Becoming ASA Certified is just the beginning…
We give you the knowledge and experience to be confident and safe on all your sailing adventures – whether you charter a boat from a local harbor, go on an exotic sailing vacation, or even buy your own boat.
Once you have achieved certification, practice, practice, practice! How your sailing ability will be evaluated depends on many things; when, where, and to what level you become ASA certified, and how much you have sailed since your certification. However, being ASA certified will be yours for life as a testament to your ability and commitment from the day your ASA instructor signs your Logbook.
ASA certifications for every sailor
The American Sailing Association provides standards for progressive sailing certification programs, including: Keelboat Sailing, Small Boat Sailing, and Multihull Sailing. In addition, ASA provides standards for a number of endorsements, which are intended to supplement the main certification series. These include Docking, Weather, Celestial, and Radar.
Listed below are the summaries of all ASA’s Certifications. The detailed standards, including pre-requisites, for each certification may be found by clicking the title, they are also published in the ASA Official International Certification Logbook.
Each certification requires participants to fully satisfy both knowledge and skills standards, which will be verified through a written exam and an on-the-water practical exam. The standards are intended to be minimum set of requirements. ASA affiliate sailing schools and instructors may choose to include additional requirements if they wish to emphasize knowledge or skills appropriate to local waters, conditions or practice vessels.
Keelboat Sailing 1
Become a sailor. Learn the language of sailing and practice essential skills like hoisting sails, tacking, and navigating safely on the water.
Keelboat Sailing 2
Refine your sail trim, boat handling, and maneuvering skills while learning good crewmanship and teamwork.
Coastal Cruising
Prepares sailors for more advanced and independent cruising aboard larger boats and navigating coastal water.
Bareboat Cruising
Gain the skills and confidence to skipper a mid-sized cruising boat on multi-day trips, managing all aspects of boat and crew responsibilities.
Coastal Navigation
Learn traditional navigation skills and methods to explore new cruising grounds and handle the ever-changing conditions of coastal waters.
Advanced Coastal Cruising
Learn more advanced techniques and seamanship required to navigate coastal waters confidently in all weather conditions, day or night.
Celestial Navigation
ASA 107 Celestial Navigation is for sailors who want to master the timeless art of navigating by the stars
Offshore Passagemaking
ASA 108 Offshore Passagemaking is the pinnacle of sailing education, designed for sailors who are ready to tackle the challenge of open-ocean adventures.
Small Boat Sailing
ASA 110 Small Boat Sailing is the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to experience the thrill and simplicity of sailing on a small boat.
Cruising Catamaran
ASA 114 Cruising Catamaran is the key to unlocking the unique pleasures and challenges of multihull sailing
Dinghy & Outboard Endorsement
ASA 116 Dinghy and Outboard Endorsement is a must for any sailor looking to master the essential skills of operating a dinghy safely and confidently.
Celestial Endorsement
ASA 117 Basic Celestial Endorsement is the perfect entry point into the fascinating world of celestial navigation.
Docking Endorsement
ASA 118 Docking Endorsement is the perfect course for sailors who want to master the art of docking with confidence and precision.
Marine Weather Endorsement
Radar Endorsement
The Importance of ASA Certifications
ASA’s Certification was born out of a clear need for a nationally accepted system of sailing instruction with a uniform curriculum, based on an agreed upon set of standards of sailing proficiency for students and instructors.
ASA Certified Schools
ASA Certified Instructors
Sail With Confidence™
ASA Certification gives you the knowledge and experience to sail with confidence and be safe on all your sailing adventures – whether you charter a boat from a local harbor, go on an exotic sailing vacation, or even buy your own boat. Once you have achieved certification, practice, practice, practice! How your sailing ability will be evaluated depends on many things; when, where, and to what level you have obtained ASA certification, and how much you have sailed since your certification. However, ASA certification will be yours for life as a testament to your ability and commitment from the day your ASA instructor signs your Logbook.
ASA Certified Schools
ASA accredited sailing schools are authorized to offer the internationally recognized ASA keelboat certification system and are held to the highest standards in the sailing education world. All ASA schools are required to pass a rigorous application process, conduct their businesses in an ethical and professional manner, and must pass an on site evaluation that requires a well maintained facility that accommodates its students in a safe and comfortable environment conducive to learning. ASA accredited schools also must have clean, well-maintained vessels that are safety checked by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary annually and must employ ASA certified instructors and ensure that all hold a U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license (where applicable). They are champions of a cooperative effort to elevate sail training to the highest standards possible.
