LITTLE RIVER BOAT TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Three Days, Two Nights: Learn to Cruise a Coastal Sailboat as a Pair
A private, 3-day liveaboard ASA 104 course for couples that pairs hands-on instruction with an overnight anchor at Bird Island and a 25–30 mile coastal passage to Bald Head Island.
Three Days, Two Nights: Learn to Cruise a Coastal Sailboat as a Pair.
This private ASA 104 liveaboard is a focused, 3-day/2-night coastal cruising course designed for a couple or pair to live aboard, learn together, and practice real-world cruising skills under the guidance of an instructor.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Hands-on, private instruction aboard a cruising yacht
Delivered as a couple/pair private course, the ASA 104 curriculum immerses both of you in provisioning, boat systems, auxiliary engines, advanced sail trim, coastal navigation, anchoring, docking and emergency operations aboard a Beneteau Oceanis 390 or an Elan Impression 444.
A genuine ocean passage and an anchor night
The itinerary includes a 25–30 mile ocean sail to Bald Head Island, NC and a night at anchor at Bird Island so you practice navigation, watch systems under way, and experience life aboard away from the marina.
Meals, provisioning and liveaboard routines
This live-aboard course includes meals while aboard; as a couple you’ll share planning and provisioning responsibilities using a provided gift card so you practice budgeting and provisioning for a cruising lifestyle.
What the day feels like
What the three-day liveaboard feels like
Over three days and two nights you’ll live aboard, take focused lessons on sail and engine systems, stand watches during a multi-day coastal passage, spend a night at anchor, and return with the practical skills to skipper and crew an auxiliary-powered sailboat in coastal waters.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this course suits — and who it doesn’t.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The course is a 3 Day/2 Night liveaboard and classes begin on Thursday or Friday of each week.
Motion sickness remedies are not included and should be brought if you are prone to queasiness; instructional materials are provided once the deposit is paid.
Price is $3,600 per couple with $1,500 per additional student; a non‑refundable $500 deposit is required and final payment is due 21 days before arrival and collected via emailed invoice.
Each night of the course is spent away from the operator’s marina; the liveaboard is conducted aboard a Beneteau Oceanis 390 or an Elan Impression 444.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the course?
The ASA 104 Couple/Pair Private is a 3 Day / 2 Night liveaboard course.
What is included in the course fee?
Instructional materials and testing, as well as meals while aboard, are included.
What does it cost and how many students can attend?
The course costs $3,600 per couple, $1,500 per additional student, and carries a maximum of four students aboard.
Are there prerequisites?
Yes — participants must have completed ASA 103 prior to taking this ASA 104 course.
What are the payment terms?
A non‑refundable $500 deposit is required to reserve your spot and instructional materials are mailed after deposit; final payment is due twenty‑one (21) days before arrival and is paid via emailed invoice.
Which boats are used for instruction?
Instruction is conducted aboard a Beneteau Oceanis 390 or an Elan Impression 444.