Seaworthy School of Sailing

From beginning sailors, to advanced ocean passage makers, there is a class at Seaworthy School of Sailing that can further your sailing adventures.

Guiding new sailors to more advanced courses is what Captain Mapes considers his grandest achievement. 'The satisfaction of helping students achieve their sailing dreams is like making landfall after a long passage at sea.'

Allow Seaworthy School of Sailing to help make your wildest sailing dreams a reality. You may even take what you've learned at Seaworthy and grab a berth aboard Voyager for a Voyager Ocean Passage of your own!

Keelboat classes are offered for ASA Certification, or on a private basis without testing. Those taking the classes privately will receive a certificate from Seaworthy School of Sailing attesting that you have demonstrated the skills for that class.



Basic Keelboat 101 - $500 ($900 per couple)

A two day course enabling the student to sail a boat of about 20 feet in length in light to moderate winds and sea conditions in familiar waters without supervision.

A preparatory Standard with no auxiliary power or navigation skills required.

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class.




Basic Coastal Cruising 103 - $600 ($1,000 per couple)

A three day course providing instruction enabling the student to cruise safely in local and regional waters as both skipper and crew on an auxiliary powered sailboat of about 20 to 30 feet in length in moderate winds and sea conditions.

Course 101 is prerequisite.

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class.


Bareboat Chartering 104 - $700 ($1200 per couple)

A three day course of instruction that is an advanced cruising standard for individuals with cruising experience. The individual can act as skipper or crew of a 30-50 foot yacht sailing by day in coastal waters. The Standard includes knowledge of boat systems and maintenance procedures.

Courses 101 and 103 are prerequisites.

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class.



5-Day Combination Course - $1100 ( $2000 per couple) (101, 103, 104)

This concentrated course is designed to help the novice sailor who wishes to learn the art of sailing at a more rapid pace, and gain the equivalent of three courses in one. Certifications for all three courses are included. No prerequisites.

Students considering this course often switch to the Spinnaker Run to Advanced Sailing course. See Below.

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class.



4-day Combination Course - $1000 ($ 1600 per couple) (103, 104)

A very popular four-day course allowing a more rapid learning pace than individual courses.

Students considering this course often switch to the Spinnaker Run to Advanced Sailing course. See Below.

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class.


Performance Sailing - $400 for two people, $25 each per additional student

A 1 day class for experienced sailors demonstrating proper setting, flying, jibing, and dousing of a spinnaker. Also to include sail trim and basic racing tactics. This is a non-ASA class.

Please call or e-mail with any questions or to schedule a sailing class.

 

Coastal Navigation 105 - $350

The certified student is able to demonstrate the navigational theory required to safely navigate a sailing vessel in coastal or inland waters. There is no Sailing Skills part of this Standard and practical application of this sailing knowledge is found in the Advanced Coastal Cruising Standard.

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class



Coastal Navigation Home Study - $225

Allows the student to receive study materials at home to prepare for the Coastal Navigation testing. Phone consultations are available for an additional $60.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class


Advanced Coastal Cruising 106 - $1000 ($1600 per couple)

After this course, the sailing student will be able to safely act as skipper and crew of a sailing vessel of about 30 to 50 feet in length. This is a day and nighttime Standard in coastal and inland water, in any weather.

Prerequisites include Basic Keelboat Sailing, Basic Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering, and Coastal Navigation Standard.

(Guarantees eligibility for a Voyager Ocean Passage)

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class



Celestial Navigation - $375

The certified student is able to demonstrate the Celestial Navigation theory required to safely navigate a sailboat on an offshore passage. The practical application is conducted in the Offshore Passage Making Standard.

No prerequisites.

Offered as a Private class, with certificate from Seaworthy upon successful completion, or as ASA class for certification.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class



Offshore Passage Making - $950 ($1700 per couple)

Sail aboard Voyager on a three day ocean passage that provides instruction and practical experience on an ocean passagemaking vessel at sea. The student is enabled to safely act as skipper or crew of a sailing vessel on offshore passages in any weather. Learn Voyage Planning, Crew Selection, Float Plans, Basic Medical, Routing, Watchkeeping, Shipkeeping, Monitoring and Maintenance at Sea, Meal Planning, and more. The Celestial Navigation Standard practical is performed during this voyage for ASA students. The Celestial Navigation Standard practical is performed during this voyage for ASA students.

Prerequisites for ASA include all previous Keelboat Standards.   The student must also submit the written portion of the ASA Offshore Passagemaking standard.  It must be reviewed by a board of ASA members and the student accepted as eligible for the on-water portion of the certification.  We can then accept the student for that portion of the certification.

Prerequisites include all previous Keelboat Standards.

Offered as a Private class, without testing or as ASA class with ASA testing for certification.
Those completing the class will receive a certificate from Seaworthy.

(Guarantees eligibility for a Voyager Ocean Passage)

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class


Advanced Coastal Cruising and Offshore Passage making Combination - $1200 ($ $2000 per couple)

A combination of two advanced courses in one voyage! Students will receive instruction in both the Advanced Coastal Cruising and Offshore passage making Standards, and are eligible to become certified in both. Prerequisites include all previous Keelboat Standards and Celestial Navigation.

Offered as either Private or ASA class.

(Guarantees a berth on a Voyager Ocean Passage)

Students considering this course often switch to the Spinnaker Run to Advanced Sailing course. See Below.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class


The Spinnaker Run to Advanced Sailing - $1500 ($2800 per couple)

Our Signature Sailing Class A concentrated, energetic course designed to give even novice sailors the knowledge and confidence they need for bareboat chartering anywhere in the world, or to make an ocean passage. This non-ASA curriculum takes elements of all ASA courses in two stages.

This course is a requirement before novice sailors can be considered for a Voyager Ocean Passage. Its successful completion guarantees a berth aboard Voyager for an ocean adventure.

We begin aboard a smaller day sailor and the classroom, and then proceed to Voyager, our Beneteau 46 ocean passage maker, to continue the more advanced phases.

Prerequisites: None.


Phase I

This is a fun-and-learn three day course designed specifically to cover the elements needed in Basic Sailing and Chartering. This is the fastest method available to advance your sailing and boat handling knowledge.

What You Learn in Phase I

  • Identify various parts of the sailboat.
  • Describe the functions of those parts.
  • Define the most common sailing terminology.
  • Identify individual sails and their components.
  • Explain points of sail and be able to identify from diagrams.
  • Discuss the Navigation Rules, and be able to apply them.
  • Deploy sails.
  • Describe proper means of waste disposal, and penalties for oil spillage.
  • Describe registration numbers and capacity plate, and where to display them.
  • Discuss intoxication.
  • Discuss sources of information for sailing in a given area.
  • List required safety equipment on boats from 23 to 40 feet.
  • Describe lights and sound signals for those boats.
  • Learn basic sailing knots.
  • Discuss fuel capacity and range under power.
  • Discuss water capacity and conservation methods.
  • Discuss meal planning and provisioning.
  • Discuss seasickness.
  • Discuss the medical kit.
  • Discuss basic weather.
  • Discuss MOB retrieval methods and recovery.
  • Proper use of winches.
  • Discuss swimming at anchor.
  • Learn basic motoring techniques.
  • Learn docking techniques.
  • Learn helm techniques.
  • Learn basic navigational techniques.
  • Learn Tide and Current Tables and Light Lists.
  • Learn how to heave-to.
  • Learn how to properly prepare to tow.
  • Learn engine components, common remedial actions and monitoring.
  • Discuss courtesy protocols.


Phase II

The advanced portion of the Spinnaker Run to Advanced Sailing begins with Phase 2. This is where we move to the information and skills that will enable you to bareboat charter from anywhere or engage in a Voyager Ocean Passage.

Voyager, herself, is your classroom as we spend four more days together. We spend some time in the classroom mode, and lots of time sailing and practicing the skills you need to know.

Our last day will be spent in the final stages of our instruction, leading to a night-time sail, dinner, anchoring, and sleeping on the hook.
  • Discuss MOB retrieval methods and recovery.
  • Discuss anchoring.
  • Discuss swimming at anchor.
  • Learn basic motoring techniques.
  • Learn docking techniques.
  • Become familiar with all boat systems and their maintenance.
  • Learn how to heave-to, and other storm survival techniques.
  • Learn more about weather systems and how they affect routing.
  • Plan an ocean passage, and develop a Float Plan.
  • Discuss crew preparation.
  • Identify all safety items on board.
  • Learn to operate the VHF radio.
  • Practice all sailing maneuvers including MOB.
  • Prepare meals on board while underway.
  • Reduce sail including the jib and mainsail.
  • Learn heavy weather preparations.
  • Using safety harness, tether, jacklines.
  • Deploy and use the preventer.
  • Discuss the batteries and maintaining a proper charge.
  • Discuss the offshore medical kit and first aid procedures.
  • Discuss monitoring and maintenance procedures while underway.
  • Discuss the log book and important entries.
  • Demonstrate sailing maneuvers at night, including tacking, gibing, anchoring, proper lights, MOB recovery.
  • Emergency procedures (fire, serious leaking, abandon ship).
  • Spend one night at anchor, then retrieve anchor and sail back to base.

With the successful completion of the Spinnaker Run to Advanced Sailing, you will be awarded a certificate demonstrating your accomplishment. Presentation of this certification will attest to your sailing achievement. Present this to your Chartering Company as proof of your ability to Bareboat Charter anywhere.

Guarantees eligibility for a Voyager Ocean Passage.

Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class


Schools Referring Students for Advanced Sailing Classes

Please contact us to discuss the students and what courses interest them. We will then have the students fill out the Registration form, and send it with their deposit. Once the registration is received, we will contact the student to discuss the course(s), scheduling, what they should bring along, and what study materials they need prior to the class. Study materials may include publications obtained from ASA, or from us.

Fees for the courses must be paid in full prior to the beginning of classes. Once we receive final payments from students, we will issue checks to your school in the amount of $100 for each class taken by each student.

We will accept any number of students, but prefer groups of two to four. Our cancellation policy is that students will receive full refunds until two weeks prior to the scheduled class. After that time, the deposit may be used for a re-scheduled class.

We will do everything possible to teach your students professionally, imparting the knowledge and skills they seek, in an atmosphere that allows them to feel comfortable, and to enjoy the experience.


Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a class

Our exciting new affilliation with NauticEd will allow our friends an easy way to further their sailing educations.  Click on the NauticEd banner above, and travel to this new e-school.  Take their on-line courses to gain knowledge and receive certificates when you've successfully passed each module's on-line test.  You are allowed to work at your own pace, even stopping for a while if necessary, and pick up where you left off at a later time.  This is real, current, and valuable information that makes everyone better sailors.  NauticEd has my endorsement, and I encourage our sailing friends to take advantage of this convenient method to learn more about sailing.

Ed Mapes
Voyager Ocean Passages

Contact Us:

Voyager Ocean Passages
4903 Carolina Circle
McKinney, TX 75071
Phone: 972-540-1846
Fax: 972-540-1846 
Email: captainmapes@offshorevoyager.com