Captain Rorke teaching a family to handle sails aboard Paradigm Shift

Private sailing instruction

Learn to sail. Learn to live aboard.

American Sailing certification, owner training, and Cruise + Learn programs aboard Paradigm Shift.

Three ways to learn

A program built around what comes next.

Earn certification for your future bareboating adventures

Follow a progressive American Sailing curriculum, from your first day at the helm through advanced coastal cruising.

Prepare for ownership

Build boat-handling, systems, and cruising experience around the yacht you plan to buy and the requirements of your insurer.

Cruise + Learn

Give the future skipper focused training while family and friends learn practical crew skills—or simply enjoy the cruise.

Formal certification available aboard Paradigm Shift

A recognized progression

Start where your experience starts.

New sailors begin with ASA 101. Experienced sailors may be able to challenge the 101 standard rather than repeat the full course.

A challenge still requires the written exam and an on-the-water demonstration of every required skill. Course sequence, prerequisites, and the right starting point are confirmed before the program begins.

Nautical charts, cruising guides, dividers, and navigation tools arranged for instruction aboard Paradigm Shift — Traditional chart work and modern navigation are taught together.

ASA 101Begin here

Keelboat Sailing 1

For new sailors: sailing language, sail handling, boat control, safety, docking, knots, and crew-overboard recovery.

ASA 103Build experience

Coastal Cruising

Move onto a larger cruising boat and add systems, auxiliary power, anchoring, weather, navigation, and seamanship.

ASA 104Lead the cruise

Bareboat Cruising

Prepare to manage a cruising yacht and crew on a multi-day trip—from provisioning and route planning to emergencies.

ASA 105Chart the course

Coastal Navigation

Learn passage planning with charts, tides, currents, bearings, dead reckoning, and course-to-steer calculations.

ASA 106Go farther

Advanced Coastal Cruising

Train for extended passages by day or night, including watchkeeping, heavy-weather tactics, leadership, and boat management.

ASA 114Master the multihull

Cruising Catamaran

Learn catamaran systems, sailing characteristics, twin-engine maneuvering, docking, anchoring, and heavy-weather handling.

ASA 118Maneuver precisely

Docking Endorsement

Practice close-quarters control using wind, current, pivot points, spring lines, and repeated docking approaches.

Buying a boat

Train for the yacht you plan to own.

Captain Rorke helps future owners build the vessel-specific experience and documentation their insurers require.

Training can be tailored to the hours, vessel type, and skills requested by the carrier. Choose American Sailing certification or a custom program covering docking, sail handling, navigation, systems, anchoring, emergencies, and crew communication. Completion documentation can be supplied to the insurer.

Insurance requirements vary. Confirm the required hours, vessel type, and documentation with your insurer before scheduling.

Chartplotter, instruments, and sailing controls at the helm of Paradigm Shift — Navigation, systems, and boat management become one practical skill set underway.

The private cruise with instruction

Training for some. Cruising for all.

One cruise can serve different goals. Captain Rorke can work intensively with the future skipper while family and friends learn practical crew skills at their own pace.

Helm handoffs, lines, sail handling, docking communication, watchkeeping, and safety can all be shared. Guests who want less instruction still have room to relax and enjoy the voyage.

Two guests smiling together while learning at the helm of Paradigm Shift — Confidence at the helm, at each guest's pace.

Captain Rorke teaching a young sailor how to handle the mainsail — Real crew skills, taught by doing.

Advanced training underway

A real passagemaking opportunity.

Paradigm Shift migrated between New England and the Virgin Islands for the 20th time this season. This provides an offshore training opportunity for up to three students.

Participation depends on schedule, weather window, experience, and fit.

Ask about a passage

Captain Rorke working at the navigation station during an offshore passage

Training partners

Book your training aboard Paradigm Shift through our partners.

All training aboard Paradigm Shift is scheduled through our American Sailing affiliate partners. Choose the school for your season and destination.

New England in summer

Register through New England Sailing CenterVirgin Islands in winter

Register through Swain Sailing

Sailboats among the green islands and clear waters of the British Virgin Islands

Certification → Bareboat Charter

Continue your adventure in the BVIs.

Qualified graduates can take their certifications and new skills directly into a first bareboat charter with Swain Sailing, an American Sailing affiliate based in the BVI.

Explore Swain Sailing

Build your program

Start with what you want to be ready for.

Share your experience, goals, preferred dates, and who will be learning with you.

Begin an inquiry