Overview
The three Day Instructor Certification Course is an extremely intensive evaluation of your ability to teach sailing to the US SAILING Keelboat Certification System Standard. This standard is the most rigorous in the country and requires practice, study and preparation by even the most gifted and experienced professional instructors.
Prerequisites
- Safe Powerboat Handling Certification is highly recommended.
- A US SAILING-recognized Powerboat Instructor must be at least 18 years old.
- Current First Aid and CPR certification. US SAILING accepts courses from the US Coast Guard's approved list.
- Ability to swim 50 yards both with and without PFD.
- Ability to exhibit appropriate personal and interpersonal skills.
- Current US SAILING Adult Individual Membership.
- Completed Application Form accompanied by appropriate course fees (and any late charges).
- Completed US SAILING Medical Form provided to Instructor Trainer before the course begins.
- US SAILING strongly recommends at least a US Coast Guard OUPV License for this certification.
Evaluation Length
Three days. Absence from any part of the course will exclude the Instructor Candidate from evaluation.
Validation of Instructors
- Competence in skills listed in sample IC evaluation form enclosed.
- Sailing skills testundefinedPractical
- Marlinspike Seamanship testundefinedPractical
- Demonstrative and communication abilityundefinedPractical
- Basic Keelboat Instructor Exam and the Basic Keelboat Student ExamundefinedWritten, based on the US SAILING Keelboat Instructor Manual and US SAILING's Basic Keelboat student book.
- Boating Basics testundefinedWritten
- The Instructor Trainer's evaluation
- Knowledge of US SAILINGâs Student Certification Standards book for the basic keelboat standard
Validation will be for three years providing First Aid, CPR and US SAILING membership needs to be kept current. Instructors need to recertify their instructor status every 3 years. Renewals must be made within six months of the expiration date on the card. Contact the Keelboat Program office for recertification information.
Swimming
All candidates shall submit proof of their ability to swim 50 yards when submitting their application to the course. If a candidate has US SAILING Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor certification, US SAILING Basic Keelboat Instructor certification or US SAILING Level 1 Windsurfing Instructor certification, this will suffice as proof. US SAILING will accept swimming certificates issued by the American Red Cross or YMCA or PADI. US SAILING will also accept its Proof of Swimming Ability Verification form completed and signed by a US SAILING Instructor Trainer, or a swimming instructor certified by the American Red Cross or YMCA or PADI, or a lifeguard certified by the American Lifeguard Association or U.S. Lifesaving Association.
**All candidates, who do not meet the criteria above, must bring a completed Swim Check Form to the course.**
Written Testing
- Instructor Candidates will be provided with study questions in advance. The review questions for Boating Basics can be found in the back of the Boating Basics book. These questions can be used for open book studying prior to testing.
- The actual tests will be closed book. Questions on the Basic Keelboat Instructor and Student Exam are based on the reading material, and the Boating Basics test will consist of questions taken directly from the study questions.
- A passing grade for both the keelboat instructor exam and keelboat student exam is 80%. The passing grade for the boating basics exam 84%. Practical and written tests stand on their own. Each test must be passed and each practical skill demonstrated in order to successfully pass the course.
Course Outcomes
The IT determines whether the Instructor Candidate successfully completes the course. Absence from any part of the evaluation session will exclude the Instructor Candidate from evaluation.
Passing: The Instructor Candidate has successfully completed each of the items above. In order to pass this evaluation, the Instructor Candidate must pass basic keelboat instructor written exam and basic keelboat student exam with an 80%. If you fail either test, you will have to take the make-up exams for both the basic keelboat instructor and the basic keelboat student exam. The passing grade for the boating basics written exam is 84%. The Instructor Candidate must also perform all teaching and sailing tests to the Instructor Trainer's satisfaction.
Plan of Improvement: The Instructor Candidate has not yet successfully completed what is required and has been given a specific Plan of Improvement to complete with approved and assigned Training Program representatives within 90 days from its issue. Arrangements for re-testing and the completion of a Plan of Improvement must be done through the US SAILING training office. The responsibility for arranging completion of a Plan of Improvement rests solely with the Instructor Candidate. Instructor Candidates will get only one chance to pass their Plan of Improvement; should they be unsuccessful at this attempt, they will have failed the course. The fee to complete an "on the water" Plan of Improvement is $50. Written make-up tests are administered at no charge. The Instructor Candidate is responsible for any additional expenses.
Failing: The Instructor Candidate did not meet the standards to become a Basic Keelboat Instructor will be failed. The Instructor Candidate, who fails an evaluative course and would still like to become certified as a Basic Keelboat Instructor, may re-apply for a future course, at full cost, one year from the original course date.
Plan of Completion: US SAILING and US SAILING Instructor Trainers assume no responsibility for lack of wind or other acts of nature. If the Instructor Trainers were unable to complete the evaluation, Instructor Candidates are issued a Plan of Completion. Arrangements to fulfill the Plan of Completion must be done through the training department within 90 days of its issue. There is no fee for completing a Plan of Completion. The Instructor Candidate is responsible for any additional expenses.
Course Capacity
Course capacity 12 instructor candidates is the maximum
Course Materials
Materials will be sent directly to the Instructor Candidate or to the course contact for distribution to pre-registered Instructor Candidates. To ensure that you will receive your materials for pre-course study, US SAILING must receive your completed application and course payment fee at least 4 weeks prior to the course. There are approximately 300 pages to read. You are required to read the entire manual before arriving for the course, and you should plan on studying prior to and each night of the course. Courses are filled on a "first paid, first registered" basis.
Instructor Candidates will receive the following:
- Basic Keelboat Instructor Manual
- Basic Keelboat student book
- Keelboat Certification Standards
- Boating Basics pamphlet
- Review questions for Basic Keelboat Instructor Exam
- Other handouts and course information as applicable
Evaluation Fee
$345 per Instructor Candidate not including US SAILING membership. Candidates whose complete application and course payment are received in the Training Office 4 weeks prior to the course date pay a discounted course fee of $295. Candidates that enroll 1 week or less from the course date, pay an additional $50 to cover expedited processing and shipping fees.
