Whitsundays-Islands-Sailing-Location

Learn to Sail Fundamentals

ASA 103 Course

ASA 103 Coastal Cruising prepares sailors for more advanced and independent cruising aboard larger boats, learning to navigate in coastal waters, and manage a variety of onboard systems. From anchoring and docking to planning multi-day trips, ASA 103 empowers you to explore further, experience new destinations, and enjoy the freedom that comes with coastal cruising. The adventure is yours—set sail and embrace the coastal lifestyle!

CRUISING SAILBOAT TERMINOLOGY:

Solidify your understanding of common cruising sailboat terms and essential federally required safety equipment for confident operation.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT & PROCEDURES:

Learn to identify all essential safety equipment and execute critical emergency procedures, including man overboard recovery and fire prevention, for a secure voyage.

NAVIGATION & WEATHER:

Master advanced navigation rules and practical weather interpretation techniques to safely plan and execute coastal cruises.

SAIL PLAN:

Develop an understanding of optimal sail configurations and refined sail trim techniques for efficient and comfortable coastal cruising in varied conditions.

SEAMANSHIP:

Develop essential practical skills for managing your cruising vessel, including efficient line handling, proper watchkeeping procedures, and responsible onboard operations.

Imagine the thrill of feeling the wind in your sails, the gentle sway of the boat, and the vast expanse of the open water before you. ASA 101 isn’t just a course; it’s the key to unlocking a world of adventure, freedom, and connection with nature. It’s about discovering a new passion, building confidence, and joining a community of like-minded individuals who share a love for the sea. Take the helm, embrace the challenge, and let ASA 101 be your first step towards a lifetime of unforgettable sailing experiences

Course Duration

3-Days (will include some sailing after dark)

Start and Finish Times

Start at 08:30 am – 4:00 PM Each Day 

Minimum Age

16 years

Course Format

On water aboard a catamaran or yacht 35′ or larger.  Over 90% of time on-water, 10% on dock or classroom.  This is not an overnight course, but participants can stay on the boat and use the boats cooking facilities.

Accomodation

This is not an overnight course, but participants can stay on the boat and use the boats cooking facilities.

Course Highlights

  • Experienced Instructors: Learn from our passionate and certified RYA instructors.
  • Small Class Sizes: Benefit from personalized attention and maximize your learning.
  • Beautiful Location: Enjoy practical training in the pristine waters of the Sunshine Coast.
  • Internationally Recognized Certification: Gain a qualification respected worldwide.
  • Comprehensive Learning Materials: Access all necessary resources to support your studies.
  • Free Online Course: Receive free access to the ASA 103 online pre-course.

Who Is This Course For?

ASA 101 Graduates: Sailors who have successfully completed ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing and are ready to advance their skills and knowledge.

Aspiring Skippers: Individuals aiming to confidently skipper a 25-35 foot auxiliary-powered sailboat in familiar coastal waters during daylight hours.

Coastal Cruising Enthusiasts: Those looking to gain the practical skills and theoretical understanding for multi-day cruising trips and overnight anchoring.

Bareboat Charter Preparers: Sailors preparing to charter larger monohulls or catamarans independently in coastal regions.

Knowledge Seekers: Anyone eager to deepen their understanding of cruising sailboat systems, advanced navigation, and essential safety procedures beyond basic sailing.

What Are The Pre-requisites for ASA 103?

  • ASA 101

Yearly pricing

Pricing

Nulla pretium eros nec ante interdum mattis. Donec ac bibendum urna. Fusce nec lorem non leo efficitur semper. Donec vitae dolor ultrices, pellentesque risus ac, vehicula leo. 

Donec egestas mauris id mauris pharetra aliquam.

Donec egestas mauris id mauris pharetra aliquam.

Donec egestas mauris id mauris pharetra aliquam.

Donec egestas mauris id mauris pharetra aliquam.

Donec egestas mauris id mauris pharetra aliquam.

Basic

Donec massa neque, accumsan dignissim enim vel, dapibus elementum enim.

$290

Pro

Donec massa neque, accumsan dignissim enim vel, dapibus elementum enim.

$790

Searching Availability...

Why choose sunshine sailing australia

With The Experience Comes Excellence.

Our school is an RYA foundational school in Australia, and has been teaching people to sail since 1995.  With 29+ years of experience, and over 15K sailors trained, we know a thing or two about sailing.  

Lowest Student / Instructor Ratio

We are the only RYA school in Queensland that has a 4:1 Student to Instructor ratio as standard. What does this mean for you? This means more room on the boat, no sharing beds, and more time for instruction. You are getting more training for the money than any other school.

Instructors Dual RYA/ASA Certified

Our instructors are not only experienced sailors but also hold dual certifications from both the RYA and ASA, the two largest sail training organizations in the world. You can rest assured knowing that you will be learning from highly qualified instructors.

Queensland's Premier Catamaran Sail Training

We are the leading RYA catamaran training center in Queensland, offering more RYA courses on catamaran than anyone else. If you want to buy, charter, or sail a catamaran, we are the school that will help you increase your abilities so you can maximize your adventure.

You Become Part of Our Community

We have a strong sailing community of past and current students. Many have boats that love to have crew aboard for a daily, weekend, or somethings longer trips. We love to get together and have BBQ’s, concerts, and flotillas. What an amazing community you could be a part of, you will be welcomed with open arms.

No Sharing Beds w/Strangers

We know this might be something that would be a given, but it isn’t.  Most schools require students (strangers) to share a bed, often with a piece of cloth or a board between them.  We do not believe you should have to pay extra to have your own bed.

What our past students have to say!

Posted on Google Google
Paul Moitzi profile picture
Paul Moitzi
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Thank you Mark for the invaluable 5 days sailing under your instruction. It was a great experience and I learnt so much in a great way I cannot thank you enough My sailing now is my next chapter in life Cheers to you Oh and thank you Racheal for all your work in making it happen and your food prep, it was was fantastic Cheers Paul
Posted on Google Google
Nimalan Perumal profile picture
Nimalan Perumal
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Great training, polish my mistake and wonderful learning with buddies Paul and Puncho. Mark is a special trainer with wisdom deep as ocean. Special thanks to Rachel for tucking me in last minute. It’s just the best 4 days of full on practice training and sailing making mistakes and celebrating the success. Thank you 🙏 sunshine sailing Australia for giving me the opportunity.
Posted on Google Google
Xiang Zhao profile picture
Xiang Zhao
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I did my RYA level 2 powerboat certification last weekend here. Our instructor Mark is a legend. He is patient, knowledgeable, kind and experienced. You will definitely want someone like him who actually sailed around world for couple of times and who deeply loves and respects ships and the ocean. Sunshine Sailing Australia is great! Good location, nice boats, friendly staff and great beforehand information, etc. Highly recommended.
Posted on Google Google
Adrian Perkins (Bronze) profile picture
Adrian Perkins (Bronze)
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Sailing the Sunshine Coast is an amazing opportunity for anyone from any Walk of Life
Posted on Google Google
Sharn Levis profile picture
Sharn Levis
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
We just completed our ASA 101 and Day Skipper! We had never sailed before but have had time on the water in our own power boat. Rachel was amazing at catering this course to suit our future goals and experience. We travelled all the way from North WA, so everyone went out of their way to make sure we were able to complete the courses, even with the weather being completely against us on the first week! We absolutely loved the ASA course on the little monohull. Seb was a great instructor, making it fun but informative. Then we went on to the Day Skipper for 5 days live aboard on Allegro. It was great to see the difference between a monohull and catamaran and put our new skills into practice. Mark was our instructor for the RYA Day Skipper and what a wealth of knowledge he is! We feel very lucky to have had him to learn from. He is one of the most patient instructors we’ve ever met and loved hearing all of his sailing stories. The other crew members were really good fun too. Definitely a trip we won’t forget! Thanks again to Rachel and Dave for making it happen for us and thank you to Seb and Mark for teaching us the ropes! Sharn and Tristan :) Karratha, WA.
Posted on Google Google
Warren Jackson profile picture
Warren Jackson
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
We did the day skipper course on our boat with sunshine sailing . Our instructor, Mark was very experienced a great communicator and easy to get along with . We learnt soo much
Posted on Google Google
Robbert de Ruijter profile picture
Robbert de Ruijter
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Brilliant sailing course. Clear instruction, heaps of hands-on practice, and a really supportive, professional instructor. Learned a lot, gained confidence on the water, and genuinely enjoyed every day. Highly recommended.
Posted on Google Google
Michiel Mel profile picture
Michiel Mel
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
We did the competent crew course two weeks ago. We had a week with a decent wind and swell and even though we were just beginners, we left the boat confident after five days. The instructor covered a lot more than we needed to know for this course, but still we were very comfortable. I would highly recommend this sailing school.
Posted on Google Google
Luke Duindam profile picture
Luke Duindam
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Great exposure to real sailing, Mark put us through some very realistic scenarios which was very useful for learning. Plenty of patience for all and any questions. I benefitted greatly from my experience.
Posted on Google Google
Damien Carter profile picture
Damien Carter
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
We wanted to send a big thank you to the team at Sunshine sailing. We’ve just come back from an incredible week out on the water completing our Day Skipper and Competent Crew course. A huge thank you to Nate our instructor for the week. Nate’s extensive sailing experience was very evident from the outset and his calm and patient approach made a world of difference to the crew. We couldn’t have asked for a better instructor. Also a big thank you to the owners of Sunshine sailing Rachel and David. You can tell they both love what they do and it shows in spades in every dealing we had with both of them before and after we completed the course. We’d highly recommend using Sunshine sailing to anyone considering gaining more sailing experience. We hope to see you all again for the next course. Thanks again for an incredible week. Regards Damien and Peta.
Verified by Trustindex
Trustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more

What’s Included in This Package?

  • Expert instruction from ASA-certified instructors, ensuring you learn from experienced professionals.
  • All necessary safety equipment to keep you secure on the water.
  • A copy of the ASA 103 Textbook, a comprehensive guide to support your learning.
  • Lunches, refreshments, including coffee, tea, and water.
  • UPF 50+ sunscreen to protect you during your time on the water.

What’s Not Included?

  • Transportation to and from the course location.
  • Breakfast & Dinner, please bring your own or arrange nearby options. There is a fridge and galley to cook on-board the vessel if you do not wish to eat at the local resturaunts.
  • Personal sailing clothes, such as non-slip shoes, hats, and weather-appropriate attire.