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A crew in the cockpit of our keelboat, seen from the mast

Home / Adult courses / Cruising

Cruising programs

Hands-on keelboat sailing that builds real cruising confidence, on Chica, our Beneteau First 310. Many sailors start here with little or no cruising experience.

Early bird from $185
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Your pathway

From your first keelboat sail to cruising

Find a course by level and date

Program options

New to keelboats? Start Keelboat Sailing is the first step, then Basic Cruising and Mileage Builder.

Cancel 14 or more days ahead: $50 feeMac Crew: free after any adult courseSecure card payment

A sailor at the helm of our keelboat Chica
No experience needed

Start Keelboat Sailing

Your first step onto a keelboat: steering, sail handling and safety aboard Chica, in small groups, before Basic Cruising.

$525

DatesWhenPricePlacesBook
April 24 & 25 from 9 am–3:30 pm on the waterSat & Sun$5255 leftBook
May 22 & 23 from 9 am–3:30 pm on the waterSat & Sun$5255 leftBook
June 7, 8, 10 & 11 from 5:30–8:45 pm on the waterMon, Tue, Thu, Fri$5255 leftBook
September 18 & 19 from 9 am–3:30 pm on the waterSat & Sun$5255 leftBook
Our keelboat Chica sailing off downtown Vancouver
Sail Canada certified

Basic Cruising: your introduction to keelboats

Sail Canada's internationally recognized course: anchoring, basic navigation and emergency procedures. The foundation for advanced cruising.

$1,045early bird until 31 Januarythen $1,075

DatesWhenPricePlacesBook
April 8, 15 & 22 from 6–9 pm classroom; April 10, 11 & 17 from 9 am–3:30 pm on the waterThu, Sat, Sun$1,0455 leftBook
April 29, May 6 & 13 from 6–9 pm classroom; May 8, 9 & 15 from 9 am–3:30 pm on the waterThu, Sat, Sun$1,0455 leftBook
May 17 from 9–12 classroom and 1–5:30 pm on the water; May 18 & 20 from 9 am–4:30 pm on the water; May 19 & 21 from 6–9 pm classroomMon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri$1,0455 leftBook
June 3, 10 & 17 from 6–9 pm classroom; June 5, 6 & 12 from 9 am–3:30 pm on the waterThu, Sat, Sun$1,0455 leftBook
June 14 from 9–12 classroom and 1–5:30 pm on the water; June 15 & 17 from 9 am–4:30 pm on the water; June 16 & 18 from 6–9 pm classroomMon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri$1,0455 leftBook
June 21 from 9–12 classroom and 1–5:30 pm on the water; June 22 & 24 from 9 am–4:30 pm on the water; June 23 & 25 from 6–9 pm classroomMon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri$1,0455 leftBook
A crew smiling in the cockpit of our keelboat
For Basic Cruising grads

Mileage Builder

Hands-on cruising in real conditions, with active roles and coaching throughout. The main way Basic Cruising grads keep sailing.

$739early bird until 31 Januarythen $760

DatesWhenPricePlacesBook
May 28 from 6:30–8:30 pm classroom; May 29 & 30 from 9 am–5 pm on the waterFri, Sat, Sun$7395 leftBook
June 18 from 6:30–8:30 pm classroom; June 19 & 20 from 9 am–5 pm on the waterFri, Sat, Sun$7395 leftBook
July 23 from 6:30–8:30 pm classroom; July 24 & 25 from 9 am–5 pm on the waterFri, Sat, Sun$7395 leftBook
August 20 from 6:30–8:30 pm classroom; August 21 & 22 from 9 am–5 pm on the waterFri, Sat, Sun$7395 leftBook
September 24 from 6:30–8:30 pm classroom; September 25 & 26 from 9 am–5 pm on the waterFri, Sat, Sun$7395 leftBook
October 1 from 6:30–8:30 pm classroom; October 2 & 3 from 9 am–5 pm on the waterFri, Sat, Sun$7395 leftBook
Our keelboat's sails in the afternoon sun
Classroom

Coastal Navigation

Chart work, route planning, tides and currents, and decision-making for coastal trips.

$479early bird until 31 Januarythen $495

DatesWhenPricePlacesBook
March 23, 25, 30, April 1, 6 & 8 from 6–9 pm, classroomTue & Thu$47916 leftBook
A crew at the helm of our keelboat under full sail
ClassroomROC(M)

Maritime Radio Certificate

Use VHF marine radio well: protocols, distress calls and DSC. Earn your Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime).

$185early bird until 31 Januarythen $190

DatesWhenPricePlacesBook
April 24 from 9 am–1 pmSat mornings$18512 leftBook
October 23 from 9 am–1 pmSat mornings$18512 leftBook
A crew sailing our keelboat

Our yacht

Chica, our Beneteau First 310

Comfortable, well equipped and easy to handle: an ideal boat for learning real-world cruising in Vancouver's waters. British Columbia is home to world-class cruising grounds; we help you explore them.

Questions

Good to know

Do I need cruising experience?

No. Basic Cruising is designed as an introduction to bigger boats, in a supportive, instructor-led setting.

What is Mileage Builder?

Guided cruising for Basic Cruising graduates: real-world sailing, active roles on board, and confidence through repetition in different conditions.

Are Coastal Navigation and Maritime Radio on the water?

No. They're classroom courses with the knowledge you need for safe, confident cruising.

What should I bring?

Clothes for the weather, soft-soled shoes, sunscreen and water. We provide the boat, safety equipment and course materials.

What if I need to cancel?

Cancel at least 14 days before your course starts for a refund less a $50 fee, or a credit for the full amount, valid for 2 years. One missed lesson per course can be rescheduled with notice, if there's space, and on-water time we cancel for weather gets a make-up session within 4 weeks, or a credit for the missed part if none fits. The full rules are on the Program Policies page.

Early bird from $185Upcoming dates below
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Summer 2027 is open for booking

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