Home / Australian Sailing / Australian Sailing Safety & Sea Survival
Australian Sailing Safety & Sea Survival
Two days on what to do when it goes seriously wrong offshore, including a liferaft session in the pool.
Safety & Sea Survival is not a learn-to-sail course.
It teaches sailors how to manage serious emergencies.
Australian Sailing currently describes the full course as approximately 16 hours, normally over two days, including practical exercises with lifejackets, liferafts and distress equipment. The certificate is valid for five years.
Topics can include:
Safety & Sea Survival Refresher
Australian Sailing also provides a refresher pathway for eligible certificate holders.
The refresher is currently listed as approximately eight hours.
- Who it suits
- Anyone sailing out of sight of land, and mandatory crew on many offshore races.
- What it is not
- Not a racing-only course, despite the reputation. A short-handed cruising couple has a stronger case for it.
Primary source: Australian Sailing courses. Course structures and prerequisites can change; confirm the current version with the training body and school.
The course in context
Safety and Sea Survival training helps sailors understand preparation, emergency equipment and the realities of responding when a passage goes wrong. It is particularly relevant to offshore crews, but course attendance should reinforce prevention and judgement rather than create confidence that equipment can solve every situation.
Before you start
Australian Sailing lists no prerequisite for its full course. Check the practical activities, water-based exercises and any medical or access considerations with the provider. Racing requirements depend on the event and current rules, so confirm the exact certificate and currency required.
Skills you will develop
Preparation and prevention
Consider the boat, crew and equipment before departure. A useful safety plan explains who does what and how problems are recognised early.
Emergency equipment
Become familiar with equipment such as lifejackets, liferafts and signalling devices through supervised training. Owning an item is different from understanding its operation and limitations.
Working as a crew
Explore communication and coordinated responses under pressure. Exercises can reveal practical difficulties that are easy to overlook while reading a manual ashore.
Training and assessment
The published course is approximately 16 hours, commonly delivered over two days, with classroom and practical elements. Certificates have a five-year validity period. Check refresher eligibility and current event requirements directly rather than assuming an old certificate is sufficient.
Questions to ask the school
- Is this a full course or refresher?
- What practical exercises and facilities are used?
- Does this certificate meet my event’s current requirements?
Related learning
Other Australian Sailing courses
Tackers Sailing Courses
Australian Sailing’s junior program, built around fun and water confidence first and sailing technique second.
OutThere Sailing for Teenagers
For teenagers who have outgrown Tackers and are not ready for an adult course.
Australian Sailing Dinghy Courses
The most widely available learn-to-sail route in the country, and the fastest way to real wind awareness.
Australian Sailing Keelboat Courses
Start Crewing, Start Helming, Start Skippering — a stable boat and a natural bridge toward yachts.
Australian Sailing Powerboat Courses for Sailors
More relevant to sailors than the name suggests: nearly all rescue and support work happens from a powerboat.
Australian Sailing Instructor Pathway
The domestic route into teaching, and where most Australian sailing instructors begin.
Australian schools using Australian Sailing
These schools advertise training under the Australian Sailing system. This does not confirm that every school currently runs Australian Sailing Safety & Sea Survival; check the current course list directly.
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.