ASA 107 Celestial Navigation Class, March 2-4, 2012 and May 11-13, 2012

You are sailing offshore, your GPS stops working and you don't have a back-up unit. Or the worst case scenario described in this article happens. What to do?


In the days before GPS and Loran, sailors relied on celestial navigation and this "ancient art" is still an important navigational tool for serious passage makers.


Yachting Vacations and Gulfcoast Sailing and Cruising School are offering the first of a series of celestial classes from March 2 through 4 and a second course from May 11 through 13.


Students will spend four hours on Friday and eight hours on Saturday and Sunday under the guidance of Capt. Don Bentley who is a certified ASA celestial navigation instructor.
We will accept a maximum of 10 students for this course.


You will be expected to do some preliminary home studying but Capt. Bentley will be available by phone and via e-mail to answer any questions. After the class at our base in Punta Gorda, you can take your time to take the test as you will probably need some more studying. Again, Capt. Bentley will remain at your disposal to answer questions via e-mail or by phone.


We will send the test papers to your library where you will take the test. Your library will send the test back to Capt. Bentley for correction and grading.


The cost per student is $650.00. Lodging and meals are extra but you have a restaurant and a deli in the marina. There is a hotel on the premise as well and, if you let us know ahead of time, you can sleep on one of our yachts at the dock.


Call us at (941) 637-6634 for more information or to register or e-mail us at learn@gulfcoastsailingschool.com.


Fair winds!

7-DAY BAREBOAT CERTIFICATION CRUISE TO ST. PETERSBURG

Join one of our two bareboat certification cruises to St. Petersburg and become a confident and knowledgeable skipper.

We have planned two 7-day learning cruises from our base at Burnt Store Marina to the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina and back. One will be from February 5 through 11 and the second one from March 4 through 10, 2012.

During the trip, you will learn the basics of keelboat sailing and of coastal navigation. At the same time you will get to experience the exciting aspects of bareboat chartering. At the end of the course and after passing the ASA tests, you will have earned the internationally recognized bareboat charter certification.

This class will also expose you to the fun of sailing the Intracoastal Waterway, passing bridges, anchoring in secluded coves, sailing under the world famous Skyway Bridge and docking at beautiful marinas.

During your brief stay in St. Pete, you can enjoy the local nightlife, go for a delicious dinner in one of the local restaurants or visit the world famous Salvador Dali museum and the St. Petersburg Pier.

This is a true sailing and cruising learning experience and we will limit each class to 4 students. The cost per student is $2,600.00 and includes use of the yachts, linen and towels, study material, instruction testing and certification, docking at other marinas and provisioning. Dinners at restaurants and gratuity for the instructors are extra. There will be a 10% discount for the second person when two students are signing up together.

Call us at (941) 637-6634 for more details or e-mail us at learn@gulfcoastsailingschool.com.

But hurry! Space is limited.

Fair winds!

Monohull 105 and 106 cruising course to Key West and the Dry Tortugas, March 18 through 24, 2012

Earn your ASA 105 and 106 advanced coastal cruising certifications during an exciting trip from Burnt Store Marina to Key West and the Dry Tortugas on our spacious and comfortable Island Packet 40.

Your instructor will be Capt. Harlin Allen who has a wealth of monohull sailing experience.

Capt. Allen has been named Outstanding ASA Instructor and is one of the 30 top ASA sailing instructors in the country.

You arrive at our Burnt Store Marina Base in Punta Gorda on Saturday, March 17, and settle for the night on board of our yacht. On Sunday, March 18, you will be leaving our base for Key West. During this trip, which includes an overnight sail, you will pass the written 105 test and learn to do night MOB recovery, night navigation, standing watch, etc. You will stay in Key West on March 19 and 20, during which time you can study for and take your 106 written test and enjoy this unique tourist destination.

On March 21, we will Sail to the Dry Tortugas and practice some more advanced navigation. You will spend the 22nd in the Dry Tortugas and will be able to visit historic Ft. Jefferson and Loggerhead Key. Weather permitting, you can also do some snorkeling in these pristine waters.

The return trip to Burnt Store Marina is planned to start on March 23 with an expected arrival in the early morning of March 24.

We will take a minimum of 2 students and a maximum of 4 students on this trip. The cost per person for the 105 and 106 combo is $2,650.00, plus 6% tax, per person and 10% off for a second person if booking together. The cost for taking the 106 class only is $2,000.00, plus 6% tax and 10% off for a second person when booking together. This includes instruction, ASA study books, testing, use of the yacht and all meals, except for dinner on Saturday, March 17, and meals in Key West.

Mention this posting when you register and get a $50.00 West Marine gift certificate.

This is a unique learning and sailing experience but sign up soon as we have limited space. For more information, call (941) 637-6634 or e-mail us at learn@gulfcoastsailingschool.com
(Keep in mind that our itinerary could vary because of weather)

ASA 101 & 103 Class. December 20 through 23, 2011

Gulfcoast Sailing and Cruising School has a few openings left for an ASA 101-103 (basic keelboating and basic coastal navigation) course at our base in Punta Gorda, FL. from December 20 through 23, 2011

Click here for more info and for pricing.
Start the adventure of a lifetime and learn to sail the right way with our experienced ASA instructors.

Gulfcoast Sailing and Cruising School is the sailing academy of Yachting Vacations, the leading sailboat charter company in Southwest Florida.

Classes are taught on meticulously maintained sailboats of the Yachting Vacations fleet.

E-mail us at learn@gulfcoastsailingschool.com or call us at (941) 637-6634.
Space is limited!

WINTER 2012 GULFCOAST SAILING AND CRUISING SCHOOL CLASSES

STARTING NOVEMBER 1, 2011, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012, WE WILL BE OFFERING THE FOLLOWING ASA COURSE SCHEDULE:





1) ASA 101 AND 103, LIVE-ABOARD:
EVERY FIRST SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY OF THE MONTH.

2) ASA 103 AND 104, LIVE-ABOARD:
EVERY SECOND SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.

3) ASA 101, 103 AND 104, LIVE-ABOARD:
EVERY SECOND SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

4) ASA 105 AND 106:
CALL US FOR SCHEDULED CLASSES AND KEY WEST SPECIALS

5) ASA 101, 103, 104 AND 114:

EVERY SECOND SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

6) ASA 114 (MULTIHULL ENDORSEMENT):
EVERY SECOND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH.

7) ASA 118 (DOCKING ENDORSEMENT):
EVERY THIRD SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH.

8) NON-LIVE-ABOARD CLASSES CAN BE SCHEDULED ANYTIME.

FOR ALL CLASSES, WE WILL HAVE A MINIMUM OF 2 STUDENTS AND A MAXIMUM OF 4 (6 FOR MULTIHULL PROGRAMS). PRIVATE CLASSES ARE AVAILABLE ANYTIME SUBJECT OF INSTRUCTOR AVAILABILITY.

ALL CLASSES ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF YACHTS AND INSTRUCTORS AND OF SUFFICIENT STUDENTS.

DATES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGES AND, FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL (941) 637-6634 OR E-MAIL US AT LEARN@GULFCOASTSAILINGSCHOOL.COM.

INTRODUCTION TO SAILING

Maybe you found a sailing magazine in your doctor's waiting room or you watched the Captain Ron movie and started wondering if sailing would be something you'd want to do.

But what about that heeling feeling? Will I get seasick? Will I like it? Do I want to invest quite a sum of money in sailing classes and then realize that it is not for me?

Yachting Vacations has the answer. We offer an "Introduction to Sailing" program to people that are intrigued by the sport but don't know yet if they will really like it.
We will take you on a one-day or two-day sailing trip on beautiful Charlotte Harbor.
Charlotte Harbor is a large expanse of water, protected from the Gulf of Mexico by the barrier islands of Sanibel, Captiva, Cayo Costa and Gasparilla. There are many quiet anchorages and world-class marinas in the area. During the trip, we will show you the basic techniques of sailing on one of our meticulously maintained yachts and we will let you handle the boat by yourself. you will get you a pretty good idea of what sailing is all about.

The one-day trip costs $150.00 per person (min.2, max. 4). We will leave in the morning around 9:00AM and return around 4:00PM. Weather and time permitting, we can anchor out for lunch (and maybe a refreshing swim) or dock at a marina/restaurant for lunch (lunch is not included).

The two-day trip costs $450.00 per person (min.2, max. 4). We will leave on the first day at around 9:00AM and return at around 4:00PM the following day. We will spend the night at anchor or at one of the local marinas (overnight docking fee at other marinas is extra).
Breakfast and lunch are included in the fee.

Why not start the adventure of a lifetime with an "Introduction to Sailing" class?

Contact us at (800) 447-0080, at (941) 637-6634 or e-mail us at info@yachtingvacations.com for more details. (This class does not give you an ASA sailing certification)

Fair Winds!

ASA 105 and 106 Class, January 28 - February 3, 2012

Overnight passages can be some of the most fun sailing you can experience but you need quite a few new skills to be safe.
Join our 5-day ASA certification class for 105 and 106 (Advanced Coastal Navigation and Advanced Coastal Cruising) starting on January 22. This course will definitely make you a better and more confident sailor.
Learn to plan your trips based on winds, tides and currents and experience the fun of navigating your course at night. Practice crew overboard recovery in the dark. We guarantee you five days of exhilarating sailing and learning.
Check our web site for details of this class and call us for more information or to register.