Camano Sail and Power is currently licensed to offer the United States Sailing Association Basic Keelboat certification.  This is the beginning rung of a tall ladder which allows sailors to qualify, step by step, up through other certifcations such as  Offshore Passagemaking, Celestial Navigation and eventually Ocean Passagemaking for those who want to sail the World's oceans and visit distant lands. **  We expect to be licensed in these higher categories soon but, for the present we offer the Basic Keelboat certification.  A complete list of the US SAILING requirements for a Basic Keelboat Skipper certification can be seen here.   In brief, a basic keelboat (BK) certification prepares the sailor to skipper a tiller-steered fixed keel sloop-rigged keelboat up to around 26-feet in length*, outboard-engine powered (if an auxiliary is used; the presence of an outboard is not one of the requirements), during daylight hours in local waters in windspeeds not generally greater than about 15 knots (on Saratoga Passage where the certification is done, 15 knots of wind normally is whitecap conditions).
        BK Skipper certification is ideal for the sailor who will normally be driving the boat and providing direction to the crew to operate the boat, or for the sailor who intends to single-hand (sail without crew) from time to time.
           * Camano Sail and Power  uses a J-24 for BK certification.    BK skippers  may charter our J-24 for day sails  in the local waters .  Our Hobie 33 is available with captain.
        **Sailors who are certified at the BK level will be qualified to attend and will be recommended to other US SAILING schools who offer the advanced courses.  For example WINDWORKS in Seattle or GIG HARBOR SAILING ASSOCIATION  near Tacoma.