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ASA Instructor Qualification Clinics

Ready to take the next step to share your love of sailing with others?

(Instructor Qualification Clinics are taught 9am – 5pm, except ASA 206, which is overnight.)


We offer ASA/American Sailing Association IQC/Instructor Qualification Clinics bi-annually, in the spring and the fall. We will soon be adding AB/American Boating instructor courses, stay tuned. Below are the instructor qualification certification levels that we currently offer:

  • Basic Sailing (ASA 201)
  • Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA 203)
  • Bareboat Cruising (ASA 204)
  • Coastal Navigation (ASA 205)
  • Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 205)
  • Cruising Catamaran (ASA 214)
  • Docking Endorsement (ASA 218)

As an ASA Certified Instructor you are:

  • Enhancing your career development potential as a professional.
  • Qualified to teach and certify students to uniform national standards which are internationally recognized.
  • Playing an important role in improving the quality and extent of educational opportunities for the recreational sailor.
  • A member of a professional organization which provides you with teaching materials and services, a centralized national certification authority, continuing education programs for ASA Instructors, member discounts on useful products and services, and a wide variety of other benefits.
  • Recognized internationally as a leader in sail education.
  • Click here to access the ASA website with more details on becoming an instructor.

201:  $317 + $79 (Instructor Student fee) + $99 (for Instructor Certification) = $495
If you do not have your ASA 101 (required prerequisite for ASA 201), there is an additional challenge fee of $125
203:  $195 + $99 for Instructor Certification = $294
204:  $195 + $99 for Instructor Certification = $294
205:  $95 + $99 for Instructor Certification = $194
206:  $350 + $99 for Instructor Certification = $449
214:  $346 + $99 for Instructor Certification = $445
218:  $251 + $99 for Instructor Certification = $350

We offer instructor level certifications for 201 Basic Keelboat Sailing Instructor, 203 Basic Coastal Cruising Instructor, 204 Bareboat Cruising Instructor, 205 Coastal Navigation Instructor, 206 Advanced Coastal Cruising Instructor, 214 Cruising Catamaran Instructor and 218 Docking Endorsement Instructor.

Please visit the ASA site for specific details on prerequisites.
For ASA 201, the prerequisite is ASA 101/Basic Keelboat Sailing. If you don’t have the student certification, you can challenge the ASA 101 course for $125, upon approval of your skills. Plan to take the ASA 101 written exam prior to the 201 course.

For all other instructor courses the prerequisite is the previous instructor certification level.

Note: You also need your USCG license to teach any ASA courses for San Juan Sailing. If you will be teaching elsewhere and wonder if you will need your USCG license, refer to this flow chart from ASA.

To register for a Sailing Instructor Qualification Clinic please contact us at 360-671-8339 or send us an e-mail.

For powerboat instructor clinics, all registration is done through AB/American Boating. Please e-mail Adrienne Bell to inquire/register.

Course Full? If the course you are seeking is full, please contact us to be put on a waitlist.

201: Basic Keelboat: Sailing Made Easy by ASA
203: Basic Coastal Cruising: Coastal Cruising Made Easy by ASA
204: Bareboat Cruising: Bareboat Cruising Made Easy by ASA
205: Coastal Navigation: Coastal Navigation by Mike Pyzel or Tom Tursi (only available through ASA)
206: Advanced Coastal Cruising: Advanced Cruising & Seamanship by Bill Gladstone/ASA
214: Cruising Catamarans Made Easy by ASA
218: Docking and Maneuvering Made Easy by Lisa and Andy Batchelor

Order texts online through the ASA Store, through Amazon or iBooks, or check out from your local library.

After you have completed your IQC/Instructor Qualification Course, we would like to connect with you if you are interested in teaching for San Juan Sailing and Yachting. We are always seeking highly skilled and personable, professional instructors to add to our teaching team. You can e-mail the school for any questions and for more information. Please include your professional and sailing resumes.


Class size is limited, so please contact us at 360-671-8339 or by e-mail to register or if you have additional questions.

Special Opportunities

Courses & Stateroom Bookings Spring & Summer Guided Flotillas Fall Guided Flotillas
Stateroom Bookings 10-Day Sunshine Coast 7-Day Independence Celebration 7-Day San Juan & Gulf Islands
2-Day Sailing Courses 10-Day Barkley Sound 7-Day San Juan Islands 14-Day Desolation Sound
Women-Only LNC 7-Day Cruising the Gulf Islands 14-Day Desolation Sound 10-Day End of Season Hoorah