This is a comprehensive cruising standard for sailors with cruising experience. Certified students act as skipper or crew of a 28 – 50 foot boat sailing by day in coastal waters. The course includes basic navigation, cruise planning, advanced anchoring techniques, boat systems and maintenance procedures. International sailing considerations along with learning how to respond to “what ifs” that might occur when you are off-shore and the “first responder”. Most charter companies require a sailing resume from the Skipper and look for this internationally accepted certification when chartering a boat.

Over several days you’ll eat, sleep, and sail on the water while building real cruising confidence.

Format: 4 Day Live-aboard.

This course equips participants with the essential knowledge and skills to safely operate as the skipper and crew of a sailing vessel ranging from 30 to 50 feet in length. It encompasses both day and nighttime sessions conducted in coastal and inland waters, regardless of weather conditions. Building upon the foundations laid in prior ASA courses, students embark on an extended coastal sail, including overnight passages, where they will learn new concepts and apply advanced sailing techniques and skills.

The course spans five days and imparts the prequisite expertise for coastal navigation. It instills the confidence to plan, chart, and execute extended coastal cruises under varying conditions on sailboats of up to 50 feet in length.

Sailing Vessel – 2014 Jeanneau 409 Sun Odyssey
This is an attractive 40 foot sailing yacht, is designed with 3 cabins and 2 heads. This is a top of the line cruising model with all of the comforts and features to make learning fun and safe. Features include: Roller furling sails, dodger and bimini, anchor windlass, autopilot, GPS, and color chartplotter.

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.

Step up to true offshore sailing with Sea Safaris’ ASA 108 Offshore Passagemaking course, departing from South Shore Yacht Club in Milwaukee. This advanced liveaboard training is designed for experienced sailors who want to confidently plan and execute multi-day, non-stop passages—day and night—well away from the comfort of the marina.

Over 5 days underway, you’ll stand watches, sail through the night, and experience real offshore decision-making on extended legs across the Great Lakes. You’ll rotate through roles as skipper and watch captain while working with the crew to handle:

• Passage planning and weather routing

• Night sailing, lights, and collision avoidance

• Offshore watch schedules and log-keeping

• Heavy-weather strategies and sail plans

• Offshore safety, emergency procedures, and seamanship

• Power management, provisioning, and boat systems underway

Our route will be shaped by weather and conditions to ensure at least 72 hours of continuous offshore sailing, meeting the requirements for ASA 108 while giving you genuine passagemaking experience—not just a string of day sails.

Prerequisites & Certification

This course is intended for sailors who have already built a solid coastal foundation (ASA 104/106 or equivalent experience). The training is conducted to meet all ASA 108 Offshore Passagemaking standards.

Sailors who have completed their celestial or electronic navigation study in advance (such as ASA 117 or equivalent) will be especially well prepared to integrate advanced navigation skills into real-world offshore passage planning and execution.