Offshore Passage Making Instructor Certification
Offshore Passage Making Instructor Certification
Requirements
Overview
Prerequisites
Passage plan
Apply
Overview
Your evaluation will consist of completing the required prerequisites, a written exam and the development of a detailed Passage Plan. However, unlike other US Sailing Instructor certifications in which you have participated, there will be no on-the-water examination.
Please return your completed application and fee to the Keelboat Training Coordinator. Your application will be forwarded to the US Sailing Ocean Passage Making Evaluation Board. Once accepted, you will be contacted by the Keelboat Training Coordinator to make arrangements for taking the US Sailing Celestial Navigation Student exam. The exam will be returned to the Keelboat Program Manager, graded, and you will be notified of the result. If a passing grade of 90% is not achieved, a one year waiting period is required before retaking the written exam.
After you pass the written exam, the Keelboat Program Manager will assign you a transoceanic route for which you will develop a detailed Passage Plan. To write your plan, delve deeply into your own and others’ ocean experiences. Utilize the resources provided by US Sailing and the writings of experienced passage makers. As soon as you have returned your completed Passage Plan to the Keelboat Training Coordinator, it will be forwarded to the Evaluation Board for full review. The Keelboat Program Manager will notify you of the results within 20 business days of receipt of the plan.
There are three possible outcomes: Pass, Fail or Plan of Improvement. When the Evaluation Board approves your Passage Plan, you will be appointed an Offshore Passage Making Instructor. Unsatisfactory plans will result in a Fail. Some reasons your work may be considered unacceptable are plagiarism, inaccuracies, or decisions that could result in the endangerment of the crew or vessel. If your Passage Plan is not approved, you will need to wait one year before you can reapply. If your Passage Plan is incomplete, you will be assigned a Plan Of Improvement. Plans of Improvement are generally required to completed within 90 days.
Prerequisites
• Hold a current US Sailing Coastal Passage Making Instructor Certification and have taught US Sailing Coastal Passage Making course(s) for a minimum of 12 days.
• Pass the US Sailing Celestial Navigation Student test with a score of 90%+ or have a United States Coast Guard Celestial Navigation endorsement on your U.S. Coast
Guard license.
• Pass the Offshore Passage Making Student Written Exam with a grade of 90% or better.
• Demonstrate radar proficiency by either passing a Coastal Passage Making Instructor Course with radar, or having a radar endorsement on your U.S. Coast Guard
license.
• Provide recommendations:
• From your current employer and
• From both of your Coastal Passage Making Instructor Trainers or
• From two recognized sailing authorities.
• Document an unbroken ocean passage of more than 700 miles as skipper or mate. Acceptable documentation is either a copy of the vessel’s log or a letter from the
vessel’s skipper/owner stating your position and responsibilities. Vessel name, and documentation number, dates and ports of departure and arrival should be included.
• Provide documentation of your current CPR, First Aid, and U.S. Coast Guard License.
• Provide sailing resume
Passage plan
Prepare a Passage Plan for a route assigned by the US Sailing Keelboat Program Manager. The Passage Plan should include, but is not limited to, the following topics:
• Safety Seamanship
• Navigation Vessel Selection
• Repairs & Maintenance Heavy Weather Tactics
• Provisioning & Menu Planning Crew Management & Health Care
Apply
Please begin the process of achieving Offshore Passage Making Instructor certification by submitting our printable application form.
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