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First Aid Training | On The Water Event | Training and Advancement | Online Resources


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First Aid Training

The Safety Committee of The Sailing Club schedules a training session for certification in CPR/AED and Basic First Aid usually once a year in the spring. These are invaluable skills that could save people's lives. While certification in CPR and Basic First Aid is required for all Skippers and First Mates in The Sailing Club, this session is open to all Club members, family & friends. The more people who know these life-saving skills, the safer we will all be.

Click here for more details.


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On The Water Event

Each spring, the Club runs a weekend training session 'on the water'.  This is a valuable opportunity for skippers, first mates, and other interested people to spend an entire weekend sharpening their boat handling skills without the pressure of going anywhere.  The session typically includes a Friday night sleep-aboard and two full days of instruction and practice, facilitated by some of the Club's most experienced skippers.  Details can be found on the Current Trips page or the online club calendar.


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Training and Advancement

The Sailing Club is very proud of its long record of safety and successful trips.  This record is due, in large measure, to the process by which we identify, train, and promote skippers and first mates and the methods employed to keep their skills sharp and current.  The responsibility for these processes falls to the Training Coordinator, who reports to the Vice Commodore.  All procedures and advancements are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.  There may be a committee of volunteers to help with training activities as needed.

We are very pleased to announce that The Sailing Club has recently received permission to certify our skippers without and independently of any national entity such as US Sailing. This milestone decision was awarded based on our long, demonstrable record of safety and documented proof of the high quality that exists throughout our corps of captains and first mates.

The Training Coordinator has three specific roles assigned.  They are:

  • Identify candidates who might qualify to serve as First Mates, Skippers, and Senior Skippers.
  • Administer the processes by which club members qualify for one or more of the above roles.
  • Provide or arrange guidance and training for anyone in these roles as well as anyone else who might be interested in such training.

There are well-defined procedures to follow if one wishes to earn advancement to one of the command positions (i.e., Skipper, Senior Skipper, or First Mate).  There are separate documents describing the procedures to become a First Mate, Skipper or a Senior Skipper.  Anyone interested should read these documents and/or contact the Training Coordinator.  For an itemized job description for each rank, contact the Training Coordinator or any club officer. Please be aware that The Sailing Club requires anyone interested in being a Club Skipper to have served as a Club First Mate before seeking evaluation as a skipper.


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Seamanship and Navigation

Online Resources

Except for a small number of safety and comfort rules, which your skipper will review with you at the beginning of each trip, you can pretty much sail with the Club without knowing much about sailing at all. Of course your pleasure and ability to usefully participate in the sail are increased as you learn more about our sport. The best way to learn is to indicate you want to learn more, ask how to do something, and then do it! Our Skippers and First Mates are all excellent sailors and teachers.

There are many, many sites on the web and equally many books that provide instruction on sailing.  The Training and Advancement Committee of The Sailing Club, Inc. has included in this section of our website some information that we have found useful. No need to stress over any of this material.  Remember, we do this because it's fun.