At US SAILING, we know that not everyone who is asked to supervise sailing activities is a certified sailing instructor. Sometimes, the sailing counselor at a camp also teaches archery and arts and crafts. That's why US SAILING developed and offers Sailing Counselor training. 

The Sailing Counselor course is two day course designed to prepare camp counselors and staff from community sailing and scouting programs to supervise small boat recreational sailing activities typically conducted on sheltered and protected waters. The emphasis is on safety and hands-on practice to familiarize candidates with proper terminology and boating techniques. Sailing Counselor training will also provide a model for how a counselor might structure actual sailing activities. The minimum age for attending this course is 14 years old.

Once Sailing Counselors have completed the course and had some actual experience teaching sailing, they become eligible to earn, and are encourage to pursue, Small Boat Instructor Certification.

Please note that course registrations fees are nonrefundable.

• Familiarize candidates with principles of risk management, including carrying out a safety inspection.

• Familiarize candidates with sailboat nomenclature and proper sailing terminology.

• Prepare candidates to properly rig a small sailboat.

• Prepare candidates to conduct a swim check.

• Prepare to conduct a capsize/recovery drill.

• Familiarize candidates with land drills.

• Rehearse candidates in fundamental small boat sailing skills and familiarize then with routine sailing drills.

• Familiarize candidates with basic “rules of the road” for small sailboats.

• Familiarize candidates with on-the-water safety, possible emergencies, and overboard recovery and rescue techniques.

• Familiarize candidates with hazardous weather conditions.

• Prepare candidates to organize and conduct safe and orderly sailing activities.

• Familiarize candidates with the use of hand signals in on-water communication.

• Familiarize candidates with US SAILING Training programs, products and resources.

  Sailing Counselor Course Calendar (Register On-Line from the calendar)