Ready to level up your sailing experience and venture into serious coastal cruising? This combined ASA 104 and ASA 106 course offers a comprehensive training experience for sailors looking to become confident and capable skippers for chartering and extended coastal passages.

The ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising portion covers essential cruising skills aboard a 28–50 ft sailboat, including acting as skipper and crew in daylight hours along coastal waters. You’ll dive into cruise planning, basic navigation, advanced anchoring, docking, provisioning, and onboard systems operation. This certification is often required by international charter companies and builds a strong foundation for real-world cruising adventures.

The ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising builds on that foundation with a five-day passage across Lake Michigan aboard a fully equipped bluewater cruiser. You’ll put your skills to the test with night sailing, waypoint navigation, radar use, electronic chart plotting, and emergency procedures. You’ll practice crew-overboard drills, develop float plans, evaluate weather patterns, and refine your sail trim and boat handling in a variety of conditions—including heavy weather.

We’ll also cover troubleshooting and self-sufficiency when offshore, preparing you to be the “first responder” when something doesn’t go according to plan. Our route typically includes a Lake Michigan crossing to destinations like Ludington or Frankfort, depending on conditions, and includes night watches to simulate real offshore sailing scenarios.

📘 Course materials include the ASA Bareboat Cruising and Advanced Cruising & Seamanship textbook, which will be mailed to you upon registration.

Note: If you haven’t yet completed your ASA 105 (Coastal Navigation) certification, we recommend enrolling in our online ASA 105 course through Sea Safaris Online. You’ll have the option to complete the final exam during the sailing trip.