Fédération de voile du Québec - Fédération de voile du Québec

Many accredited sailing schools offer cruising courses. From introduction to sailing, to advanced cruising, each person can find the right experience. To know which FVQ schools offer these courses, please see our list of affiliated sailing schools.

Cruising Standards:

Introduction to boating - Novice boaters are introduced to safe practices when preparing to leave the dock, while underway, and when returning to dock. This standard may be taught in a sailing vessel or a powerboat. It is expected that the vessel will be less than 12 meters in length.

Basic Crew Standard - At the end of the course, participants should be able to cruise in familiar waters as competent crew of a sloop rigged keelboat of 6 to 10 meters with an outboard or inboard motor in moderate wind and sea conditions by day.

Basic Cruising Standard- At the end of the course, participants should be able to cruise safely in familiar waters as both skipper and crew of a sloop rigged keelboat of 6 to 10 meters with an outboard or inboard motor in moderate wind and sea conditions by day.

Intermediate Crew Standard - At the end of the course, participants should be able to  cruise safely in familiar waters as both skipper and crew of a sailing yacht of 9 to 12 meters, sloop rigged with an inboard engine, in moderate wind and sea conditions by day. The standard emphasizes on-the-water skills at a level acceptable for bare boat chartering for extended cruises in coastal waters.

Intermediate Cruising Standard - At the end of the course, participants should be able to cruise safely in familiar waters as both skipper and crew of a sailing yacht of 9 to 12 meters, sloop rigged with an inboard engine, in moderate wind and sea conditions by day. The standard emphasizes on-the-water skills at a level acceptable for bare boat chartering for extended cruises in coastal waters.

Advanced Crew Standard - At the end of the course, participants should be able to act safely as crew of a sailing cruiser of 10 – 15 meters, any modern rig and inboard engine, operating within 100 miles of shore by day and night in coastal or coastal or inland water in any weather.

Advanced Cruising Standard - At the end of the course, participants should be able to act safely as skipper and crew of a sailing cruiser of 10 to 15 meters with any modern rig and inboard engine, operating within 100 miles of shore by day and night in coastal or inland water in any weather.

Navigation standards :

Coastal Navigation Standard - At the end of the course, participants should be able to demonstrate the navigational theory required to safely navigate a vessel in coastal or inland waters. The concepts are introduced in the Intermediate Cruising and Power Standards. The Coastal Navigation Standard is applied practically and tested in the Advanced Cruising Standard.

More information about the above standards and several others is available on the Canadian Yachting Association website.

Click here to see the course manuals and other available items