Coastal Personal Survival Course
1 day

Sail Canada Approved

also known as Safety at Sea Seminar (1 day) - Sea Survival (1 day)

Description

The BC Sailing Coastal Personal Survival Course is a 1 day course for experienced sailors who are participating in World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) Category 3-4 passages or events such as the Southern Straits Race, Patos Island Race, Swiftsure Race and Cascadian Convoy.  The course includes classroom and practical sessions and is Sail Canada approved. 

Coastal Personal Survival Course topics include personal safety equipment, heavy weather sails, obtaining and interpreting local weather forecasts, hypothermia and cold water immersion, crew overboard, emergency signals and communications.  

Participants are required to bring to the seminar the personal safety gear that they intend to use in the Southern Straits Race, Patos Island Race, Swiftsure Race, or a similar near-coastal, overnight race or passage, including PFD, safety harness, tether, and personal MOB light.  Wet weather gear and warm clothing is strongly recommended for the outdoor practicals.  

Participants who successfully complete the seminar will receive a Coastal Personal Survival Course certificate, valid for five years.  

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The Coastal Personal Survival Course does not include pool sessions or life raft training, and does not meet the requirements for World Sailing OSR Category 0-1-2 offshore and oceanic races such as the Van Isle 360, Vic-Maui, Pacific Cup, Transpac, etc.  To choose the right training, please visit Personal Survival Training Introduction.  

Background

Sailors around the world take personal survival training to prepare themselves and their boats.  Personal survival training seminars and courses are offered for sailors in many countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States.  Some sailing event organizers recommend or require personal survival training for participating crews.  World Sailing specifies offshore personal survival training requirements in section 6 of the Offshore Special Regulations, and outlines a model course in Appendix G of those regulations.  

In British Columbia, the Vic-Maui International Yacht Race and the Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race require some crew members to hold current Offshore Personal Survival Course certificates, and the Southern Straits Yacht Race, Swiftsure International Yacht Race, and Patos Island Race either require or recommend personal survival training such as the Coastal Personal Survival Course.  

Price and Terms

• The Coastal Personal Survival Course is $190.00, plus applicable taxes, in Canadian funds.  
• Early bird registration and training renewal/upgrade pricing discounts are offered for most classes.  When available, these options are automatically presented by the online registration system.  
• Price includes course participation, refreshments and lunches, and upon successful completion a course certificate valid for five years.  
• Registrations are cancellable and refundable, less a 25% administration fee, until 7 calendar days prior to the training start date. 
• To be valid, cancellation and refund requests must be delivered by email to sas@bcsailing.bc.ca and receipt confirmed within the above time frame.  
• For the benefit of participants and event organizing authorities, BC Sailing and Sail Canada may maintain a publicly-searchable database listing participant names, certificate numbers and certificate expiry dates. 
• Participation is subject to communicable illness protocols which may change on short notice.  

Student Requirements and Advance Information

Clothing and personal safety equipment:  

• casual clothing is suitable for the indoor sessions
• participants are required to bring to the seminar the personal safety gear that you intend to use in the Southern Straits Race, Patos Island Race, Swiftsure Race, Cascadian Convey or a similar near-coastal, overnight passage or event, including a fully functional PFD, safety harness, tether, and personal MOB light. 
• some practical sessions are conducted outdoors; wet weather gear and warm clothing is strongly recommended for the outdoor practicals.  

Refreshments and meals:

Light refreshments (water, coffee, tea) and lunch will be provided. 

Schedule and Registration - General Information

• The classes are popular and tend to fill up quickly.  
• Our registration system does not have an automated waitlist.  
• Classes are usually scheduled in the October-to-April time-frame in order to minimize schedule conflicts with sailing events.  
• We announce in advance – below - the dates and times when registration will open.  
• We use an online registration system with credit card payment processing.  
• Space is available when general registration opens.  
• Links to the online registration system are provided below by the time that general registration opens.  

Schedule and Registration - Fall 2024 to Spring 2025 - Coastal Personal Survival Course:  

• Updated on September 7, 2024 
• Next planned update is January 4, 2025
• Please check back here occasionally for updates 

Upcoming classes:

• Saturday March 15, 2025, 1 day Coastal Personal Survival Course, Royal Victoria Yacht Club; confirmed
  Registration will open at 7:00 am Pacific Time on January 5, 2025;
  an online registration link will be posted here
  
  
• Sunday March 16, 2025, 1 day Coastal Personal Survival Course, Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club; confirmed
  Registration will open at 7:00 am Pacific Time on January 5, 2025;
  an online registration link will be posted here
  
  
• Saturday March 22, 2025, 1 day Coastal Personal Survival Course, West Vancouver Yacht Club; confirmed
  Registration will open at 7:00 am Pacific Time on January 5, 2025;
  an online registration link will be posted here
  
  
• Sunday March 23, 2025, 1 day Coastal Personal Survival Course, West Vancouver Yacht Club; subject to demand

Recent classes:

2024

• March 24, 2024, Royal Victoria Yacht Club
• March 23, 2024, Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club
• March 17, 2024, West Vancouver Yacht Club
• March 16, 2024, West Vancouver Yacht Club

2023

• March 26, 2023, West Vancouver Yacht Club
• March 25, 2023, West Vancouver Yacht Club
• March 11, 2023, Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club

Location Information and Map Links

West Vancouver Yacht Club

5854 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC V7W 2S2
WVYC Location Map - click here
Free Parking

Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club

1949 Marina Way
North Saanich, BC
V8L 6B3
SNSYC Location Map - click here
Free Parking

Royal Victoria Yacht Club

3475 Ripon Road
Victoria, BC
V8R 6H1
RVicYC Location Map - click here
Free Parking

Organization and Instructors

The Coastal Personal Survival Course is offered by BC Sailing in conjunction with local yacht clubs. The course was developed by the Safety at Sea Working Group, comprised of representatives of four distance races and their organizing authorities:

Southern Straits Yacht Race • West Vancouver Yacht Club

Vic-Maui International Yacht Race • Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

Swiftsure International Yacht Race • Royal Victoria Yacht Club

Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race • Blast Performance Sailing

Personal Survival instructors are accredited by Sail Canada.  

Contacts

For Personal Survival Training information that is not covered on this website, please send an email to sas@bcsailing.bc.ca. 

Coastal Personal Survival Course^TM