Instructor Discretion

ASA 106 includes a great deal of discretion on the part of the instructor. Timing and intensity of tides and currents change with each class. Different weather forecasts and conditions in the sailing area will be the norm rather than the exception.

With this in mind, this instructors manual includes only the basic structure of Tradewinds’ policy to be followed, not a day by day, moment by moment breakdown of class timing and activities.

Pre Class Work

Pre-class Homework Email and Class Assignments

Each instructor completes pre-class assignments differently.

One instructor might prefer to start sending a series of weekly emails beginning about 1 month prior to class departure.

Another instructor might send a single email 7 to 10 days prior to the start of class.

Examples of both email options are included for your review. At a minimum, the following topics must be covered as part of the pre-class homework.

• Introductions
• Timeline/Agenda
• Homework
• Float Plan Preparation Instructions
• Go/no-go forecasting and decisions
• Meal planning
• Assign lectures for student presentations. Recommended topics include:
  • Diagrams for COE and CLR and how they are affected by changes in boat set-up
  • Practical methods for determining CLR
  • Actions to increase/decrease weather helm
  • Flat vs. Full sail(s)

Homework Follow-up

• Finalized meal planning 1 day before class
• Receipt of float plans 3 days before class
• Go/no-go decisions 1 day before class

Example Emails

There are five separate emails in the multiple email sample. Begin mailing them to your class approximately 1 month prior to departure.

• Welcome
• Plan a Cruise Assignment
• Lecture Assignments
• Meals
• Weather/Sea State Go/No-go

Day One Agenda

Planning and provisioning

Day one is a planning and provisioning day. Plan to meet at the Tradewinds office at 6pm (1800 hrs)

Lecture and Discussion (typically 1 to 2 hours)

• Review class area charts
• Review most recent Local Notices to Mariners
• Review Coast Pilot pages covering the class area.
• Explore the dangers of exiting the Golden Gate on the ebb as well as the chosen exit time.
• Establish watch schedule. A typical class will include four participants. A typical watch schedule might include one hour at each of the following “watch assignments”.
  • Helm/Skipper
  • Navigator
  • Lookout
  • Off-watch (note: meal preparation should be completed by the off watch person. Attention should be paid to who is doing what meals while setting up the watch schedule).

Boat Preparation (2 to 3 hours)

• Complete vessel checkout
• Stow all gear and provisions (see ACC class gear list)
• Top off water tanks

It is critical that all participants be on the boat at least 30 minutes prior to the established departure time.

All class participants should plan to sleep on board the vessel following preparation and provisioning.

Day Two – Four Agenda

There is no set “on the water agenda” for day two through four, however, the following items must be covered.

Lectures done by the participants as planned and set up during the pre-class homework.

• Suggested lecture topics include:
  • Diagrams for COE and CLR and how they are affected by changes in boat set-up
  • Practical methods for determining CLR
  • Actions to increase/decrease weather helm
  • Flat vs. Full sail(s)

Daytime and nighttime crew overboard recovery practice. Daytime drills should be conducted in the open ocean. Nigh time drills may be conducted in the shelter of Drakes Bay if the instructor deems it prudent.

Each participant must get time as skipper and as crew during night time operations.

Test

The test may be taken at any convenient time, although you should wait for all four participant lectures to be completed. Some examples follow:

• At anchor or at the dock during the final evening of class.
• Change the watch schedule on the final day so that there are two on and two off at all times. Allow the off watch team to work on the test while the on watch team sails home. Switch on and off watch teams each hour until everyone is done.
• Leave enough time at the end of the class to complete the test after returning to Tradewinds. This is not always a good option, as most students are exhausted after 4 days of class and cleaning and putting the away.