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AVENTURA SAILING ACADEMY
Aventura Sailing Academy is proud to be an Award-Winning Professional Certification Facility of American Sailing. Since becoming an ASA school in 2020, our Academy Director has ranked among the top 10 ASA Instructors worldwide every year.
We offer the full range of ASA certifications, including 200-level courses that qualify you to teach. Every one of our instructors is ASA-certified and ready to guide you through each step.
Our classroom, overlooking beautiful Dana Point Harbor, is one of the premier training facilities on the West Coast.
Why ASA Certification Matters:
ASA Certificates are the standard for most bareboat charter companies and sailing clubs worldwide. Along with your sailing experience and logbook, they open doors to national and international chartering opportunities.
Begin your Sailing Education with ASA 101 starting with the basics...
In the classroom:
Terminology
Safety –PFD’s, Fire, Man Over Board, Sailing Checklists, Knot Tying
Rules of the Road, Aids to Navigation, Systems
Heavy Weather, Anchoring, Examination
On the boat:
Dockside Orientation
Sailing Maneuvers, Man Over Board
Docking & Sailing Review
Anchoring, Docking & Sailing Review
Followed by ASA 103, ASA 104 and ASA 105 to make you an expert on keelboats! After that our beautiful catamaran, Corossol, is the home for our ASA 114 Catamaran Cruising.
American Sailing's Outstanding Instructors
Ric Dahlin is the Director of the AVENTURA Sailing Academy.
Ric holds the ASA 211 Master Instructor designation — the highest level of ASA certification — and is one of only 50 active Master Instructors worldwide. He has been named ASA Outstanding Instructor of the Year three years in a row and has trained sailors and instructors across the West Coast, Canada, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.
Ric also holds a USCG 100 Ton Master Open Ocean Captain’s License and is a collegiate-level sailing instructor and lifelong educator. A member of AVENTURA for over 20 years, he began teaching alongside former Director Mark Howe.
American Sailing's Outstanding Instructors
Please join us in congratulating Lori Johnson for being named one of American Sailing’s Outstanding Instructors—an honor awarded to the Top 1% of ASA instructors worldwide! This recognition is based on stellar student feedback and consistently high ratings, and we couldn’t be prouder to have Lori on the Aventura Team.
Way to go, Lori!
ASA 101
Upon completing the ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing course, you’ll be equipped to skipper a sloop-rigged keelboat ranging from 20 to 32 feet in length, confidently navigating in daylight and in light to moderate conditions, with winds up to 15 knots. You’ll master the essentials of sailing—everything from basic terminology and sail trim to helm commands, seamanship, and the all-important rules of navigation to keep you clear of hazards. The course covers the fundamentals of safe sailing, with auxiliary power operation as an added bonus. It’s your ticket to a lifetime on the water.
In addition, students exercise practical sailing skills in 12 hours of lab sessions aboard 30ft boats, with emphasis on sailing maneuvers, docking procedures and “man-overboard” recovery techniques. An additional one hour lab emphasizing Aventura charter policies, boat systems, and safety is given to current and prospective members.
20 hours classroom | 12 hours on the water
Prerequisites:
None
Member
695
Non- Member
895
Fees include:
ASA 101 Manual: Sailing Made Easy and ASA 101 certification
ASA 101 CLASS SCHEDULE
August
8/2/2025
Lecture 1 & Lab 1
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
8/9/2025
Lecture 2 & Lab 2
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
8/16/2025
Lecture 3 & Lab 3
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
8/23/2025
Lecture 4 & Lab 4
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
September
9/6/2025
Lecture 1 & Lab 1
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
9/13/2025
Lecture 2 & Lab 2
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
9/20/2025
Lecture 3 & Lab 3
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
9/27/2025
Lecture 4 & Lab 4
9am to 2pm
Basic Keelboat
Contact Membership Services at
Aventura ASA Course Fees
Class Title | Class Subtitle | Member Price | Non-Member Price |
|---|---|---|---|
ASA 101 | ASA 101 Basic Keeboat Sailing | 695 | 895 |
ASA 103 | ASA 103 Basic Coastal Cruising | 795 | 995 |
ASA 104 | ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising | 1420 | 1750 |
ASA 105 | ASA 105 Coastal Navigation | 695 | 895 |
ASA 106 | ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising Certification | 1680 | 1880 |
ASA 117 | ASA 117 Celestial Endorsement | 950 | 1150 |
ASA 114 | ASA 114 Catamaran Cruising | 880 | 1080 |
Aventura Docking Clinic | Aventura Docking Clinic | 99 | 149 |
ASA 101/103 | ASA 101/ 103 Combo Clinic for NEW STUDENTS | 1400 | 1845 |
ASA 101/103 (1 Day Course) | ASA 101/ 103 Combo Class. Experienced sailors only holding Aventura credentials | 600 | 800 |
ASA 101/104 Pro-Pack | ASA 101 / 103 / 104 Pro-Pack | 2820 | 3255 |
ASA 104/114 | ASA 104 / 114 Combo Course for Members holding Aventura Credentials | 2420 | 2995 |
Age Requirements and Restrictions:
Students under 18 are eligible to enroll in the class at a non-member rate, but must be accompanied by a paying adult, if under 16.
Aventura Charter Requirements and Restrictions:
Only Aventura Charter Members (18 year old min.) are allowed to reserve and/or skipper an Aventura fleet vessel.