ALEXANDRIA SAILING FIELD GUIDE
Take Command: ASA 105 Coastal Navigation in Alexandria with Heritage Sails LLC
A focused, classroom-driven course that teaches chart plotting, tide and current use, and rules of the road so you can plan and execute coastal passages with confidence.
Take Command: ASA 105 Coastal Navigation in Alexandria with Heritage Sails LLC.
This classroom-based ASA 105 Coastal Navigation course in Alexandria teaches the foundational skills needed for safe coastal passage planning: reading and interpreting nautical charts, using tide and current tables, correcting bearings, and plotting positions so you can move beyond day sailing to confident multi-day cruising.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Hands-on plotting and bearings
Practical exercises focus on plotting dead-reckoning positions, taking bearings, and converting between true and magnetic courses so you can determine a course to steer and find your location without relying solely on electronics.
Tide and current mastery
The course covers reading tide and current tables and correcting for current and leeway so you can plan passages with realistic expectations of set and drift.
Passage planning and rules of the road
Instruction includes the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules and passage-planning techniques aimed at building the confidence to plan multi-day coastal trips and handle changing conditions.
What the day feels like
What the course feels like
Structured classroom sessions mix presentations, hands-on plotting, and homework; expect concentrated evenings of study and practical chart work that build toward a timed proctored exam once coursework and assigned homework are complete.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this course suits — and who should wait
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
A 4‑day course delivered as four two‑hour classroom sessions that begin at 7:00 pm and end at 9:00 pm.
Bring a basic calculator; training materials for the course will be provided—see the course description for details.
In-person classroom only with homework assigned; a timed proctored exam is scheduled after completion of the required sessions and homework.
Expect presentations, hands-on plotting, handouts, and homework—be well rested and prepared to study each evening, especially on testing day.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the course?
The ASA 105 Coastal Navigation offering is a 4 Day Course delivered as four two-hour sessions.
When are the sessions held?
Each session begins at 7pm and ends at 9pm.
Is there an exam?
Yes — a timed proctored exam is scheduled after completion of the required sessions and homework.
Who can enroll?
Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
What materials should I bring?
Bring a basic calculator; the course description notes that training materials will be provided.
What will I learn?
You will learn nautical chart reading and plotting, use of tide and current tables, bearing and course corrections, and the fundamentals of safe coastal passage planning.