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Sailing is at the heart of Bitter End. We would like for all guests to have the chance to enjoy the exhilaration of this sport -- we want you out on the water!
The Sailing School at Bitter End is US Sailing Association accredited and we have on staff certified instructors from all over the world to help you learn to sail, fine tune your skills, gain a well-rounded set of skills with all aspects of sailing in our Adventure Package, or complete the process toward keelboat certification. Sailing instruction is available for all ages and levels, using the Club’s professionally maintained boats and course materials for keelboat certification are approved by the US Sailing Association.
Bitter End offers basic keelboat sailing certification.
The Sailing School at Bitter End adheres to the guidelines set forth by US Sailing, regarding the number and quality of sailing instructors, and type and quality of boats. Additionally, the curriculum must pass US Sailing’s stringent requirements, and Bitter End’s coursework will use the US Sailing Association’s own materials. The Basic Keelboat Course will be taught on Rhodes 19s and IC-24s. Classroom instruction takes place in the 15-seat Bitter End Sailing School building (adjacent to the Watersports Center), complete with dry erase boards, and wall-mounted Laser-model simulators. At all times, we maintain a staff of no fewer than four US Sailing certified instructors, and class sizes will be very small, to afford personal attention for each participant.
Coursework follows a regular weekly schedule, island style, starting on Monday morning, and concluding on Friday with the exam during the final hour of instruction:
On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, the courses will run three hours in the morning, three hours in the afternoon with a break for lunch in between.
Wednesday is layday! Go to Anegada! Relax at the beach or by the pool or learn something else – windsurfing? Diving? Whatever you wish!
On Friday there will be two hours of instruction in the morning and then the test, so either the afternoon is free to show off your new skills or you can take that time to make up anything you might have missed earlier in the week. Graduation is at 5 pm.
Basic Keelboat certification, in Bitter End terms, is a combination of our current 101, 102A & B, with a lot more time spent on really honing the 102A & B skills.
To get certified in keelboat sailing at Bitter End, it is $800 per person for guests staying on the Admiral’s Package.
Just let your travel planner know you are interested in getting certified in basic keelboat sailing when you make your reservation, and you’ll be commanding your own vessel before you know it!
Of course, if this is too much structure for a vacation, we will still offer our other courses that you can take if the mood strikes you -- there is always the resort's very popular Introduction to Sailing Course (101), offered free to anyone on the Admiral's Package. It makes for a great primer, and sets you on your way to higher learning. And, the sailing and windsurfing courses that Bitter End has offered for over 20 years are still available individually or as part of the Learn to Sail Adventure Package.
Course 101- Introduction to Sailing
A three-hour class with classroom and dockside demonstration. For everyone, no prerequisites. You will learn nautical terminology and gain an understanding of the forces at work and how to control them. Course 101 is included in most vacation packages.
Courses 102 A & B - Learn to Sail a Rhodes 19 and a Hunter 216
A hands-on two day learn to sail program for beginners. Three hours on the water each day. You will learn to solo sail. Part A teaches the mechanical aspects of getting under way, executing maneuvers and getting back to the mooring. Part B concentrates on solidifying your knowledge of sail trim. Everything you have learned is brought together. Upon completion of Part B you are ready to solo in a Rhodes 19.
Courses 201 A & B Sailing and Racing IC-24s
For those having completed Course 102 or the equivalent, our Performance Sailing Course 201 is taught on IC-24s, in two on-board sessions. Part A teaches the fine point of sail trim, sail shape manipulation, and steering. Part B teaches spinnaker handling and upwind performance.
Course 202 Cruising Prep, Preparation for Bareboating
A full day on-board session, designed to prepare experienced sailors for chartering. You will plan a bluewater cruise to an outlying bay, sail there and back on a 30 foot sailboat. Learn reefing, working with winches, how to read the waters, line of site navigation, and how to anchor.
Other Courses Offered
Course 150 Boardsailing
Basic Boardsailing Course 150 will teach a beginner to boardsail in one intensive half-day session. Most of the course is on the water with an instructor alongside.
Learn to Windsurf Package
You can also learn to windsurf at the Sailing School, through a series of 7 sessions over the course of four days. On the Learn to Windsurf Adventure package, you will achieve the basics of this exciting sport while on the protected waters of the North Sound.
Junior Summer Sailing
(For youngsters 7 and up.)
Prerequisite: swim test. Three hours of on-the-water training.
A fun way to learn basic boat handling, terminology, rigging, sail trim, and make new friends. Instruction on Optimist sailing dinghies, Vanguards, Lasers, Hobies.
Private lessons are also available to gain specialized skills. |
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