Ocean Passagemaking
(ASA-108)

To many people, this is the pinnacle of sailing education - to go offshore, out of sight of land, and sail night and day to a "foreign" shore.  From Joshua Slocum to today's Internet influencers, the goal is to go the "long distance" on your own boat.

 

This eight and a half day class will prepare you for ocean sailing, as well as give you a solid practice in celestial navigation and watch-standing as part of a two person team, on a four hours on, eight hours off rotation.

 

This course leaves Norfolk, travels east between 75 and 100 nautical miles, then turns north to sail to Montauk Light, ending in the Mystic, Connecticut area.  The return trip follows the same path in reverse.

 

In the first 2.5 days, you will get introduced to the boat, go through basic and advanced sail handling procedures and prepare the boat for heavy weather off shore, including rigging the tri-sail and the sea anchor.   You will walk through emergency procedures and, as part of the crew, ensure the boat is ready to get underway in all respects, including preparing a navigational plan.

 

Once underway, the master, mate and crew will be divided into three watch teams of two people each, who will stand four-and-eight watches, day and night.  You will hand steer, take logs and perform lookout duties using visual, Radar and AIS.  

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You will also use a sextant and on-board manuals to perform celestial shots to determine your location, as possible.  This course serves to provide practical experience for those who have take the 107 or 117 American Sailing courses.

 

We require the following experience and/or training to be considered for the cruise -

• You must have completed 20 days of basic and intermediate sailing instruction in monohull sailboats and captained monohull sailboats of 35 feet for 30 days, or

• You must have captained monohull sailboats of 35 feet for 60 days

• Time on multi-hulls will be considered, but you must have some experience in monohulls

• You must have taken a coastal navigation course (AS-105 or equivalent)

 

​If you desire AS-108 Ocean Passagemaking certification, you must have completed

• AS-101

• AS-103

• AS-104

• AS-105

• AS-106

• AS-107 or 117 

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