Sailing Counselor Courses
At US SAILING, we know that not everyone who is asked to supervise sailing activities is a certified sailing instructor. That's why US SAILING developed and offers Sailing Counselor training.
The Sailing Counselor course is two day course designed to prepare camp counselors and staff from community sailing and scouting programs to supervise small boat recreational sailing activities typically conducted on sheltered and protected waters. The emphasis is on safety and hands-on practice to familiarize candidates with proper terminology and boating techniques. Sailing Counselor training will also provide a model for how a counselor might structure actual sailing activities.
The minimum age for attending this course is 14 years old. Once Sailing Counselors have completed the course and had some actual experience teaching sailing, they become eligible to earn, and are encourage to pursue, Small Boat Instructor Certification. The $130 registration fee includes a package of course materials.
Sailing Counselor Course Objectives:
- Familiarize candidates with principles of risk management, including carrying out a safety inspection.
- Familiarize candidates with sailboat nomenclature and proper sailing terminology.
- Prepare candidates to properly rig a small sailboat. Prepare candidates to conduct a swim check.
- Prepare to conduct a capsize/recovery drill.
- Familiarize candidates with land drills.
- Rehearse candidates in fundamental small boat sailing skills and familiarize then with routine sailing drills.
- Familiarize candidates with basic “rules of the road” for small sailboats.
- Familiarize candidates with on-the-water safety, possible emergencies, and overboard recovery and rescue techniques.
- Familiarize candidates with hazardous weather conditions.
- Prepare candidates to organize and conduct safe and orderly sailing activities.
- Familiarize candidates with the use of hand signals in on-water communication.
- Familiarize candidates with US SAILING Training programs, products and resources.
Minimum age limit for Sailing Counselor Course Participation
• All Candidates must have reached their 14th birthday prior to the start of the course
Course fees
• Sailing Counselor Course fee: $130
Cancellation policy
• Course fees are nonrefundable.
• For cancellations more than four weeks before the course date, the fee is transferable to another course.
• For cancellations within the four week period, half of the course fee will be transferable to another course.
• For cancellations with less than 24 hours notice (before the start of the course) or no-shows, 100% of the course fee is forfeited.
Register online or use our printable course application
All applicants must submit a signed statement of understanding