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American Sailing & American Boating 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 AS 206, which is overnight.)


We offer AS/American Sailing IQC/Instructor Qualification Clinics bi-annually, in the spring and the fall, and are now offering AB/American Boating Instructor Qualification Clinics as well. Below are the instructor qualification certification levels that we currently offer:

  • Basic Sailing (AS 201)
  • Basic Coastal Cruising (AS 203)
  • Bareboat Cruising (AS 204)
  • Coastal Navigation (AS 205)
  • Advanced Coastal Cruising (AS 205)
  • Cruising Catamaran (AS 214)
  • Docking Endorsement (AS 218)
  • Beginner Powerboating (AB 201)
  • Intermediate Powerboating (AB 203)
  • Advanced Powerboating (AB 204)

As an ASA or AB 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 or powerboater.
  • A member of a professional organization which provides you with teaching materials and services, a centralized national certification authority, continuing education programs for AS and AB Instructors, member discounts on useful products and services, and a wide variety of other benefits.
  • Recognized internationally as a leader in boating education.
  • Click here to access the AS website or here to access the AB website with more details on becoming an instructor.

Tuition rates include the AS or AB Instructor Certification Fee

AS 201:  $495 (Prerequisite: ASA 101. If you do not have your ASA 101 there is an additional challenge fee of $125.)
AS 203:  $294
AS 204:  $294
AS 205:  $194
AS 206:  $449
AS 214:  $445
AS 218:  $350
AB 201:  $575
AB 203:  $575
AB 204:  $575

Please visit American Sailing for specific details on prerequisites.

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

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

Note: You also need your USCG license to teach any AS or AB courses for San Juan Sailing & Yachting. 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 an Instructor Qualification Clinic please contact us at 360-671-8339 or send us an e-mail.

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

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

Order texts online through the AS Store, the AB 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