ASA vs USS

[eherlihy]

Originally Posted by mrarcher

Thanks for the tips eherlihy!

On edit, that link GoSailing.com redirects to steelbirdsailing.com out of Greece it seems, so I guess it might not working anymore?

I didn't post a link... but maybe the CF Forum website did...
Here is a link https://gosailingapp.com/

[chuckr]

I have no idea about USS but I do know that when we have sailed into various countries or been checked by officials and want to see our "sailing credentials" I show them my ASA booklet with all the stamps and they have always been accepted.

[Pete17C]

mrarcher,

Do you have any sailing experience? Are you looking to sail bigger boats, or would small boats be OK? Many beachside boat rental places only require that you show them you can sail, usually like just leave the dock or beach and get the sails up, tack once or twice and you're good to go, maybe a half hour (obviously this varies by merchant).

If you have no experience, many also offer lessons to get you so you can go solo in their boats, but you won't get any cool stamps from a sailing organization.

I rented lots of small sailboats before I took any classes.

[frenchee]

Hey all,
I rather add onto this thread and see if I can get a response now, versus creating a new thread. If I don't get response here I might create a new one.

So I see that in the US the certifications are ASA vs. USS but when I look on creweseekers website, all the "required" training are mostly for "RYA competent crew".
That seems to be hard to find in the US. I would imagine that it's the resume that counts, but I'm still curious about what's "preferred". I think that's an open ended question because there are many factors.

[mrarcher]

Thanks for kicking this back to the top frenchee. I've never heard of RYA, so that seems to be another association of some kind - Perhaps more European based? I dunno.

However, as a follow up, I still haven't taken lessons just yet, but I did connect with a Chicago based sailing club, and found some crew wanted ads. Ended up finding a couple of nice folks looking for inexperienced crew and as a matter of fact, I'm playing hooky again tomorrow. Last time, got a lot of trim and wheel time on a 32" Hunter and tomorrow is a Bene 36.7 First. Pretty excited.

My plan is to take the first course this fall, now that all the kiddies are off to school, and scheduling will be a little easier.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm on my way.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by mrarcher

Thanks for kicking this back to the top frenchee. I've never heard of RYA, so that seems to be another association of some kind - Perhaps more European based? I dunno.

British. It has the most widely recognised quailfications internationally by far.


https://www.rya.org.uk/about-us/what.../training.aspx


RYA Training
Our schemes span 2,500 RYA recognised training centres the length and breadth of the UK and in 58 countries around the world including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand and the USA.
Each year 250,000 people learn how to sail or safely operate windsurfers, dinghies, yachts, motorboats, narrowboats, powerboats and personal watercraft and everything in between.
Our team of highly skilled Trainers and Coaches mentor our network of 25,000 instructors; empowering them to teach and inspire all those who want to learn more about the exhilaration of being out on the water – whether it’s for work or play.
...
Over 25,000 professionals working on commercial vessels across the world have RYA Certificates of Competence. They choose the RYA because we are the largest and longest-established organisation to offer training and certification, and we have a global reputation for quality. We work with governments and other key organisations to develop courses that ensure a level of excellence that is familiar to everyone - especially employers - wherever they live or work.
UK organisations that have adopted RYA training include the Royal Navy, RNLI, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the MoD, the Police and the Fire Service.

[requiem]

Originally Posted by frenchee

So I see that in the US the certifications are ASA vs. USS but when I look on creweseekers website, all the "required" training are mostly for "RYA competent crew".
That seems to be hard to find in the US. I would imagine that it's the resume that counts, but I'm still curious about what's "preferred". I think that's an open ended question because there are many factors.

i haven't an account on crewseekers.net, if that's the one you had in mind, but it may be that the only available options when creating a post are the RYA qualifications. For example, the available menu options when searching are similarly limited. I would assume that an "or equivalent" is implied, particularly since it's used on the advice page.

Someone who has done both sets would better be able to comment, my rough estimate is that RYA Competent Crew would map to USS BK+BC, RYA Day Skipper would map to USS Bareboat Cruising, and RYA Yachtmaster Coastal to USS Coastal Passagemaking. I don't expect those to be exact mappings but I've tried to make them close to my best guess of "equivalent implied competence"; individual schools may vary.

[evm1024]

Here ya go:
https://info.sailingvirgins.com/blog...tions-compared

No claims to validity.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by StuM

British. It has the most widely recognised quailfications internationally by far.


https://www.rya.org.uk/about-us/what.../training.aspx


RYA Training
Our schemes span 2,500 RYA recognised training centres the length and breadth of the UK and in 58 countries around the world including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand and the USA.
Each year 250,000 people learn how to sail or safely operate windsurfers, dinghies, yachts, motorboats, narrowboats, powerboats and personal watercraft and everything in between.
Our team of highly skilled Trainers and Coaches mentor our network of 25,000 instructors; empowering them to teach and inspire all those who want to learn more about the exhilaration of being out on the water – whether it’s for work or play.
...
Over 25,000 professionals working on commercial vessels across the world have RYA Certificates of Competence. They choose the RYA because we are the largest and longest-established organisation to offer training and certification, and we have a global reputation for quality. We work with governments and other key organisations to develop courses that ensure a level of excellence that is familiar to everyone - especially employers - wherever they live or work.
UK organisations that have adopted RYA training include the Royal Navy, RNLI, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the MoD, the Police and the Fire Service.

A key difference between RYA and ASA/USS is that both ASA/USS are recreational level training only whereas RYA extends into professional level training. Ao, if you have any aspirations to make your living working in sailing vessels in the future starting on the RYA track would be a good path. Its quite common in the industry for pros to have Yacht Master level of RYA certifications. Looks good on a resume and is excellent training.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by evm1024

Here ya go:
https://info.sailingvirgins.com/blog...tions-compared

No claims to validity.

Not valid. ASA is purely recreational level training while RYA at the Yacht Master level can be commercially endorsed and is much more rigorous training.

https://www.rya.org.uk/courses-train...orsements.aspx

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by mrarcher

Thanks for the follow up Pete. There are a lot of Sailing Clubs around Chicago, however, being far out in the burbs, it makes it a little difficult to do a lot of boots on the ground scouting to figure out the best fit. I have responded to a number of inexperienced cruising crew ads for this area here and elsewhere, but not a single reply. So, from the outside looking in, it's been a little tough getting my feet wet. It would be much easier if I had a local friend to help guide me through, but not so lucky! Seems I'm going to have to notch up the perseverance!

Whats your drive time to water front in Chicago, can it really be that tough? If you want it, make it happen.

Get some basic training with either ASA or USS, preferably with a club-like organization which has some small boats for use/rental by members. Once you get a little training/experience under your belt, opportunities will come much more easily.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by mrarcher

Thanks for kicking this back to the top frenchee. I've never heard of RYA, so that seems to be another association of some kind - Perhaps more European based? I dunno.

However, as a follow up, I still haven't taken lessons just yet, but I did connect with a Chicago based sailing club, and found some crew wanted ads. Ended up finding a couple of nice folks looking for inexperienced crew and as a matter of fact, I'm playing hooky again tomorrow. Last time, got a lot of trim and wheel time on a 32" Hunter and tomorrow is a Bene 36.7 First. Pretty excited.

My plan is to take the first course this fall, now that all the kiddies are off to school, and scheduling will be a little easier.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm on my way.

[emoji106]

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by mrarcher

Well, I don't have any affinity to any school yet, but I do know that finding openings locally is tough. Most were filled within days of the schedules being posted in the spring.



Well, I would love nothing better than to have the means to school abroad, but that's well beyond me!

There are a few RYA schools in the NE USA, but none close to Chicago:

https://www.rya.org.uk/Pages/wheres-...4&lng=-97.8059

However, unless you have aspirations to work professionally on sailing vessels, then either ASA or USA sail will suit you just fine, and both a relevant training should you decide to go pro later.

[frenchee]

Wow awesome replies.Wish I could individually reply to all of them

The "conclusion" I will make from these posts is that if you're looking to get into the "industry" then RYA seems to have the most weight to it.
Once again, just like any job, the schooling is good to have, but the experience is usually what LANDS the position. So I understand that. But there are some jobs that REQUIRE a certain training, to even be legible, no matter the skill...

That being said, why do I want to get into sailing? Well I'm definitely not looking to make a career out of it yet, at least. I like my office job for now but then why am I looking for training?
well, I want the security of living my 9-5 life and taking a few weeks off in the year to do a cruising trip. So I was on crewseekers to see how I can join a crew for X amount of time, and not have to own a boat.

I just got a crazy passion for sailing about 2-3 weeks ago being on youtube and reading a book. Is it the actual sailing that has me excited?
I will be honest, and I think it's the combination of sailing, and exploring, or having a unique experience that can only be had by traveling with a sailboat. So this leads me to training. Do I want to start on a dingy and work my way up to yacht cruiser size, or start right at the yacht level.
Since I don't own a boat, and don't know anyone, I feel like a nice formal foundation of training is the first action I can take. I believe in a strong foundation, whatever it is you want to learn. Luckily I live in the Bay Area CA. (luckily for sailing opportunities, not so much for living costs haha)

I was curious because the "competent crew" from RYA was what crewseekers had on their site. And for my goal of spending few days-weeks on a boat, that seemed like the easiest way to go about it. As mentioned in here, it's prob the only selectable choice of training on the site. So if I can do the ASA 101 to 104 here locally, I think that would be good training I can show on paper as substitute to RYA competent crew. I want the training to learn, not necessarily as a "certificate". Think I'll sign up here in the Bay Area for ASA 101. IF anyone has recommendations let me know!

Thanks

[evm1024]

Here are a few more thoughts.

First off, Keep a sailing logbook. When you crew have the skipper sign off the entry for the time on their boat (Record name and size/type of boat, area sailed, date and duration etc). Plus any comments the skipper wants to add.

This log will serve you well in getting positions in the future and if you ever decide to go for a USCG license this will document your sea time - which for me and many was the hardest part of getting my Masters License.

Also, in terms of classroom learning, the Power Squadron has some good deals. Seamanship, Piloting, Advanced Piloting, Junior Navigation, Navigation, Weather etc. These classes take you from the very basics to celestial navigation. The chart work in Piloting, Advanced Piloting are great skills to have.

Lastly, debrief yourself after each sail. Look for a greater understanding of what worked, what did not work, what you learned and what you could have learned. Keep in mind that just because this specific skipper did something this way does not mean that it is "correct", smart or even legal. Get a copy of COLREGS and think over which rule governed each boat to boat interaction. As can be seen from the various rules-of-the-road threads there is a widely differing understanding of which rules apply and how they are applied.

Happy sailing.