CRUISING INSTRUCTOR TRAINER EVALUATION PREREQUISITES & INFORMATION
Candidates will be evaluated for their teaching, sailing and navigational skills, and their ability to handle challenging conditions and navigational situations during daytime and nighttime, as well as their interpersonal skills in a live-aboard environment. Candidates will live and sail aboard their assigned boats. 

A.  Prerequisites for Entrance into the Evaluation:

1.  At least three years of teaching experience as a Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising instructor.  *

2.  Current US SAILING Basic Keelboat Instructor Trainer Certification.

3.  Coastal Passage Making sailing skills and knowledge ( US SAILING Coastal Passage Making   Student Certificate, when available, or equivalent.)

4.  Coastal (Piloting) and Electronic Navigation skills and knowledge (US SAILING           Coastal/Electronic Navigation Student Certificate, when available, or equivalent).

5.  Minimum 5,000 nm of coastal and offshore sailing experience (relevant to Basic Cruising and      Bareboat Cruising) on an inboard auxiliary powered sailboat equipped with stove, head, and fresh   water and electrical systems*

6.  Ability to perform the procedures necessary to be a Cruising Instructor.

7.  Current U.S. Coast Guard License (includes Auxiliary Sail Endorsement).(A U.S.Coast Guard   License is valid for 5 years - can be renewed by documenting time at sea or by retaking the exam.)

8.  Current American Red Cross (ARC) or Green Cross Standard First Aid card and current ARC, Green Cross, or American Heart Association CPR card.  A current state licensed EMT or a           licensed MD is also acceptable.

9.  Current US SAILING membership.

10. Letter of recommendation from current/most recent sailing employer or if self-employed, a letter from another instructor not associated with your program who knows you personally and       professionally.

11. Three letters of personal reference.

12. Written resume, including sailing, teaching and business experience.

13. Completed application form accompanied by the following fees: $400 (course fee) and $75       (provisioning fee), plus an optional $100 boat fee ( if boats have to be chartered). 

14. Completed Medical Form either received at the office prior to the Instructor Evaluation or given to the Instructor Trainer before the evaluation session begins.

 *Coastal Passage Making Instructor Trainer Candidates need an additional 5,000 nm (with at least 1,000 nm as crew and 1,000 nm in command ; 3 coastal passages of 5 days duration in command, or equivalent; and 10 overnight passages in command, or equivalent) and taught at least 10 Coastal Passage Making courses and 6 Coastal/Electronic Navigation courses as a Coastal Passage Making Instructor and Coastal/Electronic Navigation Instructor.

B.  Evaluation Length:
3 days.

C.  Successful Completion of the Evaluation Includes Passing Each of the Following:

1.   Demonstrate Cruising Instructor Trainer skill level and knowledge in the following areas in 24¹ to 40¹ auxiliary powered sailboats, including wheel steering , inboard, and outboard:

¨    Boathandling in moderate to heavy conditions

¨    Sail selection, set, and trim (including cruising spinnakers for Coastal Passage Making Instructor Trainer candidates)

¨    Operation and inspection of boat systems and equipment:  engine, electrical, bilge pumps, head, fresh water, stoves, emergency and safety equipment, winches, anchors, harnesses and jacklines.

¨    Docking - departure and arrival under sail and power, and adverse conditions

¨    High level of seamanship skills

¨    Reefing

¨    Sailing under shortened sail

¨    Anchoring during daytime or night, including 1 and 2 anchors, use of trip line, bow and stern anchors.

¨    Picking up a mooring

¨    Overboard recovery methods:  quick-stop, quick-return, lifesling-type; with at least one performed at night.

¨    Nighttime sailing

¨    Limited visibility situations

¨    Simulate procedures for engine failure recovery, sinking, fire, dismasting, grounding recovery

¨    Use of VHF radio and emergency procedures:  Mayday, Pan, Securite

¨    Use of dinghy and outboard

¨    Setting Watches

¨    Storm tactics

¨    Familiar with Bahamian and Med mooring procedures

¨    Navigation:  use of charts, tide/current tables, light list, coastal pilot, and cruising guides; use of variation and deviation; taking bearings and fixes; plot a running fix; plot danger bearings; plotting DR course and position using time/speed/distance calculations; application of set and drift; effects of leeway; use of bow and beam bearings; use of doubling angle on bow; use of accepted plotting and labeling techniques; use of ship’s log; confirm chartwork with Loran, GPS, Sat-Nav, or radar.

2.   Sailing Skills test - Practical

3.   Marlinspike Seamanship Skills test - Practical

4.   Demonstrative and communicative ability - Practical

5.   Complete working knowledge of the US SAILING Keelboat structure and       system - Practical

6.   Professional attitude and conduct - Practical

7.   General Sailing Knowledge and Instructor Manual ( includes Navigation Rules, International -    Inland, 1-38) test - Written

8.   Coastal/Electronic Navigation test - Written and Practical

9.   Specialists’ evaluation

The written tests will be handled in the following manner:

1.  Instructor Trainer Candidates will be provided with the review questions in advance.  These questions can be used for open book studying prior to testing.

2.  The actual tests will be closed book.  If using a calculator for the Coastal/Electronic Navigation test, all programmable memory has to be cleared prior to taking the test.

3.  A passing grade for each test will require answering 80% of the questions correctly.

Practical and written tests each stand on their own.  Each test must be passed and each practical skill demonstrated in order to successfully complete this evaluation session.  Absence from any part of the evaluation session will exclude the Instructor Trainer Candidate from evaluation.

D.  Evaluation Outcomes

1.   Passing:  The Instructor Trainer Candidate has successfully completed each of the items above as well as the Evaluation.

2.   Plan of Improvement:  The Instructor Trainer Candidate has not yet successfully completed what is required and has been given a specific Plan of Improvement to complete with approved and assigned Training Program representatives within a specific time frame.  Arrangements for re-testing and the completion of a Plan of Improvement must be done through the Training Director.  The responsibility for completion of a Plan of Improvement rests with the Instructor Trainer Candidate.       

3.   Failing:  The Instructor Trainer Candidate did not come close enough to meeting the evaluative criteria at the time of the course to be given a Plan of Improvement or did not complete the specifics in the Plan of Improvement that was given.

E.  Training Materials

Materials will be sent directly to the invited Instructor Trainer Candidate or to the US SAILING   contact for distribution to the invited Instructor Trainer Candidates.  To allow enough time to study course materials, US SAILING must receive your completed application and session fee at least 2 weeks prior to the evaluative session.

Instructor Trainer Candidates will receive the following:

1.  Cruising Instructor Manual

2.  Outcome standards for Basic Cruising Certification, Bareboat Cruising Certification,             Coastal/Electronic Navigation Certification, and Coastal Passage Making Certification.

3.  Basic Cruising student book

4.  Bareboat Cruising student book

5.  Coastal Navigation student book

6.  Review questions for General Sailing Knowledge and Instructor Manual

7.  Review questions for Coastal/Electronic Navigation

8.  Other handouts and information as applicable

F.  Validation of Cruising Instructor Trainers
Validation will be for three years providing First Aid, CPR and US SAILING membership are kept current.  Instructor Trainer validation is renewable.

Note:  Candidates must be current US SAILING members.