Fast Track Learn to Sail in the British Virgin Islands
Course Structure

You do have the option of not taking course study on the five day cruise, price would be adjusted

On the first two days you will receive your Basic Keelboat Certification.  This will enable
you to charter a boat of under 30' without auxilary power.  Basic Keelboat is the prerequisite
for a Bareboat Cruising Certification which enables you to charter a yacht over 30'. 
Our Basic Keelboat course is structured around a schedule which challenges every level of
person and rewards each with the objective and subjective know how to command a boat of
this size. The format combines classroom time and on the water training each day. The classroom
portion is one hour concentrating on terminology, parts of the boat, knots and theory. This time
is also spent focusing on translating what you have read in the book into the simple dynamics of sailing.

On the water you will spend three and one half to four hours each day practicing what you have
 read and what you have been taught.

Course Itinerary while on the yacht - Live Aboard Cruising & Bareboat Cruising Certification 

Day 1
Following an afternoon of big boat tacking, crew over boards, maneuvering under power, sail trim,
and eyeball navigation, we find our anchorage on the eastern end of Tortola. The Marina Cay is
idyllic with a fringing barrier reef for snorkeling or just staring at calm, clear water where the bottom
looks six feet away, but could be fifty.

Day 2
Sail up to the Bitter End Resort located in North Sound on Virgin Gorda. Head ashore for some of the
best water sports in the world or stroll through this world class resort, or stay on the boat and watch
the sun go down.

We call day 2 the "Big Day" in that we cover: solo reefing, solo MOB's, docking practice for at least
three hours, upwind sailing performance, and more rudimentary navigation

Day 3
Anegada is your next destination. On this day, we fully cover navigation - all fixes, dead reckoning, gps.,
lines of position, depth sounder navigation, danger bearings, and more. Along with this comes sail trim
and sail shape as it relates to reaching. You cannot see Anegada when you set out so your navigation
skills are both fresh and necessary.

Anegada is actually a sand bar on top of a reef. Its mean elevation is six or seven feet which requires
solid navigational skills. Always worth the sail, Anegada is almost completely circled by reef and
is surrounded by white beach. After snorkeling the reefs, long walks on the barren beach, or relaxing
in a hammock under sea grape trees, you'll have dinner ashore at a fabulous restaurant on the beach.

Day 4
From Anegada, we perfect our jibe angles and wing on wing skills. It's the longest sail of the week, so
there is ample time for navigational fixes and dead reckoning. After a long broad reach, you will sail into
Cane Garden Bay. A picture book anchorage with palm trees spotting a white sandy beach, CGB is a
small beach community that one will find difficult to leave the next day.

Day 5
After picking up anchors, we will reach down the NW Tortola coast, piloting our way to the
West End, from there we'll tack our way through the Thatch Cut to our destination, Norman Island.
The snorkeling here is tremendous, and the harbour is always flat and breezy. Whether you
enjoy dancing it up on the "Willie T" (a floating bar known by countless visiting boaters)
or sitting back on the boat, Norman Island will be on your list of islands to return to.

 



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