2017 Course Dates

Note: courses require a minimum of 6 candidates. BC Sailing will send out an email at least 1 week before the start of the course to confirm the location, times and inform candidates of details.  Be sure to sign up early, as many courses fill up fast.

Register Here - registration opens January 10, 2017

View our cancellation/refund policy here

Summer Professional Development Opportunity:

Professional development opportunity for instructors and coaches: BC Sailing will award professional development points for coaches who receive mentorship from a senior coach at the following events:

BC Champs - Squamish July 8-9

Comox Regatta & BC 420 Champs - Comox Aug 5 & 6

There is no cost. To apply please contact athlete.dev@bcsailing.bc.ca with the fleet you would like to be assigned to and why. Fleets are Optimist, Club 420, and 29er.

CANSail Fundamental:

The Fundamental is a two-day in-class theory course and an important prerequisite for all other instructor and coaching courses.  The Fundamental covers the key principles behind teaching and coaching, including professionalism, ethics, risk managament, planning a practice, teaching methods and skill development.
Prerequisites: none
Fee: $265

February 25-26
Saturday & Sunday, 9am-6pm
Royal Victoria Yacht Club

February 25-26
Saturday & Sunday, 9am-6pm
Eagle Harbour Yacht Club

March 10-11
Friday & Saturday, 9am-6pm
Comox Bay Sailing Club

April 8-9
Saturday & Sunday, 9am-6pm
Hollyburn Sailing Club

May 20-21
Saturday & Sunday, 9am-6pm
Hollyburn Sailing Club

CANSail Technical Course:

The CANSail Technical is a 2.5-3 day course where instructors will use the theory they learned in the Fundamental to teach a group of sailors in a hands-on and realistic learning enviroment.  The majority of this course is spent instructing on the water.  Instructors will also be assessed on their CANSail sailing skills and knowledge in both a practical evaluation and written exam.
Prerequisites: CANSail Fundamental, Pleasure Craft Operator Card, minimum sailing level (see course for specific minimum requirement)
Fee: $295

CANSail 1 & 4
Minimum sailing level required: CANSail 4

March 3-5
Friday, 5pm-9pm, Saturday and Sunday, 9am-6pm
Royal Victoria Yacht Club

March 12-14
Sunday, Monday & Tuesday 9am-6pm
West Vancouver Yacht Club

April 15-16
Saturday and Sunday, 9am-6pm
Comox Bay Sailing Club

May 26-28
Friday, 5pm-9pm, Saturday and Sunday, 9am-6pm
Rocky Point Sailing Association

May 26-28 - CANCELLED
Friday, 5pm-9pm, Saturday and Sunday, 9am-6pm
KelownaYacht Club

June 9-11
Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am-6pm
​Location Hollyburn Sailing Club

CANSail 5 & 6
Minimum sailing level required: CANSail 6

March 3-5
Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am-6pm
Royal Victoria Yacht Club

April 14-16
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 9am-6pm
Location TBA (Lower Mainland)

Coach Boat Safety

The Coach Boat Safety coure is a one-day on-water practical course.  In this course, instructors and coaches will review important safety components for teaching on the water and be required to demonstrate practical boat driving skills in a variety of standard coaching scenarios.  Additionally, there is a written exam to test the theory covered in the Coach Boat Safety manual.
3 Professional Development Points
Prerequisites: Pleasure Craft Operator Card, Standard First Aid with CPR-C (Emergency First Aid with CPR-C will be accepted until December 31, 2017)
Fee: $100 for new instructors, $75 recertifying instructors

March 11
Saturday 9am-4pm
West Vancouver Yacht Club

March 25
Saturday 9am-4pm
Royal Victoria Yacht Club

April 14
Saturday 9am-4pm
Comox Bay Sailing Club

May 22 - CANCELLED
Recertifications only - this course does not cover the theory in depth, and will only briefly review theory before the written exam and the required on-water tasks.
Monday 4pm-8pm
Location TBA (Lower Mainland)

May 28
Saturday 9am-4pm
Kelowna Yacht Club

June 17
Saturday 9am-4pm
​West Vancouver Yacht Club

June 17
Saturday 9am-4pm
Royal Victoria Yacht Club

Wet Feet/Opti Module

The Opti Module is a one-day professional development course designed for coaches who will be working with young sailors age 5-13 in optimist dinghies.  Emphasis is on rigging for safety and speed and sailing techniques.  
3 Professional Development Points
Prerequisites: Trained CANSail Coach (any level)
Fee: $90

May 27 - CANCELLED
Saturday 9am-4pm
Location TBA (Lower Mainland)
 

Community Instructor Module

The Community Instructor module is an introduction to coaching course for new instructors who want to start as an assistant coach or volunteer with a sailing program.  Community instructors are "Instructors in Training" cannot certify CANSail levels and may not be eligible for Sail Canada Coach Insurance.  It is strongly recommended that community instructors also take the Fundamental course.
Prerequisites: 15 years old, PCOC, First Aid, CANSail 2, Coach Boat Safety
Fee: $150

May 27 & 28 - CANCELLED
Saturday 9am-5pm
Location TBA (Lower Mainland)

Optimist Race (CANSail 3) Module

The Opti Race module is designed for instructors and coaches with previous optimist coaching experience and those who will be working with CANSail 3 & 4 level sailors or novice Opti race teams.  Candidates will work with optimist race team sailors and focus on developing racing skills and new coaching techniques.
3 Professional Development Points
Prerequisites: Trained CANSail Coach (any level), Optimist experience, preferably Opti Module
Fee: $150

April 14-16
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 10am-4pm
Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

Spin & Trap

The Spin and Trap module is a professional development course that focuses specifically on double-handed boats.  This course emphasizes correct rigging and boat handling in the Club 420, as well as developing coahcing techniques for double-handed skill development.
3 Professional Development Points
Prerequisites: Trained CANSail Coach, minimum sailing level CANSail 5 and Spin & Trap 2 are required to teach Spin & Trap.  All coaches and sailors not meeting the prerequisites are welcome to take the course for their own professional development.
Fee: $150

June 27-28
Tuesday, Wednesday 9am-6pm
Royal Victoria Yacht Club

Program Manager

The Program Manager Module is open to coaches and others looking to take on an administrative role within their learn to sail program.  Topics covered to include marketing, registration, communication and safety.
3 Professional Development Points
Prerequisites: Senior instructor or program director
Fee: $200

February 11-13 - Course Cancelled
Saturday, Sunday & Monday 9am-6pm
West Vancouver Yacht Club

Salty Sisters Coaching Clinic

Coachinc clinic for those wishing to run Salty Sisters all female lessons. This clinic focuses on the philosophy and implementation of Salty Sisters programming.
3 Professional Development Points
Prerequisites: Pleasure Craft Operators Card
Fee: $100, and free for those travelling more than 30km to clinic site

June 10 - Cancelled
Saturday 9am-5pm
West Vancouver Yacht Club

Coach Evaluation

Evaluations can be arranged by contacting BC Sailing at crew@bcsailing.bc.ca.
Fee: $100

Refund Policy for all courses:

Course fees are fully refundable until 14 days prior to the course.  Within 14 days of the course start date, cancellations are subject to a $50 cancellation fee.  Within 14 days prior to the course date, there is a $50 fee to change to alternate course dates.  Except in emergencies, there will be no refunds or changes to course dates allowed within 3 days prior to the course start date.  Please email athlete.dev@bcsailing.bc.ca if you wish to change course dates.