Experienced sailors navigating a yacht at dusk during an offshore passage with navigation instruments illuminated in the cockpit

Go Further: Master Offshore Sailing with ASA 105/106

Name: ASA 105/106 Advanced Coastal Cruising Course | Sailing Virgins
Uploaded: 2026-09-22
Duration: 4:00
Description: Follow experienced sailors as they tackle night passages, celestial navigation, and heavy weather tactics on an intensive offshore sailing course.

You have earned your stripes. Now tackle night passages, celestial navigation, and the skills to captain voyages across open water.

Find Your Course

American Sailing Association Certified Training Facility

ASA CertifiedTraining Facility

4.98/5228 reviews

As Featured InVOGUE

7-10 days

Duration

ASA 105 + 106

Certification

$4,450

From

4-6 sailors

Crew Size

Your Advanced Sailing Journey

Master offshore sailing with night passages, celestial navigation, and the expertise to captain voyages across open water.

Students practicing celestial navigation

Advanced passage planning in the cockpit

Crew managing sails during offshore passage

1 / 10

Is Advanced Right for You?

Find out if this course matches your experience level and goals.

Perfect For

Sailors with ASA 104 or equivalent offshore experience
Aspiring delivery captains and yacht crew professionals
Sailors preparing for ocean crossings or extended voyages
Couples planning to live aboard and cruise full-time
Those seeking the highest ASA cruising certifications
Experienced racers wanting to add cruising credentials

Prerequisites

ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising) certification or equivalent documented experience is required. You should have logged significant offshore miles, be comfortable with multi-day passages, and have experience in varying conditions. Not sure if you qualify? Contact us with your sailing resume for assessment.

What You'll Achieve

ASA 105 (Coastal Navigation) certification
ASA 106 (Advanced Coastal Cruising) certification
Competence for unsupervised offshore passages
Night passage and watch-keeping expertise
Heavy weather tactics and storm management skills

Advanced sailors planning a night passage with charts and electronic navigation in low light conditions

What You'll Learn

The Advanced course combines ASA 105 Coastal Navigation and ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising into an intensive offshore sailing program. You will master the theoretical and practical skills needed to safely captain extended passages in challenging conditions.

Advanced piloting and dead reckoning techniques

Tidal current calculations and passage timing

Celestial navigation fundamentals (sun sights, noon fix)

Electronic navigation: radar, AIS, chart plotters

Navigation in restricted visibility (fog, rain, night)

Fix verification using multiple sources

Course plotting for current and leeway correction

Navigation publications: tide tables, pilot books, NOTAAs

Extended passage planning (50+ nautical miles)

Night sailing: watch schedules, deck procedures, fatigue management

Heavy weather preparation: reefing strategies, storm tactics

Heaving-to, lying ahull, and other storm techniques

Crew management during extended passages

Advanced MOB recovery in offshore conditions

Emergency navigation: failure scenarios and backups

Yacht systems for extended cruising: power, water, fuel management

Weather routing using GRIB files and professional forecasts

Search and rescue coordination (EPIRB, DSC, SART)

Medical emergencies at sea: stabilization and evacuation

Crew overboard prevention and jackline systems

All certifications issued by the American Sailing Association (ASA)

A Day in the Life

Advanced courses feature extended passages, night sailing, and real-world decision making under challenging conditions. This is not a vacation - it is intensive training.

Time	Activity	What You'll Learn	Vibe
04:00	Night watch handover	Manage fatigue, maintain situational awareness	High Focus
06:00	Dawn navigation check	Verify position, adjust course for conditions	Academic
07:30	Watch rotation and breakfast	Hot meal protocol while underway	Social
09:00	Celestial navigation practice	Sun sight, calculate noon fix position	Academic
11:00	Sail trim optimization	Maximize VMG for passage efficiency	Active
13:00	Weather analysis session	Review GRIB files, adjust routing	High Focus
15:00	Heavy weather drill	Practice reefing, storm tactics (heave-to)	Active
17:00	Systems check and maintenance	Monitor engine, electrical, water systems	Academic
19:00	Evening meal and watch briefing	Prepare for night passage segment	Social
21:00	Night watch begins	Navigation lights, radar watch, collision avoidance	High Focus

04:00Night watch handover

Manage fatigue, maintain situational awareness

High Focus

06:00Dawn navigation check

Verify position, adjust course for conditions

Academic

07:30Watch rotation and breakfast

Hot meal protocol while underway

Social

09:00Celestial navigation practice

Sun sight, calculate noon fix position

Academic

11:00Sail trim optimization

Maximize VMG for passage efficiency

Active

13:00Weather analysis session

Review GRIB files, adjust routing

High Focus

15:00Heavy weather drill

Practice reefing, storm tactics (heave-to)

Active

17:00Systems check and maintenance

Monitor engine, electrical, water systems

Academic

19:00Evening meal and watch briefing

Prepare for night passage segment

Social

21:00Night watch begins

Navigation lights, radar watch, collision avoidance

High Focus

Zen

Academic

Active

Social

High Focus

Celebration

See What an Advanced Course Looks Like

Follow experienced sailors as they tackle night passages, celestial navigation, and heavy weather tactics on an intensive offshore sailing course.

Click to play • ASA 105/106 Advanced Coastal Cruising Course | Sailing Virgins

Your Crew

Meet Your Instructors

Learn from captains with ocean crossing experience who specialize in developing confident offshore sailors.

Captain Mitchell Selby

ASA Certified Instructor

Mitchell has 20 years of sailing experience and has been involved in the charter industry for 6 years. Based in Hawaii, he operates year-round, combining his interests in surfing and sailing while traveling to various destinations for charters and...

ASA Certified InstructorSailing Virgins Instructor

1 of 5 instructors

Meet all our instructors

Tripadvisor Reviews

What Advanced Sailors Say

5.0

(228+ reviews)

“As a pilot, I thought I understood navigation. The advanced course humbled me and then built me back up. The celestial navigation clicked on day 3, and by the end I was shooting sun sights like a pro. The night passages were intense but exactly what I needed. Currently planning a transatlantic.”

David M.

Solo Male, 45, Airline Pilot

“We're selling everything to sail the Pacific. This course gave us confidence we didn't know we were missing. The heavy weather drills were eye-opening - we thought we knew what to do, but the instructor showed us better techniques. Worth every penny for the peace of mind.”

Sarah & Tom B.

Couple, 52 & 55, Planning Pacific Cruise

“I took this course to transition into professional sailing. The instructor connections and real-world training exceeded expectations. Two months later I crewed on my first Atlantic delivery. The ASA 105/106 credentials opened doors that sailing experience alone could not.”

James K.

Solo Male, 38, Aspiring Delivery Captain

“I was the only woman and the least experienced on the boat. By day 3 I was leading night watches. The instructor pushed us all equally and celebrated every breakthrough. The emergency procedures training was intense but I left feeling genuinely prepared for anything. Life-changing week.”

Next: Oct 11

Up to 5 sailors

From

$4,990per person

View dates →

View All Advanced Courses

Offshore-Passage-Planning-Guide.pdf guide preview

Free Download

Download the Offshore Passage Planning Guide

Everything you need to plan your first extended passage - weather routing fundamentals, provisioning checklists, watch schedules, and safety protocols from experienced offshore sailors.

What's inside:

Pre-course skills refresher guide
Weather pattern quick reference
Night sailing preparation tips
Passage planning worksheets

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Take your sailing to the next level with ASA 106.

Frequently Asked Questions

You must have ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising) certification or equivalent documented experience. We also look for significant logged miles - typically 500+ nautical miles with some overnight experience.

If you learned through another system (RYA Yachtmaster, IYT, etc.) or have extensive logged time, contact us with your sailing resume. We assess readiness individually to ensure everyone on an advanced course has compatible experience.

Night sailing is a core component of ASA 105/106. Expect at least 2-3 overnight passages during the course, depending on weather and routing.

You will learn watch schedules, night deck procedures, navigation light recognition, radar interpretation in darkness, and how to manage crew fatigue on multi-day passages.

**ASA 105 (Coastal Navigation)** focuses on theoretical navigation skills: chart plotting, celestial fundamentals, electronic navigation, and passage planning.

**ASA 106 (Advanced Coastal Cruising)** is the practical application: extended passages, night sailing, heavy weather tactics, crew management, and emergency procedures.

We combine both into one intensive course because the theory and practice are inseparable at this level. You'll earn both certifications.

Advanced courses typically use larger, bluewater-capable yachts in the 45-55 foot range. These vessels have proper offshore equipment: radar, AIS, SSB radio, EPIRB, liferaft, and jacklines.

The boats are selected for their seakeeping ability, not luxury. You will experience the systems and equipment found on serious cruising yachts.

This is our most demanding course. Night watches mean interrupted sleep (typically 4 hours on, 4 hours off). You will be on deck in challenging conditions, managing heavy sails, and making decisions while fatigued.

Good physical fitness is recommended, but mental toughness and the right attitude matter more. We have had sailors from their 30s to their 60s complete the course successfully.

ASA 105/106 is the highest cruising certification offered by ASA. With these credentials you can:

- Charter larger yachts (50+ feet) from most companies worldwide

- Work as crew on delivery passages

- Prepare for ocean crossings or circumnavigation

- Pursue ASA Instructor certification

- Command extended liveaboard voyages with confidence

Many charter companies specifically look for ASA 106 for their premium offshore charters.

We run advanced courses in destinations with suitable offshore conditions:

- **BVI** - Trade wind sailing with open water passages

- **Greece** - Meltemi wind conditions, challenging island passages

- **Croatia** - Bora conditions, complex navigation in the Adriatic

The destination is chosen to provide realistic offshore challenges while maintaining reasonable access to safe harbors.

Ready for Serious Offshore Sailing?

ASA 105/106 is the pinnacle of cruising certification. Take your sailing to the next level with intensive training from experienced offshore captains.

Find Your Advanced Course

100% Satisfaction GuaranteeFlexible Booking Options

Go Further: Master Offshore Sailing with ASA 105/106

Your Advanced Sailing Journey

Is Advanced Right for You?

Perfect For

Prerequisites

What You'll Achieve

What You'll Learn

ASA 105

ASA 106

A Day in the Life

See What an Advanced Course Looks Like

Meet Your Instructors

Captain Mitchell Selby

What Advanced Sailors Say

Upcoming Advanced Courses

Croatia Catamaran Adventure

Croatia Sailing Adventure

French Polynesia Catamaran Adventure

Greece Catamaran Adventure

French Polynesia Sailing Adventure

St Martin Catamaran Course

Download the Offshore Passage Planning Guide

Explore More Sailing Experiences

Certifications and destinations to pair with this

ASA 105 + 106 summer dates and pricing

ASA 105 navigation course

advancing beyond the sailing basics

ASA 106 advanced certification

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the prerequisites for the advanced course?

How much night sailing is included?

What is the difference between ASA 105 and ASA 106?

What boats are used for advanced courses?

How physically demanding is the advanced course?

What can I do with ASA 105/106 certification?

What destinations offer advanced courses?

Ready for Serious Offshore Sailing?

Your Advanced Sailing Journey

See What an Advanced Course Looks Like

Meet Your Instructors

Captain Mitchell Selby

What Advanced Sailors Say

Download the Offshore Passage Planning Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the prerequisites for the advanced course?

How much night sailing is included?

What is the difference between ASA 105 and ASA 106?

What boats are used for advanced courses?

How physically demanding is the advanced course?

What can I do with ASA 105/106 certification?

What destinations offer advanced courses?