Our Courses
Horizon Sailing School in the BVI is the March 2023 ASA featured school. Read the detailed information on learning to sail as part of your solo, couples or friends/family vacation aboard a monohull or catamaran and our “Zero to Hero” program to get you certified in just 8 days!
Learn to sail in the BVI whilst enjoying a vacation in the sun!
Horizon Sailing School is an American Sailing Association-certified facility. We provide first-class tuition on first-class yachts in one of the most idyllic cruising grounds in the world: The British Virgin Islands.
Our courses are available onboard your own private charter yacht or on one of our Learn to Sail weeks.
By chartering your own yacht, you can add one of our ASA-certified sailing instructors to your vacation to have complete flexibility on your dates and pick the yacht of your choice from our fleet! Part of your course will be choosing a suitable itinerary with your instructor and finding the best spots to spend the night. You may bring friends and family on your BVI learn-to-sail sailing course even if they are not taking the courses so you can all enjoy your sailing vacation together.
Alternatively, if you would prefer to not charter your own yacht, join one of our Learn to Sail weeks which are available by the cabin. Spaces are limited so enquire today so you don’t miss out!
Your BVI sailing courses will start from our excellent Nanny Cay base and will take you around the islands. You are here to learn but snorkelling, and checking out local restaurants and idyllic beaches are all part of the process!
Over the course of a week, you will work towards achieving an ASA certification. This will allow you to charter sailboats anywhere in the world.
With our BVI learn-to-sail courses, you will gain the confidence, knowledge and experience to embark on your own sailing adventure!
For more details on any of our courses please Contact Cara.
Our Courses
- American Sailing Association (ASA) certified.
- Follow the ASA’s progressive, structured levels of sailing standards.
- Always run by ASA-qualified instructors.
- At the completion of your course receive an ASA logbook with your certifications & sea-time signed off by your instructor.
- Courses are available for all levels of experience.
- We also offer sailing courses in specialist subjects which do not give you an ASA certificate of competence but do broaden your skillset in specific areas like mooring, night sailing and mile building. These can easily be added to your trip. For these, we provide a Horizon Sailing School certificate.
See below for the full list of courses we can offer and the recommended minimum days for each course. Why not try the “Zero to Hero” course which gives a complete beginner the opportunity to charter a boat solo in just 10 days!
ASA Courses
Please note there is a 5-night minimum on all our sailing courses & charters.
| Course | Description | Prerequisites | Minimum Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing | Step 1 to learning to sail. Able to skipper a small yacht during the daytime in light winds. | None | 2 days |
| ASA 103 Basic Coastal Cruising | Expand your sailing skills and knowledge with new topics in safety, weather and navigation. | 101 | 3 days |
| ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising | The cert you need to bareboat charter! Time to really learn to be a Captain. | 103 | 3 days |
| ASA 114 Cruising Catamaran | Skipper up to a 45ft catamaran during a multiday trip, in moderate to heavy wind speeds. | 104 | 2 days (1 day when paired with ASA 104) |
| Zero to Hero Monohull | From never sailed before to chartering a monohull on your own. | None | 8 days + optional days on your own |
| Zero to Hero Catamaran | From never sailed before to chartering a catamaran on your own. | None | 9 days (+ optional days on your own) |
| Cat Cruising | Complete your 114 and then charter a cat on your own. | 104 | 2 days + 5 days on your own |
| Cert Builder | For the experienced sailor wanting to gain certificates of competence. | 80 sailing hours | Same as ASA course |
| ASA 118 Docking Endorsement | Able to safely and efficiently dock an auxiliary powered sailboat. | None | 1 day |
HSS Courses
| Course | Description | Prerequisites | Minimum Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSS Safe Harbour | Learn mooring techniques like what to do when you lose your boat hook, practice different types of anchoring. | 104 | 1 day |
| HSS Rusty Sailor | For sailors that haven’t been out in a while. Available to ASA qualified sailors and non-qualified sailors. Available as day trips or add on to beginning of charter. | Any | Experience-dependent |
| HSS Mile Builder | Learn the things you need to consider before doing a long day sail, plot a long passage and execute it. | 104 | 2 days |
| HSS Passage Planning | For those who have completed their 105 course online, put your knowledge into practice with course plotting and passage planning around the BVI. | 105 | 2 days |
ASA 101-BASIC KEELBOAT This is the starting point for anyone wishing to become ASA certified.
What does it gives me?
ASA 101 – Basic keelboat certificate of competence.
What does that let me do?
Take out a small keelboat 20 feet or more in length no eng in light to moderate winds and sea conditions in familiar waters without supervision. No auxiliary power or navigation skills required.
What do I need to do it?
Nothing! No experience required.
How many days do I need to complete the course?
We recommend a minimum of 2 days onboard to complete this course.
Which boats can I learn on?
ASA 101 must be taken on a monohull.
Got your ASA 101 already? Time for your ASA 103 – Coastal cruising!
What does it give me?
Your ASA 103 – Coastal Cruising certificate of competence.
What does that let me do?
This allows you to sail a boat up to 30ft in moderate wind and sea conditions, in local and regional waters during daylight hours.
What do I need to do it?
You need your ASA 101 certificate of competence.
How many days do I need to complete the course?
We recommend a minimum of 3 days onboard to complete this course.
Which boats can I learn on?
ASA 103 can be taken on a monohull or a catamaran. However, if you would like to take your ASA 101 & 103 in the same trip you must take both courses on a monohull.
Got your ASA 103 already? Time for your ASA 104 -Bareboat Cruising.
What does it give me?
ASA 104- Bareboat Cruising certificate of Competence.
What does that let me do?
Along with sufficient experience, ASA 104 gives you the ability to bareboat charter. This advanced cruising standard is for individuals with cruising experience. The individual can act as skipper or crew of a 30 – 50 foot boat sailing by day in coastal waters. The level includes knowledge of boat systems and maintenance procedures.
What do I need to do it?
You need your ASA 103 certificate of competence.
How many days do I need?
We recommend a minimum of 3 days onboard to complete this course.
Which boats can I learn on?
ASA 104 can be taken on a catamaran or a monohull.
Got your ASA 104 already? Time for your ASA 114 -Catamaran Cruising.
What does it give me?
ASA 114- Catamaran Cruising Certificate of Competence.
What does that let me do?
Along with sufficient experience, ASA 114 gives you the ability to bareboat charter a catamaran. Learn to skipper an auxiliary-powered sailing cruising catamaran of approximately 30-45′ feet in length during a multi-day liveaboard cruise upon inland or coastal waters in moderate to heavy winds (up to 30 knots) and sea conditions.
What do I need to do it?
You need your ASA 104 certificate of competence.
How many days do I need?
We recommend a minimum of 2 days onboard to complete this course.
Which boats can I learn on?
ASA 114 must be taken on a catamaran.
LEARN TO SAIL WEEK MONOHULL
Ready to start your sailing journey? Our monohull week covers ASA 101, Sailing Made Easy and ASA 103, Coastal Cruising. Whilst completing your courses around the BVI you can also enjoy a vacation in the sun, explore onshore bars and restaurants, snorkel our amazing coral reefs and discover white sand beaches!
This course is open to all levels of experience, no prior experience necessary. The maximum number of learning students onboard will be 6. You may also bring along friends and family who are not learning but would like to join the vacation!
Upcoming dates:
- November 10th – 16th 2024
- May 18th -24th 2025
This course starts at 5pm on Sunday and finishes at midday the following Saturday.
The cost of each of these courses is $2995 for a single cabin, $4990 for a double cabin.
This includes:
- Accommodation onboard for 6 nights, 6 days.
- Experienced ASA Instructor
- Onboard meals (6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners)
- Fuel and water
- National Park fees
- Cruising permits
- ASA logbook completed and signed by your instructor
- ASA certification stickers
This does not include:
- Travel costs to arrive and depart from Nanny Cay marina, BVI (flights, taxis, hotels etc)
- Personal insurance
- Meals ashore (3 dinners)
- Alcoholic beverages onboard
- Instructor gratuity
LEARN TO SAIL WEEK CATAMARAN
Ready to progress on your sailing journey? Our catamaran week covers ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising and ASA 114, Catamaran Cruising. Whilst completing your courses around the BVI you can also enjoy a vacation in the sun, explore onshore bars and restaurants, snorkel our amazing coral reefs and discover white sand beaches!
This course is open to students who are previously certified ASA 101 and ASA 103 or have equivalent experience level (80 hours of on water experience and knowledge of the following topics). We also recommend this course to students that are already certified and want more time on water before bareboating. The maximum number of learning students onboard will be 6. You may also bring along friends and family who are not learning but would like to join the vacation!
Upcoming dates:
- November 17th – 23rd 2024
- May 25th – 31st 2025
This course starts at 5pm on Sunday and finishes at midday the following Saturday.
The cost of each of these courses is $3295 for a single cabin, $5590 for a double cabin.
This includes:
- Accommodation onboard for 6 nights, 6 days.
- Experienced ASA Instructor
- Onboard meals (6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners)
- Fuel and water
- National Park fees
- Cruising permits
- ASA logbook completed and signed by your instructor
- ASA certification stickers
This does not include:
- Travel costs to arrive and depart from Nanny Cay marina, BVI (flights, taxis, hotels etc)
- Personal insurance
- Meals ashore (3 dinners)
- Alcoholic beverages onboard
- Instructor gratuity
Yacht Charter Skippers
Captain Dom – BVI Skipper and ASA Instructor
Hi, I’m Dom, a skipper for Horizon.
I’m from the UK but since starting working on yachts at 18 I haven’t looked back. I have spent my time on boats from South Africa to the Mediterranean and most recently, the BVI.
I am RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualified, completing my training in the UK and in South Africa. My resume includes work on multiple superyachts in the Mediterranean, so I’m no stranger to excellent service, an Atlantic crossing, which gave me plenty of time to fine-tune my sailing skills and Captain on a 22m yacht based in Monaco which I safely navigated across France, Spain and Italy.
I have a range of skills from yacht maintenance to water sports and I pride myself on always giving guests a great experience in all aspects of their trip.
Testimonial March 2024 from Steven Blaine who chartered Maverick and completed his 104:
“Dom is probably the best instructor (of any type, from golf to school sports, to pickleball, including sailing) that I have encountered in my 67 years. Is a true gem and you are I’m sure you know very lucky to have him as part of your team. Thanks again! Fair winds!”
Testimonial April 2023 from Nathan McElmurry: “Captain Dom is the greatest! As is all the staff at Horizon. We had to alter our dates last-minute due to a death in the family and everyone was very sympathetic and accommodating. Even prior to that incident, the whole Horizon family made our trip a breeze (no pun intended) and ensured that we had everything we needed as first-timers. Highly recommend this company.”
Captain Dani – BVI Skipper and ASA Instructor
Hi, I’m Dani, a Skipper and Instructor for Horizon. I was raised on the beaches of Northeast Florida in Jacksonville. My journey into the world of yachting started in Croatia, where I was a host on sailing vessels in 2018 and 2019. From that point on, sailing and exploration became my passion, leading me to sail in Portugal, Italy, Ireland, French Polynesia, and the Virgin Islands.
For the past four years I have proudly called the Virgin Islands my home. Initially diving into the yachting world I cultivated my culinary talents asa chef. I developed a love for sailing which led me to get my Yachtmaster Offshore after sailing in Ireland. I have since expanded my repertoire, now sharing my expertise by teaching the art of sailing in the idyllic setting of the British Virgin Islands.
“Many thanks for an unforgettable week onboard Cosette! Thank for your patience and wisdom as we made our way to sailing proficiency and nailing ASA 101, 103 and 104! I will happily recommend Horizon to anyone who is into doing the same thing” – Nick Sullivan
“Thank you so much for an amazing week of sailing! I am significantly more comfortable heeling and anchoring. I hope to be down again for my 114!” – Vicki
“It was a great week – the perfect balance of theory, practice and fun. I learned a lot! It was also a real confidence builder which I think I need almost more than the instruction.” – Janet and Michael
