Small Boat Level 1 Instructor
Small Boat Level 1 Instructor Course
Course information and prerequistes
Registration is on a first pay basis. Attendance at all course sessions is mandatory. Absence from any portion of the course excludes the instructor candidate from evaluation.
Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course Goals
The US SAILING Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course, is a 4-day, 40-hour course designed to provide sailing instructors with information on how to teach more safely, effectively, and creatively. The goal of the program is to produce highly qualified instructors, thereby reducing risk exposure for sailing programs. Topics covered in the course include: classroom and on-the-water teaching techniques, risk management, safety issues, lesson planning, creative activities, ethical concerns, and sports physiology and psychology.
Registration is on a first pay basis. This is a 4-day, 40-hour course. Attendance at all course sessions is mandatory. Absence from any portion of the course excludes the instructor candidate from evaluation.
Prerequisites for entrance into the course
• Experience in sailing small boats, such as prams, dinghies, multihulls or daysailing keelboats.
• Experience in operating a safety boat. This skill will not be taught at the course. Instructor Candidates lacking adequate experience should either seek opportunities for practice or attend a US SAILING Safe Powerboat Handling Course. Candidates not passing this portion of the course or other tests will receive a Plan of Improvement, re-testing for which carries a fee of $50.
• Ability to swim 50 yards both with and without PFD. The accepted swim strokes are: front crawl, breaststroke, side stroke, elementary backstroke, back crawl and butterfly, as defined by the American Red Cross. Floating and treading water are not considered to be swimming strokes, and sculling or finning as a way of moving through the water while floating or treading is not considered to be a swimming stroke.
• Ability to exhibit appropriate personal and interpersonal skills.
• Current US SAILING Adult Individual Membership or a family membership with only 1 instructor in the family.
• Completed course registration form accompanied by appropriate course fees (and any late charges)
• Completed US SAILING Medical Form and Safety Boat Skills Self-Assessment Form provided to Instructor Trainer at the start of the course. These will be sent to you upon receipt of your course registration.
• National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Safe Boating certification. Earn your certification at one of US SAILING's Safe Powerboat Handling Courses or see a current list of approved providers.
BoatUS is also a simple resource for this information, although not all states have approved their course. See available BoatUs online courses. Candidates holding a current USCG full or limited Master's or OUPV license are exempt from this requirement. Candidates have a responsibility to meet the boating laws of the state where the course is being held prior to being able to operate a powerboat in conjunction with the course. This is a new requirement. Please bring your certificate to the course.
Successful completion of the course includes:
• Passing the following practical and written tests administered at the course; a positive evaluation must be attained in certain areas. The practical and written tests each stand on their own, and each must be passed in order to pass the course. The determination as to whether a candidate passes or fails rests with the Instructor Trainer. In addition to Pass or Fail, a third option is a Plan of Improvement. Re-testing for Plans of Improvement carries a $50 re-testing fee; re-tests are scheduled with specific representatives of US SAILING and must be performed within a specific time frame.
• Sailing Skills Practical Test: Execute, with comfort and confidence: Rigging, leaving a dock/beach, starting, stopping and speed control, safety position, getting out of irons, sailing backward, tacking, jibing, steering with sails and weight, proper sail trim, judging laylines, capsize and overboard recovery, returning to dock/beach, unrigging.
• Safety Boat Operation Skills Practical Test: Execute, with comfort and confidence: system, equipment and starting checks, leaving and docking, high and low speed maneuvering, holding position upwind/upcurrent, backing, pivot turn (360 degree turn within boat's length), anchoring and/or making fast to a mooring, overboard recovery and landing alongside a moored boat. (Tip: view animations of maneuvers)
• Swim/PFD Practical Check: Swim 50 yards in instructing clothing both with and without a PFD, tread water two minutes while performing a minor task (such as tying a knot). The accepted swim strokes are: front crawl, breaststroke, side stroke, elementary backstroke, back crawl and butterfly, as defined by the American Red Cross. Floating and treading water are not considered to be swimming strokes, and sculling or finning as a way of moving through the water while floating or treading is not considered to be a swimming stroke.
• Marlinspike/Seamanship Practical Test: Demonstrate ability to tie the following knots and hitches: Figure-8, bowline, square knot, sheet bend, clove hitch, two half hitches, rolling hitch, cleat hitch. Also coil and throw a line. (Tip: check out this "animated knots
" website)
• Personal and Interpersonal Practical Skills: Demonstrate professional conduct, an open-minded, positive and enthusiastic attitude, appropriate appearance (clothing, footwear and tidiness), participation in discussions, collaboration skills/team player, confidence and ease of manner.
• Classroom Presentation Practical Skills: Demonstrate lesson preparation, with clear, logical and accurate content, good voice enunciation/clarity/volume/pace/pitch, good non-verbal communication (gestures and body language), effective visual aids, good timed presentation(s) with introduction, conclusion, demonstration, clarity and use of notes, use of multiple pathways techniques, and ease in handling questions.
• Land Drill and Water Drill Teaching Practical Skills: Demonstrate good class positioning, control and positioning of safety boat, demonstration skills, effective on-the-water communication, evaluation, and feedback technique.
• Written Exams:Three closed-book exams on the Small Boat Level 1 Instructor Manual, Teaching and Coaching Fundamentals and Basic Powerboating, Safety and Rescue. A passing grade of 80% is required on all exams.
• Attendance at all portions of the course. This is a 4 day, 40 hour course. Attendance at all course sessions is mandatory. Absence from any portion of the course excludes the instructor candidate from evaluation
• The Instructor Trainer's overall evaluation.
Training materials
There are approximately 600 pages to read, so plan on studying prior to and each night of the course.
• Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Manual
• Teaching and Coaching Fundamentals for Sailing (TCF)
• Basic Powerboating, Safety and Rescue manual
• Learn Sailing Right! student book
• Review questions for the Instructor Manual/Learn Sailing Right, TCF and Powerboating tests.
• Other handouts and course information as applicable.
Validation of Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructors
Validation will be for three years providing First Aid, CPR, and US SAILING Adult membership are kept current. Instructor validation is renewable. Visit the website or contact the office for more information.
• Current First Aid and Adult CPR. We will accept First Aid and CPR from the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or providers approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. See the current list. Additionally, a state licensed EMT or M.D., whose CPR certification is renewed annually is also accepted.
Minimum age limit for Small Boat Sailing Level 1 qualification
• All Candidates must have reached their 16th birthday prior to the start of the course
To attend a US SAILING instructor course, the instructor candidate must be at least 16 years old as of the first day of the course. Upon successful completion of an instructor course, the 16 year old will be designated a Sailing Assistant until turning 18. The Training Office may then be contacted to obtain an instructor's certification card.
Please be aware that forging/lying about your age is a violation of the terms of this registration and is grounds for revocation of any or all US SAILING certifications.
Course fees
• Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course fee: $345; $20 discount for registrations 4 weeks prior to course date; $55 late fee for registrations within 1 week prior to course date
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
Register securely online or by using our printable registration form.
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