How To Set Your Course for Certification Success
Are you going for one or more US Sailing or ASA sailing certifications? Want to know what you can do to maximize your odds of successfully completing your course(s)? What are some of the scenarios that may lead to course incompletion? If you’re unable to complete the course, what are your options to earn your certification without taking the course all over again?
To earn a certification, students are assessed by two means:
On-the-water skills assessment. On the final day of your course, your instructor will observe as you demonstrate the skills practiced during the course. If you are unable to demonstrate the required skills, the instructor will recommend additional practice for you.
Written examination. Most course exams consist of 50 to 100 multiple-choice questions, but some consist of fewer questions and/or a mix of multiple choice questions and written responses. A minimum score of 75% for US Sailing courses or 80% for ASA courses is required to successfully complete the exam.
ASA 105, Coastal Navigation and ASA 107, Celestial Navigation are exceptions to the above. As these are classroom-based courses, there is only a written exam and no on-the-water skills assessment.
We want every sailor to be the best prepared to gain the most from every course. Although it’s very rare for a student to end a course without earning certification, on occasion, it does happen. We have a plan to support and guide students who may require a bit of additional study or practice to meet the organization’s certification standards.
First, let’s look at how to increase your odds of success.
“The best possible preparation of success is empower yourself with trust in self capabilities.” — Anil Sinha
Sailing Course Exam Preparation
Success Begins with Mindset
Maintain a perspective that supports success and prepares you to overcome the challenges and even some possible moments of frustration. You’re learning a new language, a new sport, and in some ways, a new art. Sailing is all of these. It’s a lot to take in!
Facing some fear is natural for many sailors, especially when encountering something new. A quick conversation with one or more team members at Inspire Sailing will help dispel fears that may stem from misinformation. Often, fear is about heading into the unfamiliar and unknown, so the best way to overcome it is simply to confront it head-on.
Don't be too hard on yourself. Different people learn in different ways and at different paces, and “mistakes” are a part of learning. We understand this, your instructor understands it, and we hope you understand it too.
You can do it! No, sailing isn’t for everyone, but the majority of people who take sailing courses do succeed. Added, those who prepare with advance study are not only those who tend to succeed, but those who tend to have the most fun!
Read Your Course Textbooks in Advance
Your course textbooks are included in the purchase price of your course and your best preparation for any course is to read the textbooks. Pay particular attention to those end-of-chapter notes and questions, as they will provide clues as to the type of questions you'll see on the exam.
Some courses are supported by the reading of non-required texts, such as The Annapolis Book of Seamanship by John Rousmaniere. Please be sure to review your enrollment confirmation email to check for any additional recommended book titles.
If you enrolled in your course online, know that your book(s) will be mailed out within a week of your enrollment. If you enrolled in a course that starts within a week or less of the date you signed up, please call the Inspire Sailing office to request expedited shipping. If you live nearby, you can pick up your book(s) in the office. Just be sure to call the office right away if you'd like to pick up your books or request expedited shipping.
Taking a US Sailing Course? Visit the US Sailing Website to Learn About Certification Criteria
The US Sailing website will list the skills and standards required to meet the certification criteria.
Before you take BK, or if it’s been awhile since you completed BK and you’re about to start BC, the Basic Keelboat Online course can help with preparation.
Taking an ASA Course? Visit the ASA Website to Learn About Certification Criteria
Visit https://asa.com/certifications to see the knowledge and skills criteria that you are required to demonstrate for each course in order to earn its certification.
Before ASA 101, check out Your First Sail: A Free Online Sailing Course on the ASA's website and / and try the ASA Sailing Challenge App.
Go Sailing with Experienced Sailors
There is a reason we require 6 on-the-water days as a prerequisite to Bareboat Cruising or ASA 104. There is no substitute for hands-on experience and sailing with seasoned mentors.
Membership with Inspire Sailing Berkeley and Dual Site Membership with Modern Sailing Sausalito connects you with a community of sailors to learn with and from. Club members who are not yet certified to bareboat charter can join Club Sails to make friends and find mentors. Just be honest about your skills, experience, and goals, and it's usually not very long before someone on board encourages you to try new tasks while providing some guidance in the process. Members can also join the Crew List to connect with other members to go sailing with.
Practice, Practice, Practice.
Don’t take for granted that once you read or hear something, that you’ll remember it forever. Even experienced sailors will forget how to tie a bowline knot if they don’t practice it regularly. New knowledge is retained better when it’s applied repeatedly in practice.
Other Home Study Suggestions
Practice knots: clove hitch, cleat hitch, bowline, two round turns and a half hitch, etc. There are many mobile apps available to help you learn your knots.
Make flash cards for vocabulary, sailing terms, light/sound signals, etc.
"Walk" the figure-8 crew overboard recovery maneuver in your living room, calling out the commands, points of sail, etc.
Arrive for Your Course Well-Rested, Well-Fed, and Well-Dressed.
When you are alert, nourished, dry, and warm, you will have more mental space available to absorb all the new information coming your way.
“Preparation doesn't assure victory, it assures confidence.” ― Amit Kalantri, 'Wealth Of Words'
What are some scenarios that may lead to “incompletion” of a course?
There are various reasons that a student may be unable to finish a course or successfully earn the certification:
• The student has missed 50% or more of the course due to illness or emergency.
• The student has correctly answered less than 80% of the questions on the written examination.
• The student is unable to demonstrate the on-the-water skills required to earn the certification.
How can you earn the certification if you were unable to complete the course?
A few days after your course ends, a customer service representative will email and/or call you to let you know your instructor’s recommendations to help you complete the course. Depending on your unique situation, your options will be one or more of the following:
Re-take the Written Exam
If you were absent on exam day or answered less than 80% of the questions correctly, you can schedule a time with the office to retake it. There is no cost to retake the written exam.
Development Sails
Your instructor may recommend that you complete a Development Sail. If this is the case, your Development Sail instructor will help you practice the skills required to earn the certification. He or she also has the authority to state whether your participation in the Development Clinic was sufficient to earn the course certification. Learn more about Development Sails.
Private Lesson
We offer reduced rates on private lessons for our ASA course students needing some one-on-one training to help build on-the-water skills in one or more areas (and ultimately earn the certification).
Member Rate
• 30% off a 3-hour private lesson ($500 – 30% = $350.00)
• Complimentary 4th hour ($0)
Non-member Rate
• 30% off a 3-hour private lesson ($595 – 30% = $416.50)
• Complimentary 4th hour ($0)
During the lesson, your private instructor will focus with you on developing the skill areas that your course instructor had identified as needing more practice. After you are able to successfully demonstrate the skill(s) to your private instructor, he or she can deem your course complete and we will notify the ASA that you have earned the certification.
1-Day Course Drop-In
Call our office the day before an upcoming course is to begin to find out if there are any Drop-In seats available. If so, you may be able to complete your certification by "dropping in" on another class. The cost to Drop-In is only $175.
Questions? Please call our helpful office team at (510) 831-1800 or send us an email at inquire@inspiresailing.com.