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!
Our May Learn to Sail week is now full, please sign up for our newsletter and follow our social media pages to be notified about future course dates!
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.
Your BVI learn-to-sail sailing course will start from our excellent Nanny Cay base and will take you around the islands. Part of your course will be choosing a suitable itinerary with your instructor and finding the best spots to spend the night. You are here to learn but snorkelling, and checking out local restaurants and idyllic beaches are all part of the process!
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.
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 yacht up to 27 feet 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 |
| 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 sailing before to chartering a catamaran on your own. | None | 10 days = 5 days monohull + 5 days catamaran (+ 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 | Fast track depending on experience level |
| 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, and 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 the beginning of the 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 104 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.
Horizon Sailing School is now offering sailing courses by the cabin for those who wish to learn to sail or improve their skills with like-minded enthusiasts, looking to get qualified and have a spectacular vacation at the same time.
We are running a 7-day Learn to Sail ASA course for ASA 101 & 103 or ASA 103 & 104 from May 20th 2023 – May 27th2023. The course runs from midday to midday. The total cost for the course is $3200 per person. This includes:
- Accommodation onboard for 7 nights, 8 days. (Please contact us for shared cabin pricing)
- Experienced ASA Instructor
- Onboard meals (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners)
- Fuel and water
- National Park fees
- Cruising permits
- ASA logbook completed and signed by your instructor
- Relevant ASA coursebooks
- 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
For more details please Contact Cara.
