Safety at Sea Courses
Safety at Sea Courses
The Cruising Club of America, The Bermuda Race Foundation, Storm Trysail Club and U.S. Naval Academy will all run Safety at Sea courses prior to the start of the Race. The CCA and the Bermuda Race Foundation (the courses are identical from both host organizations) are conducted in Bristol, RI, at Roger Williams University. The Storm Trysail Club courses are at SUNY Maritime in The Bronx, N.Y. The course held at the U.S. Naval Academy is organized by the Marine Trades Association of Maryland.
ATTENTION Sailors who are renewing your certification: Please note the change to the US Sailing requirements for recertification. You must take the "Online Offshore Safety at Sea Part Two" in addition to the one day in person "hands-on" course.
Newport-Bermuda Race Safety at Sea Requirements:
4.3.1 Safety At Sea Seminar Attendance: At least 30% but not fewer than two members of the crew including the Person-In-Charge (PIC) must hold a World Sailing Approved Offshore Personal Survival Course Certificate earned by attending (1) a two-day US Sailing approved “International Offshore Safety at Sea course with Hands-on Training” course (the first day may be online training), or (2) a World Sailing approved “Offshore Personal Survival Course”. A certificate will be honored for the purposes of this paragraph for the three Newport Bermuda Races scheduled after the date that the certificate was issued.
Cruising Club of America (CCA) and Bermuda Race Foundation (BRF) Seminars
These courses are both for sailors who have never completed an “International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-on Training course” and for those who need a refresher course because their certificate is out of date. The in-person portion of the CCA and BRF courses are one day long.
The course packages are identical and include:
- (A) two online courses: the US Sailing “Online Offshore Safety at Sea Part One (Units 1 - 10) and "Online Offshore Safety at Sea Part Two (Units 11 - 15) (Sailors who are refreshing (renewing) their certification will only take Part Two.);
- (B) the US Sailing Safety at Sea book,
- (C) the one-day in person hands on course,
- (D) and a one year US Sailing membership or renewal.
Storm Trysail Club (STC) Seminars
Storm Trysail Club is back hosting their annual spring Hands-On Safety At Sea seminar.
By attending the course, and viewing the Storm Trysail’s Video Library, participants will earn the “US Sailing Offshore Safety at Sea” certification. If you would like to earn the “International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-on Training” certification, you must contact US Sailing directly and complete their 15-chapter online course, in addition to attending the hands-on training.
Codes can be purchased directly from US Sailing’s online store, https://shop.ussailing.org/education/safety-at-sea/. If you are ‘refreshing’ your ISAF certificate, you will need to take US Sailing’s online units 11-15.
If you are interested in doing the Newport Bermuda Race or any other major offshore event, make sure you and your crew have the required training.
Building on the success of past seminars, this event will follow an interactive curriculum where attendees fire distress flares, put out fires, learn damage control, set storm sails, and rescue a man overboard among other activities.
Newport Bermuda Race Training Requirements
The Safety at Sea team has put together the following summary of Safety at Sea crew training requirements for monohulls for your convenience:
2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 crew members: 2 must have SAS training (including the skipper/PIC)
- 7, 8, 9, or 10 crew: 3 (including the skipper/PIC)
- 11 to 19 crew: 4 (including the skipper/PIC)
- 20 or more: 30% x (total number of crew) including the skipper/PIC
- Multihull vessels: 30% x (total number of crew) must have SAS training, including the skipper/PIC, and the Reserve Person-in-Charge (RPIC).
Medical Seminar
Prevention and preparedness are best ways to avoid injury and stay safe during any offshore experience. These resources are to help in that process. Crew trained via Safety at Sea, CPR/First Aid, and more, is always the best way to prepare. Please note that the "hands on" in person class is required for CPR certification. The Red Cross has course options in many locations:
Recognize by World Sailing as First Aid certified.
Prepare for the unexpected with this fun, hands-on introduction to wilderness medicine. This course for anyone who spends time in the outdoors. It provides essential skills to manage common injuries and illnesses that may occur in remote settings. The training can make a significant difference in emergency situations, improving outcomes and potentially saving lives.
You'll learn the Patient Assessment System, how to provide effective first aid treatments for injuries and illnesses common in the outdoors, how to manage environmental emergencies, and how to make appropriate evacuation decisions. You will spend half your time practicing skills and participating in realistic scenarios.
The course includes:
- Basic emergency care skills tailored for wilderness settings/offshore cruising and applicable in urban settings.
- Increased confidence for managing common outdoor injuries and illnesses.
- Shorter course duration, making it more accessible for those with limited time.
- Foundational knowledge that can be built upon with more advanced courses.
- Practical skills for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities, regardless of profession.
Upcoming Course:
Date/time: October 17-18, 2026, 16 hour course
Location: Norfolk Yacht and Country Club
SUPPORTERS
