Summary of ASA Sailing Standards

Summary of Student Standards
The American Sailing Association has adopted two separate Progressive Sailing Certification Programs: a seven stage Keelboat Sailing Certification Program and a two stage Small Boat Sailing Program. The following are the general descriptions or summaries of these Standards. Candidates must have attained the stated prerequisites before they may "Challenge" or take the required ASA examination.

The complete Standards are contained in the ASA Official International Log Book. They are minimum Standards and nothing may be deleted if a Candidate is to be awarded ASA Certification. On the other hand, schools may add to these Standards if they wish to stress or emphasize local conditions which might be encountered or particular characteristics of the boats used during instruction. It is recommended that sailors planning to follow these standards become proficient in swimming, first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and arresting bleeding.

The ASA "Challenge"
Sailors who consider themselves qualified to ASA Standards may "Challenge" the ASA Standards at any ASA Certification Facility. To challenge the Standards one must progress successfully through the ASA system of Standards. Contact ASA or the nearest ASA Certification Facility for a list of ASA Training Facilities near you.

ASA Standards / Curriculum

Basic Keelboat (ASA 101)
Prerequisites: None
General Description: Able to sail a boat of about 20 feet in length in light to moderate winds and sea conditions in familiar waters without supervision. A preparatory Standard with no auxiliary power or navigation skills required.

Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA 103)
Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing Certificate
General Description: Able to cruise safely in local and regional waters as both skipper and crew on an auxiliary powered sailboat of about 20 to 30 feet in length, in moderate winds and sea conditions.

Bareboat Chartering (ASA 104)
(Intermediate Coastal Cruising)
Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing and Basic Coastal Cruising Certification
General Description: An advanced cruising Standard for individuals with cruising experience. The individual can act as skipper or crew of a 30 - 50 foot boat sailing by day in coastal waters. The Standard includes knowledge of boat systems and maintenance procedures.

Coastal Navigation (ASA 105)
Prerequisites: None
General Description: Able to demonstrate the navigational theory required to safely navigate a sailing vessel in coastal or inland waters. There is no Sailing Skills part to this Standard and practical application of this sailing knowledge is found in the Advanced Coastal Cruising Standard.

Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 106)
Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing, Basic Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering and Coastal Navigation Certification
General Description: Able to safely act as skipper and crew of a sailing vessel about 30 to 50 feet in length. This is a day and nighttime Standard in coastal and inland water, in any weather.

Celestial Navigation (ASA 107)
Prerequisites: None
General Description: Able to demonstrate the Celestial Navigation theory required to safely navigate a sailboat on an offshore passage. The practical application is conducted in the Offshore Passagemaking Standard.

Offshore Passagemaking (ASA 108)
Prerequisites: All previous Keelboat Standards
General Description: The sailor is able to safely act as skipper or crew of a sailing vessel on offshore passages in any weather. The Celestial Nav. Standard is performed.

Basic Small Boat Sailing (ASA 110)
Prerequisites: None
General Description: Able to sail a centerboard or multihull sailboat in light to moderate winds and sea conditions in familiar waters without supervision. A preparatory Standard with no auxiliary power or navigation skills required.

Trailerable Multihull Standard (ASA 113)
Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat (101)
ASA 113 may be taught in conjunction with Basic Coastal Cruising (103) on a multihull sailboat or as an additional course after Basic Coastal Cruising (103) has been accomplished on a monohull. In either case, ALL MATERIAL IN BOTH STANDARDS (103 & 113) MUST BE TAUGHT AND/OR TESTED BEFORE 113 CAN BE AWARDED.
General Description: Certified sailors are able to cruise safely in local and regional waters as both skipper and crew on an auxiliary multihull sailboat of about 20-30 feet in length, in moderate wind and sea conditions. The standard includes those skills different and/or unique to a multihull, either catamaran or trimaran including folding and trailering.

Cruising Catamaran (ASA 114)
Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat (101) and Basic Coastal Cruising (103). The Bareboat Charter Standard (104) is also a prerequisite and can be attained either by itself prior to BBC Multihull (114) or in conjunction with BBC Multihull (114). In either case, ALL MATERIAL IN BOTH STANDARDS (104 & 114) MUST BE TAUGHT AND TESTED BEFORE 114 CAN BE AWARDED.
General Description: An advanced cruising standard for individuals with cruising experience. The individual can act as skipper and crew of a 30-50 foot multihull sailboat by day in coastal waters. The standard includes those skills unique to a 30-50 foot multihull.

ASA Endorsements

Basic Celestial Endorsement (ASA 117) 
Prerequisites: None 
General Description:  Understand and demonstrate the use of a sextant and Nautical Almanac to determine one’s position at sea when out of sight of land.  Students will learn to calculate their latitude by sighting the Sun or Polaris and determine longitude using equal Sun heights around Noon.  (Sight reductions and use of the stars, planets and Moon are addressed in more advanced ASA 107 Celestial Navigation.)

Docking Endorsement (ASA 118)
Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat (101)
General Description: This course further develops basic docking skills, developing tehniques for handling single engine sailboats in tight quarters as well as methods of securing sailboats to docks in a variety of conditions.

Weather Endorsement (ASA 119)
Prerequisites: None
General Description: Understand and demonstrate the proper use of weather information in planning and adapting navigation during local and passage-making voyages. Demonstrate the ability to use both the latest technological tools as well as traditional maritime skills to forecast weather conditions.

Radar Endorsement (ASA 120)
Prerequisites: Coastal Navigation
General Description: The ASA radar course teaches safe, efficient use of small-craft radar for piloting, chart navigation, and collision avoidance, including radar principles and  practical matters of radar operation. A realistic PC based radar simulator is used in the course to illustrate radar measurements.

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