We at Black Rock are confident in saying that we are the Caribbean’s Foremost Sailing School!
Our commitment to excellence has been recognized by the American Sailing Association as Outstanding School 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, & 2012 (the award stopped being issued in 2012) as well as Outstanding Instructor 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (x2 staff), 2015, 2016 (x2 staff), 2018, & 2019.
Our base in St. Thomas, USVI, is the perfect “jumping off” point for an incredible sailing vacation. You will find us cruising the US, British, and Spanish Virgin Islands every winter (November – April). We have been teaching, sailing, and providing captained charters in these waters since opening our doors in 2008!
We specialize in monohull and multihull cruising and bareboat charter certification courses, offering single certifications in a week OR combinations such as ASA 101/103, ASA 103/104, ASA 104/114 and ASA 105/106 courses over a seven day period – our results will blow ANY “fast track” program away!
Offering NO MORE than two ASA certifications within a seven day period, our combination courses truly complement each other, reinforcing your knowledge & skills instead of overwhelming them. WE do not cram, skim, or skip critical sections of the curriculum! Our days are long, but OUR students will fully understand key concepts, feel safer, and be better prepared to lead their families and friends as skipper aboard a bareboat charter. OUR students master more practical skills becoming better sailors by taking the time to learn the proper way.
Earning one ASA certification in a weeks time allows the instructor to spread lectures out over the week, freeing more time to go hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, or exploring.
Earning two ASA certifications is a more rigorous course load during the seven day trip. These “combo courses” are our most popular option, but you need to expect much longer days as we crisscross the island chain. We typically start lectures around 8:30am and end sailing between 6pm and 8pm depending on how the group is feeling, often with a mid-day lunch/ swim or snorkel break!
All of our ASA certification courses provide approximately a day of overlap to the pre-requisite course, so taking two courses within a week really reinforces key skills before continuing onto more advanced topics/ skills.
Experience, enjoy, and learn from the Black Rock staff’s exceptional and extensive local knowledge of these islands – our four, year-round, full-time staff have lived on, taught in, and sailed these islands extensively since 1995. Let us entertain you in the evenings with our famous BBQ’s aboard, or, if you wish, dine ashore at our favorite beach bars and restaurants.
Learn the in and outs of the Virgin Islands from the most popular and scenic mooring-fields, snorkel and dive sites, beaches, shops, OR get away from it all and anchor in a secluded cove far from the “herd.”
Pricing includes the ASA certification course, the cost of the actual ASA testing and certification, breakfasts, lunches, at least two dinners aboard, all snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, charter fees, customs and immigration fees (if checking in/out of the BVIs from St. Thomas), and all operating costs (i.e. fuel, water, trash, moorings).
We look forward to seeing you in the islands!
