rules of the road, or spending 40 minutes trying to set the anchor right where they'll drag down on you, you'd think there'd be some support for someone taking the initiative to build a good foundation in the basics before setting out to build experience.

Word up! (Yeah, I'm from that era)

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by jmjatlanta

Okay, I will not start a flame war here, but let me be clear. Our instructor and the ASA itself says these courses are not training to competency. Anyone who believes otherwise after finishing the course was not listening to what was said.

Training to competency is required in aviation. And I'm sure many will agree that they want pilots flying over their house to be trained to competency.

The ASA is training to show you how. The log book shows to you (and yes, charter companies) that you have at least been given basic instruction.

Was it beneficial? You bet! Was it required? Nope. No license is required to sail. Am I smarter about sailing than someone who has been sailing without training for 6 months? Perhaps in some areas, but certainly not in all.

Wifey and I will continue to sail in order to learn. This was strongly encouraged by our instructors. They even encouraged us not to let 2 months go by without getting some time on the water to reinforce the basics learned.

So, if you want my biased, only slightly educated opinion, here it is. If you haven't sailed and want to learn, take the ASA courses 101 - 104 to start. You will leave the course feeling safer than if you did not take the course. I cannot imagine someone taking the course and being less safe than someone who just jumps on a vessel and sails for 7 days.

Logic dictates that a 7 day course will not give you everything you need to be 100% educated. However, the accelerated curriculum fit what we wanted to get accomplished. We feel it was money well spent. To each their own.

I am now stepping off my soap box. I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Great writing up, I enjoyed reading them. The ASA courses are great, very complete and the course material will serve for future references as needed when you have more practice.

Some ASA school, tends to separate husband and wife team. They put them in a different boat, because some hubby tend to more dominating, it ends up the wife learn less. .

Good job and now you need to do practice on the theory that you have learned, and get all new knowledge to sink deep in your head. Soon the how know becomes your second nature, doing the right thing without much thought.