ASA lessons all at once or piecemeal?

[Boondoggle]

Greatly appreciate all the great informed and experienced advice!!!

[rls8r]

I fall in the camp that recommends spacing out some of the courses. I had been sailing for over 50 years when I took the courses, but my wife was just learning. I took the courses so I could see what (and how) she was being taught. There are different approaches do doing the same thing in sailing - and I didn't want to confuse her with different instructions.

She first took a small-boat sailing class before taking the ASA 101 course. They took her out on a Flying Scot. It was small, tender, and she learned what things were called and the basics of sailing a small boat.

Then, she took the combined 101/103 class. I see that there's a new 102 class, but I don't know anything about it. She applied the things that she learned in the small-boat class to a larger boat and learned some new things on the larger boat.

Then we went out sailing for a few months on our boat. We practiced the things she learned in the 101/103 class, and had experience using them in different weather and in different settings - we even did some night sailing. Staying in different places overnight gave her experience coming into a new marina, anchoring, and picking up a mooring ball. Those outings generated a lot of questions, and it showed her some alternative ways of doing things that she had learned in the 101/103 classes.

Then, she took the 105 class. I encouraged her to take that before the 104 class. It's not a prerequisite, but it helps since the 104 class uses a bit of the 105 skills. She took the class at home - and I was able to help her with things since the time constraint of a classroom course wasn't there.

Then, she took the 104 class. It was given by a different instructor (which I think is good) and she got to ask the questions that had arisen during our practice outings. After which we practiced some more on our boat and with a couple of friends' boats - so she could see different setups. Also, previously we had sailed our boat mostly as a sloop since fiddling with the mizzen was a bit intimidating to her. This time we set all the sails (or sailed jib and jigger), and even flew our asymmetrical spinnaker and mizzen staysail. We practiced reefing off the wind, setting the inner forestay and forestaysail, and heaving to with the forestaysail (instead of the genoa).

Finally, she took the 118 (docking) class - as did I. It's always helpful to get tips on docking (especially using someone else's boat!). The class used an Island Packet, which has about the same propwalk characteristics as our boat - so it was helpful. I'd even suggest that you consider taking this class more than once - using different boats of the type(s) that you plan on buying or chartering often (e.g., monohull with and without bow thrusters, catamarans, etc.).

We may take the 106 and 108 classes. We haven't decided yet. I'm planning on taking her around the Delmarva peninsula. That will give her experience in looking for a weather window, timing passage through a canal, standing watches offshore, and avoiding large boats at night.

I sail only monohulls, so I can't say anything about the ASA 114 class.

[Snore]

Another former instructor who says space them out. Why?

First, taking 101- then sailing alone or with nominal supervision gives you a chance to try out your new skills before taking 103. Same after 103- sailing and learn on your own. This allows you to enter the next class with questions about technique and the physics of sailing.

Second, all instructors have their own bad habits (except me ). Taking all the classes with one instructor infuses those bad habits into you.

Third, it is information overload. Think of this, would you go to Louvre, or the NY MFA, or any great art museum and spend 4 days there to see all the paintings? Even if you love art like I do, it is simply too much to absorb and enjoy. Likewise 6 days of intense training, usually with other students you don't know and may have a different learning curve is simply too much.

That said, sailing schools love to sell the 101, 103, 104 package. It is a money maker!!

[Peeew]

I am also an ASA instructor and for various reasons I have done it different ways. The worst way to do it is a bunch of classes in a week on a “ cruising catamaran”. ASA 101 really should be taught on a small monohull. It’s very difficult to get a feel for sailing on a boat that doesn’t tack well or go upwind well. I think 101 and 103 can be done in a few days on a monohull and then the rest on anything since it’s mainly rules, systems, weather, navigation etc.
One other advantage of spacing out the courses a bit is that you can choose to sail in different locations. This way you can learn different weather patterns, anchoring styles etc.

[Statistical]

It is ideal to get outside sailing experience between courses. ASA even recommends that although this recommendation is rarely followed or even pointed out by schools looking to sell classes. For example they state that for ASA 103 to have completed ASA 101 and have 24+ hours of on water sailing experience. You aren't getting 24 hours on water experience in ASA 101 course. Good schools maybe 12 tops and most schools a lot less than that.

That being said due to schedules sometimes people can't do that or they feel they need more schooling before buying their larger boat so there are combo classes but if you have the means and ability to spread the courses out and get a few dozen hours of experience between them you will get more from the course. Some people just want that cert so they can rent a bareboat charter as quickly and as cheap as possible. That is a mistake IMHO because the courses aren't cheap and just rushing to the finish line means you end up paying a lot for very minimal education.

[NormanMartin]

I have been an ASA instructor since 1985, US North East and Caribbean. The more often you sail and the more variety in your sailing experiences the better you will become.
The problem with a number of certificates in a few days or a week is the lack of variety. Solution? Do it and then book a variety of charters/sailing. Learn to sail in the Caribbean and then charter in New England, for example.
Learning to sail is easy. Learning to be a cruiser/voyager is time consuming but not difficult.
Have fun. Go

[SV Coronado]

I’ve taken all the ASA courses through 106, and I highly recommend them. I suggest you start with just the 101 course and do 103/104 later. The 101 course will teach you how to sail a small boat without instruments and probably no motor. It doesn’t sound glamorous, but in the long run, you’ll be a better sailor - don’t underestimate the ability to sail a small boat well. You need to develop your sailing “instincts,” which is harder on a bigger boat. Take the 101 course and spend the next year practicing on the smaller boats, then return for the Coastal Cruising courses.

When you do 103/104, I highly recommend concluding the course by taking the boat out for a few days without the instructor while it's still fresh in your head. For example, do the training Monday - Friday and then stay on the boat over the weekend. Go anchor someplace and practice what you just learned. You will walk away with a lot more confidence.

[rls8r]

I've always thought that the sailing part of day-sailing, cruising, voyaging (whatever) is the easiest part (except if you're a racer or in heavy weather). You can get the basics in ASA 101 or, as my wife did, in a non-ASA small-boat course. Here in the Chesapeake some training programs offer ASA 101 in small, unmotored boats, but others use the larger boats. It's good to practice those skills on day sails for a while before moving forward.

The later ASA courses seem (at least to me) to build other, more difficult skills like seamanship (boat handling), Colregs, navigation, safety, troubleshooting, planning, etc. Here again, as others have said, ASA offers an introduction to those things - but competence comes with practice, and you don't want to overload yourself with new things to practice. So - space out the courses and practice in the interim so you'll have a firmer foundation for learning the next level of skills.

It's easy to get a sailboat to move; but once moving, can you get it to stop!?

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Snore

...
Second, all instructors have their own bad habits (except me ). Taking all the classes with one instructor infuses those bad habits into you...

I would say this a bit differently.

Teachers can teach differently and one may learn better from one teacher vs another. One of our sailing instructors is a VERY experienced sailor and is a captain on cruise ships. He knows his stuff but for some reason my wife struggled with how he was teaching even though I was just fine with his teaching. She did much better with another instructor for some reason. I really don't know why she had problems with one instructor because he was a good teacher, had teaching experience in other subjects, and certainly knew the subject but for some odd reason, she just could not grasp some of the things he taught. He could see this, and tried different ways to get across his point, but she could not grasp it for some reason.

If one has the opportunity to study with other instructors that is a very good thing. I have taken a few classes every year, or so, for decades and every class I learn something new. Each instructor teaches a certain way, with a certain view and experiences, which teaches knew things, even with an old subject.

[Bmorgan562]

Originally Posted by Boondoggle

New member and hopefully a new sailor along with my wife. Several options near us for the ASA classes and a couple of them offer them as stand alone courses (101 then 103, 104, etc) as well as 101 through 104 in one shot (six days)

I can see advantages to both options. Take them separately and get experience in between makes sense. But, all in one shot can be more immersive and makes building on and remembering skills easier

I've got boating experience but no significant sailing experience and my wife has neither. I'm hoping to retire shortly and have leaned heavily toward sailing versus a powered cruiser.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Boondoggle, I can't remember the name of the three day course I took through ASA "Ultimate "something OR RATHER, however I say all at once experience takes time anyways. Although instructor could make a huge difference (if you know someone who knows someone?or ask around). I remember THE instructor I HAD gave me some salty grief because I actually read all the assigned books as opposed to the other student. Anyway I thought that was poor form as a true newbie. Fair WINDS!