Home / American Sailing / ASA 108: Offshore Passagemaking
ASA 108: Offshore Passagemaking
The top of the ASA cruising pathway: extended offshore passages and real self-sufficiency.
Advanced offshore passage training.
- Who it suits
- Experienced ASA skippers preparing for bluewater cruising.
- What it is not
- Requires a genuine offshore passage. It is not a classroom certificate.
Primary source: American Sailing certifications. Course structures and prerequisites can change; confirm the current version with the training body and school.
The course in context
Offshore Passagemaking shifts the emphasis from a coastal cruise to managing a vessel and crew over a longer open-water journey. Decisions made before departure have greater consequences when repairs, shelter and replacement crew are not close by. It is a progression for experienced sailors, not an introductory adventure holiday with a certificate attached.
Before you start
American Sailing’s course page lists ASA 101, 103, 104, 105 and 106, plus ASA 107 or 117. Confirm the exact celestial-navigation route and the school’s experience expectations before booking. Discuss your watchkeeping history, offshore time and any difficulties with multi-day life aboard honestly.
Skills you will develop
Ocean-scale planning
Study route selection and the preparation needed for an extended voyage. Planning has to consider the crew and vessel as well as the line drawn across the chart.
Sustained onboard routines
Build a disciplined approach to watches, provisioning and maintenance. The aim is to keep the boat and people functioning throughout the passage, not just for the first energetic hours.
Navigation and contingencies
Bring advanced navigation and emergency planning together. Consider what happens if a key system becomes unavailable and how the crew would recognise the developing problem.
Training and assessment
This is advanced practical passage training with associated knowledge requirements. Obtain the school’s assessment plan, passage expectations and contingency arrangements in writing. A advertised itinerary can change with weather; ask how the qualification requirements are handled if that happens.
Questions to ask the school
- What passage and assessment evidence will I complete?
- How are watch and command roles allocated?
- What are the alternatives if the intended route cannot be sailed?
Related learning
Other American Sailing courses
ASA 101: Keelboat 1
American Sailing’s entry certification, on a small keelboat in moderate conditions.
ASA 102: Keelboat 2
Develop more precise sail trim, boat balance and small-keelboat handling.
ASA 103: Coastal Cruising
The first cruising-boat certification: auxiliary power, day passages, moderate conditions.
ASA 104: Bareboat Cruising
Cruising skills for multi-day bareboat sailing; charter acceptance depends on the operator.
ASA 105: Coastal Navigation
The shorebased navigation certification: charts, plotting, tides, passage planning.
ASA 106: Advanced Coastal Cruising
Plan and lead extended coastal passages by day and night, with stronger navigation, watchkeeping and crew-management skills.
ASA 107: Celestial Navigation
Sextant work: sight taking, sight reduction, fixing a position without electronics.
ASA 110: Basic Small Boat Sailing
The small-boat entry point, below the keelboat pathway.
Which course should you actually book?
Three questions — your experience, the boat you want to sail, and your goal — give you a starting course and the schools that teach it near you.