Bareboat Refresher Course

Raise your cruising sailing skills to charter-ready in one action-packed weekend!

If you've been a land-locked cruising sailor and are feeling a bit rusty, or haven't sailed in a while and are about to go on a bareboat charter, this two-day big boat refresher course is just what you need. You'll spend 14 hours with an expert instructor, renewing your confidence and skills in handling a cruising sailboat in the 42' to 49' range.

Monohull or catamaran

What a thrill to feel the wind in your hair again, the power of a big yacht in your control as you tack and jibe, run before the wind and beat to windward with the sails trimmed smartly. You'll get plenty of time to practice docking and anchoring, and refresh your big boat sailing skills.

If you are an Offshore Sailing School graduate with Bareboat Cruising Certification on a monohull, you may take this course to gain fundamentals in handling a 46' catamaran (46' cat available Ft. Myers, Florida location only). The course is also offered at both our Captiva Island, FL and St. Michaels, Maryland locations.

All you need is prior bareboat certification or equivalent skills

This is a bareboat refresher course. You will need prior sailing experience on boats over 36 feet in length. If you have Colgate Bareboat Cruising or US SAILING Bareboat Cruising certification you're all set to take this course. If you do not have these certifications, a quick discussion with Steve Colgate or our COO will help you determine if you have enough prior cruising boat experience.

Two packed days of renewing charter skills

Plan to arrive Friday night and depart Sunday late afternoon (or Monday morning). Your course starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with a two hour classroom session, reviewing the principles and techniques of big boat handling.

After a break for lunch, you'll board the boat at 1 p.m, go through boat check, then leave the dock for 4-1/2 hours of practice drills, returning at 5:30 p.m. Sunday you'll sail and practice drills from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is a lunch stop between sessions.

Lunches are not included in your tuition. You may order box lunches to take aboard prior to departure each day or we may stop at a dockside restaurant.

$795 plus your room ashore

The tuition for this course is $795 per person (sorry no discounts available). Accommodations ashore are extra and will be quoted when you tell us what time of year you want to get "refreshed." Staying aboard the boat during this course is not an option.

Minimum two required to open a course date, maximum six in a party learning together allowed. If signing up as a single, couple or threesome, a maximum of four participants will be assigned to your boat. While you are learning, families or friends who just want to play, relax and shop can enjoy a fun weekend ashore. Your room cost for single or double occupancy is the same.

Currently, two Florida locations for this course are available: South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island and Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa on Ft. Myers Beach. Your sailing takes place in the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound and is available year round.

At our St. Michaels, Maryland location you will stay at The Inn at Perry Cabin and sail the Chesapeake Bay. Season starts soon, call to reserve your spot now for this summer sailing getaway!