Basic Keelboat Instructor

What to Expect

This Three-day Instructor Certification Course is an extremely intensive EVALUATION of your ability to teach sailing to the US Sailing Keelboat Certification System Standard. This standard is the most rigorous in the country and requires practice, study, and preparation by even the most gifted and experienced professional instructors. We are evaluating in great detail everything about your teaching and sailing knowledge, skills and ability. There is little formal training, education or time for practice. Active sailing instructors often assume their everyday instructor work will be sufficient preparation for them to perform well in these clinics. Due to the fact that students do much more sailing than instructors do in a sailing course, the instructors are often rustier than they might think. This situation may lead to difficulty, frustration, and failure.

As soon as possible and well before attending this course, please follow this advice:

Speak at length with a recent graduate of the course about their experiences.
Study and learn all of the written material sent to you in advance.
Get out and practice the sailing skills you will be asked to perform.
Be sure to practice your classroom presentation skills (preferably with a trusted colleague to
receive good feedback). It is much easier to demonstrate your teaching skills in front of your peers
if you have had some recent practice.
Speak with a US Sailing instructor who knows your skills. Go sailing with them and get their advice on any needed areas of refinement or improvement you may have. Then take the time to practice before arriving at the clinic. If you do not have a colleague with instructor certification, consider visiting a US Sailing school and purchase a short sailing session with a certified

Course Length

This is a three–day, 24–hour course. Absence from any part of the course will exclude the Instructor Candidate from evaluation.

Minimum Age Requirement

All Candidates must have reached their 18th birthday within the calendar year that the course is being held in. Please be aware that forging/lying about your age is a violation of the terms of this registration and is grounds for revocation of any or all US Sailing certifications

Prerequisites for Entrance into the Course

EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE SAILING AND TEACHING ON KEELBOATS
COMPLETION OF TEACHING & COACHING FUNDAMENTALS ONLINE (TCFO)
You are not eligible to attend an in-person section if TCFO has not been competed.
CURRENT US SAILING MEMBERSHIP
Youth memberships are not applicable. Those with a family membership with only one (1) instructor in the family are eligible.
ABILITY TO SWIM TWENTY-FIVE (25) YARDS
US Sailing will accept swimming certificates issued by the American Red Cross, YMCA, NAUI or PADI within the last 3 years. Certificates issued more than three (3) years before the start of the course will not be accepted. US Sailing will also accept a Proof of Swimming Ability Verification form completed and signed by a swimming instructor certified by the American Red Cross, YMCA, NAUI, PADI, or a lifeguard certified by the American Lifeguard Association or U.S. Lifesaving Association.**All candidates, who do not meet the criteria above, must bring a completed Swim Verification Form to the course.** This form will be sent with your course paperwork.
CURRENT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE BOATING LAW ADMINISTRATORS (NASBLA) SAFE BOATING CERTIFICATION
Each state has different requirements and candidates have a responsibility to meet the boating laws of the state where the course is being held. In some states, online testing meets the criteria for NASBLA certification while other states require classroom work and do not recognize online testing. If you chose to take an online course, please be certain that the course you’ve chosen is NASBLA approved. Online courses that are not NASBLA approved will not be accepted. BoatUS is one provider of online courses. Click here to see all available Boat US courses. You can also earn your certification at one of US Sailing’s Safe Powerboat Handling Courses or see a current list of approved providers. Candidates holding a current USCG full or limited Master’s or OUPV license are exempt from this requirement.
COMPLETED COURSE REGISTRATION ACCOMPANIED BY FULL COURSE PAYMENT.

Requirements for Successful Completion of Course

ATTENDANCE AT ALL PORTIONS OF THE COURSE
Absence from any portion of the course excludes the instructor candidate from evaluation
SUCCESSFULLY PASSING THE FOLLOWING EVALUATED COMPONENTS
1. Personal and Interpersonal Skills
  Demonstrate professional conduct, an open-minded, positive and enthusiastic attitude, appropriate appearance (clothing, footwear and tidiness), participation in discussions, collaboration skills/team player, confidence and ease of manner.
2. Sailing Skills Test
3. Marlinspike Seamanship Test
4. Demonstrative and communication ability
5. Basic Keelboat Instructor Exam and the Basic Keelboat Student Exam
  Written, based on the US Sailing’s Basic Keelboat Instructor Manual and US Sailing’s Basic Keelboat student book. The tests will be closed book. Questions on the Basic Keelboat Instructor and Student Exam are based on the reading material. A passing grade for both the keelboat instructor exam and keelboat student exam is 80%.

Course Outcomes

The determination as to whether a candidate passes or fails rests with the Instructor Trainer. The following are the potential course outcomes:

PASS
The Instructor Candidate has successfully completed each of the items listed under “Requirements for Successful Completion of Course.”
PLAN OF IMPROVEMENT (POI)
The Instructor Candidate has not demonstrated the necessary skills or knowledge to be certified.They will be provided with a Plan of Improvement (POI) to complete within 90 days from the date of issue with a current Instructor Trainer in the applicable discipline. The responsibility for arranging completion of a Plan of Improvement rests with the Instructor Candidate. When a Candidate is ready to retest for their POI they may submit payment via US Sailing’s website. Instructor Candidates will get only one chance to pass their Plan of Improvement; should they be unsuccessful in this attempt, they will have failed the course. The fee to complete a Plan of Improvement is $75.00.
FAIL
The Instructor Candidate did not meet the standards to become a a Certified Instructor will be failed. An Instructor Candidate, who fails an evaluative course and would still like to become certified as an Instructor, may re-apply for a future course, at full cost, one year from the original course date provided that the reason for their failure was not due to Personal and Interpersonal Skills. Absence from any part of the evaluation session will exclude the Instructor Candidate from evaluation and be considered a course failure.
PLAN OF COMPLETION
US Sailing and US Sailing Instructor Trainers assume no responsibility for lack of wind or other acts of nature. If the Instructor Trainer’s were unable to complete the evaluation, Instructor Candidate’s are issued a Plan of Completion. Arrangements to fulfill the Plan of Completion must be done through the Education Department.There is no fee for completing a Plan of Completion. The Instructor Candidate is responsible for any additional travel-related expenses.

Course Materials

The following materials are provided for this course:

Basic Keelboat Instructor Manual
Basic Keelboat student book
Review questions for Basic Keelboat Instructor Exam
Other handouts and course information as applicable

Materials will be sent directly to the Instructor Candidate. There are approximately 300 pages to read. You are required to read the entire manual before arriving for the course, and you should plan on studying prior to and each night of the course.

Certification Requirements

FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATION
from the American Red Cross, American Heart Association or and U.S. Coast Guard approved provider. Candidates do not need to complete the CPR/First Aid Training in advance of the course, however a certification will NOT be valid unless accompanied by current First Aid and CPR.
VALID SAFESPORT CERTIFICATE.
This program, developed by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, is required training for all Instructors. This requirement is also being put in place for other National Governing Bodies. This free online training course must be completed every year. Instructor certification is not active unless SafeSport training has been completed.
CURRENT US SAILING MEMBERSHIP
CURRENT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION
US Sailing/US Powerboating Instructor Certifications are valid for three (3) years. Instructors need only re-certify at the highest level of certification they have achieved within each program.

Course Fees

The course registration fee for the Basic Keelboat Instructor course is $550.

Course Transfers

Course fees are nonrefundable but are transferable to another course up to 1 week prior to the course start date. Course Transfers are not available within the week of the course start. Fees are not transferable to another candidate. The fee for all transfers is $25.00.

To transfer into a different session:

Log in to your US Sailing account here: MyUSSailing
Select the My Certs and Courses tab from the options on the left, then click the transfer link.
Submit Payment details
Confirm transfer

US Sailing reserves the right to cancel, postpone, abandon or change the venue, date and time of the course should unforeseen circumstances occur or course minimums are not reached. In the event the course is unable to proceed, a course credit will be made available which is good for one (1) year or you may choose a refund.

WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY

For and in consideration of the undersigned’s participation in any US Sailing instructor course (“Event” or “Events”), sponsored by US Sailing (the “Organization”), hosted by various Host Clubs/Organizations (the “Hosts”), and taught by a US Sailing certified Instructor Trainer (“IT”), I, for myself, and on behalf of my spouse, children, heirs and next of kin, and any legal and personal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, hereby agree to and make the following contractual representations pursuant to this Agreement (the “Agreement”):

RULES AND REGULATIONS: I hereby agree to abide by the rules, regulations, and policies of the Organization, Host, and IT including any and all COVID-19 related safety measures required by the Organization and/or Host.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK: I knowingly, willingly, and voluntarily acknowledge the inherent risks associated with the sport of sailing and attendance at an Event, and that participation in any Event involves risks and dangers including, without limitation, the potential for serious bodily injury (including broken bones, head or neck injuries), sickness and communicable disease, trauma, pain & suffering, permanent disability, paralysis and death; loss of or damage to personal property; exposure to extreme conditions and circumstances; accidents involving other participants, event staff, volunteers or spectators; contact or collision with other participants or natural or manmade objects; adverse weather conditions; facilities issues and premises conditions; failure of protective equipment; inadequate safety measures; participants of varying skill levels; situations beyond the immediate control of the Event organizers and competition management; and other undefined, not readily foreseeable and presently unknown risks and dangers (“Risks”). Special note regarding COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. Risks under this Agreement include the potential for exposure to communicable diseases such as COVID-19, an extremely contagious virus that spreads from person-to-person contact. The Organization has taken preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, attending or participating in an Event could increase your risk of contracting COVID-19 which may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death.
ASSUMPTION OF RISK: I understand that the aforementioned Risks may be caused in whole or in part or result directly or indirectly from the negligence of my own actions or inactions, the actions or inactions of others participating in the Events, or the negligent acts or omissions of the Released Parties defined below, and I hereby voluntarily and knowingly assume all such Risks and responsibility for any damages, liabilities, losses, or expenses that I incur as a result of my participation in any Events. I also agree to be responsible for any injury or damage caused by me or any agents under my direction and control at any Event.
RELEASE: In consideration of my participation in any Event, I hereby release from liability and waive any claims against the Organization, ITs, and Host(s) of the Event, its licensees, competition managers, promoters, sponsors, advertisers, beneficiaries, venue providers, and supporting organizations, together with the officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and contractors of them (the “Released Parties” or “Event Organizers”), with respect to any liability, claim(s), demand(s), cause(s) of action, damage(s), loss, or expense (including court costs and reasonable attorney fees) of any kind or nature (“Liability”) which may arise out of, result from, or relate in any way to my participation in the Events, including claims for Liability caused in whole or in part by the negligent acts or omissions of the Released Parties.
COMPLETE AGREEMENT AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE: This Agreement represents the complete understanding between the parties regarding these issues and no oral representations, statements or inducements have been made apart from this Agreement. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from this Agreement and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.

I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THIS DOCUMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY, UNDERSTAND ALL OF ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS, AND KNOW IT CONTAINS AN ASSUMPTION OF RISK, RELEASE, AND WAIVER FROM LIABILITY.

If you wish to submit a hard copy of this Waiver, Release, and Assumption of Risk instead, please print and mail a signed copy to education@ussailing.org

By signing below, I (as the participant or as the Parent/Legal Guardian of the minor identified below) hereby accept and agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement in connection with my (or the minor’s) participation in any Event.

Participant Signature: ___________________________________ Printed Name: ____________________________ Date:________________

Parent/Legal Guardian Signature (required if participant is under the age of 18): ______

Parent/Legal Guardian Printed Name: ____________________________________________________ Date:__________________

By clicking below, I (as the participant or as the Parent/Legal Guardian of the minor identified below) hereby accept and agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement in connection with my (or the minor’s) participation in any Event.

Register

Registration is only accepted via our online registration system. Should you need assistance, please contact info@ussailing.org Register securely online below.