Classes

This course teaches navigational skills required to safely navigate a sailing vessel in coastal or inland waters. This is a perfect course to better understand coastal navigation and how you interact with the world around you. Beyond your GPS, you’ll learn skills to safely navigate waters that include tidal and current changes. In this course you will learn chart reading, maritime publications, navigation equipment, tide and current tables, plotting position, bearings, running fixes, set and drift, navigation lights, day shapes, buoyage systems, current and leeway and much more.

Format: Taught at Milwaukee Yacht Club. This course is offered as a 2 day course, Saturday through Sunday, 8 hours each day.

Saturday, November 20th, 2021 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Sunday, November 21st, 2021 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm)

This endorsement course teaches students the basics of celestial navigation with the working knowledge to gain a position fix at sea. Students will get hands-on experience with the sextant and learn the fascinating concepts that make celestial navigation possible. We highly recommend this course as an important skill for emergency navigation and as a fun learning exercise that will allow you to better understand everyday lunar changes.

This is a Online Virtual Class which will be using Zoom video conferencing software where all content will be provide on screen with live audio interaction between the Instructor and Students just as in a classroom setting. Total class time is 10 hours broken into 5 weekly sessions.

Required class dates and times are as follows:

• Thursday April 7th – 6pm – 8pm EST | 5pm – 7pm CST
• Tuesday April 12th – 6pm – 8pm EST | 5pm – 7pm CST
• Thursday April 14th – 6pm – 8pm EST | 5pm – 7pm CST
• Thursday April 21th – 6pm – 8pm EST | 5pm – 7pm CST
• Thursday April 28th – 6pm – 8pm EST | 5pm – 7pm CST

Once you sign up you will receive the class registration information within 24 hours. Please use the registration information to complete your enrollment and get updated with the course dates and times.

This hands-on course allows students to learn theory and practice repetitive docking and casting-off maneuvers to reinforce understanding of theory, methods and skills. In addition to docking skills we’ll learn harboring skills and how to control a boat in a busy harbor and narrow fairway turning techniques. Both novice and experienced sailors will benefit from this course as the techniques apply to 30-foot weekend cruisers on up to 50-foot inboard single-screw sailing yachts. Upon successful completion of this course, students experience a significant increase in enjoyment in all of their sailing ventures because they will no longer fear docking at the end of the day. Spouses and crew members enjoy mastering these skills because it helps them become more proficient and confident as crewmembers.

Format: Taught from Milwaukee Yacht Club, located in Milwaukee Harbor. This course is offered as a 1 day intensive course over a Saturday, 8 hours each day.

Saturday, May 14th, 2022 (8:00 am – 5:00 pm)

This is a comprehensive cruising standard for sailors with cruising experience. Certified students act as skipper or crew of a 28 – 50 foot boat sailing by day in coastal waters. The course includes basic navigation, cruise planning, advanced anchoring techniques, boat systems and maintenance procedures. International sailing considerations along with learning how to respond to “what ifs” that might occur when you are off-shore and the “first responder”. Most charter companies require a sailing resume from the Skipper and look for this internationally accepted certification when chartering a boat.

Format: Taught from Milwaukee Yacht Club, located in Milwaukee Harbor. This course is offered as a 2 day weekend course over Friday and Saturday, 8 hours each day.

Tuesday, May 24th, 2022 (8:30 am – 4:30 pm)
Wednesday, May 25th, 2022 (8:30 am – 4:30 pm)

This is an advanced cruising standard for sailors with cruising experience. Certified students act as skipper or crew of a 30 – 50 foot boat sailing by day in coastal waters. The course includes basic navigation, cruise planning, advanced anchoring techniques, boat systems and maintenance procedures. Most charter companies require a sailing resume from the Skipper charting the boat, and look for this certification.

Format: Taught from Burnham Harbor located in Chicago Illinois. This course is offered as a 4 day course, Thursday through Sunday, 8 hours each day.

Thursday, June 30th, 2022 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Friday, July 1st, 2022 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Saturday, July 2nd, 2022 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Sunday, July 3rd, 2022 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm)