Sailing Instruction Level: Intermediate-Level Women-Only Sailing Program
Join us for an exclusive women-only sailing program from January 16-23, 2026, through the stunning, less-charted Windward Islands of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines! This is your opportunity to refine your intermediate sailing skills while exploring some of the Caribbean’s most breathtaking anchorages and vibrant cultures.
This isn’t just a vacation; it’s an immersive learning experience designed to build your confidence and significantly expand your nautical expertise, bringing you much closer to independently chartering your own boat. We’re setting sail with two comfortable yachts and three expert female instructional captains, ensuring personalized attention and hands-on learning for every participant. With space for just four individuals, each enjoying their own private cabin, you’ll have an intimate and focused environment to truly grow as a sailor.
What You’ll Practice Hands-On
Our curriculum is crafted to push your skills beyond the basics, focusing on practical application in real-world scenarios. Get ready to gain invaluable experience in:
- Anchoring Techniques: Go beyond basic drops. You’ll master bow/stern anchoring and learn the nuances of anchoring in tight bays, giving you the confidence to secure your vessel in any idyllic cove.
- Advanced Navigation: Sharpen your navigational prowess with distance sailing and chart plotting with currents. You’ll also learn the essential procedures for checking in and out of countries, preparing you for future international voyages.
- Precision Sail Trim: Discover the art of optimizing your sails for speed and comfort. You’ll practice trimming sails over distance for peak performance, efficiently reefing sails underway to adapt to changing conditions, and mastering the graceful maneuver of sailing off anchor or a mooring ball.
- Confident Docking & Power Maneuvering: Hone your docking abilities, including docking in a marina (if conditions allow). We’ll also focus on maneuvering under power in close quarters, giving you precise control in tight spaces. We might even make a special trip to a location like Sandy Lane Yacht Club specifically for practice, lunch, and then head back out to explore nearby islands.
- Power Maneuvering Tactics & Control: Learn how to stay in control of your boat in any situation with essential skills like heaving-to and lying ahull. These techniques are vital for managing challenging conditions with confidence.
- Introduction to Night Sailing: Experience the unique magic and challenge of sailing under the stars. While full night sails are not allowed on a charter, we can seize the opportunity for early morning pre-dawn sails, giving you valuable experience navigating by moonlight and heading out before the sun crests the horizon.
Chart Your Own Adventure: What This Program Means for Your Bareboat Future
This program is meticulously designed to provide you with the comprehensive skills, confidence, and logged experience necessary to confidently pursue bareboat chartering on your own. You’ll not only gain mastery over intermediate sailing techniques but also critically participate in the full boat check-out process upon arrival at the base and the check-in at the end of the trip. This invaluable hands-on experience will familiarize you with the thorough inspection of a charter vessel’s systems, inventory, and safety equipment, as well as the procedures for documenting its condition – preparing you for the real-world demands of a bareboat charter.
Crucially, you’ll accumulate valuable sailing days to add to your logbook, including significant time as master of the vessel. Accumulating these logged hours is a critical step towards meeting the experience requirements sought by charter companies. Your ability to bareboat charter independently is a combination of this practical experience and your sailing resume, particularly your time as master of a vessel. Depending on your previous experience combined with the intensive training and logged hours from this trip, you could absolutely be ready to bareboat charter! This program provides the perfect foundation, and many participants find it directly prepares them for formal certifications like the NauticEd Bareboat Charter Master Course, a program widely recognized by charter companies for demonstrating competence.
Your adventure awaits! Imagine waking up in a secluded bay, confidently sailing crystal-clear waters, and exploring pristine islands often overlooked by larger charters. This program offers the perfect blend of intensive learning and unforgettable Caribbean exploration. You’ll not only enhance your sailing abilities but also forge lasting connections with fellow female sailors in an incredibly supportive and empowering environment.
