NationalYacht Club
Member Webinar · Winter 2027
Get Certified in
the Exumas
Sail Canada cruising certification on a liveaboard week in the Bahamas
NationalMember Webinar · Winter 2027
Sail Canada cruising certification on a liveaboard week in the Bahamas
Welcome, National Yacht Club
Your instructors and the people who book you in.
Where Sweetwater is right now.
From club sailor to bareboat skipper.
The route, the boats, what's included.
Your NYC rate and the payment schedule.
What's booked and what's open for 2027.
Five steps from tonight to Nassau.
Open Q&A, as long as you need.
This session is recorded. Everyone who registered gets the recording afterward.
Your Crew
Sail Canada certified instructors with experience on the Great Lakes, the US East Coast and the Caribbean, and a support team that looks after you from first call to travel insurance.
Founder of Happy Sailing. Sail Canada instructor with 6,000+ nm logged aboard Sweetwater.
Basic to Advanced Cruising, catamaran endorsed, Sail Canada evaluator.
50 years of racing and cruising. Basic and Intermediate Cruising.
Your first call. Helps you choose a week, a boat and a course level.
TICO-registered travel advisor at Zebrano Travel. Handles payment and travel insurance.
Updates From the Water · October 2026
We left Picton at the end of September, crossed Lake Ontario to Oswego, and brought Sweetwater through the Oswego and Erie Canals and down the Hudson River.
Sail drive service and bottom work while we're south of the canals. The crew returns November 6 and carries on south.
Sail Canada Certification
Many members already have the sea time. The Sail Canada cruising standards turn it into a credential that charter companies recognize.
Skipper a cruising boat by day: sail trim, helming, docking and anchoring.
Prerequisite: noneTake command of an unfamiliar boat in unfamiliar waters, the way you would on a chartered boat.
Needs: Basic Cruising, plus Coastal Navigation, VHF and PCOCNight passages and heavier weather, building toward offshore.
Needs: Intermediate CruisingMultihull handling and twin-engine manoeuvring on top of your cruising standard.
Needs: Basic or IntermediateIn one Exumas week, earn Basic and Intermediate Cruising together on Sweetwater, or the same standards plus the Catamaran Endorsement on Amihan.
Then: charter your own boat, or log more sea time on a Mileage Builder week.
The Exumas · Nassau, Bahamas
You live aboard for the week, sail every leg yourself with a Sail Canada instructor, and finish the week certified. A chain of about 365 cays running southeast from Nassau, with the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park at its centre.
Your Week
Cross to the northern Exumas and snorkel a sunken plane wreck.
Island hike and coral garden in the Land and Sea Park.
Snorkel the aquarium and swim off a sandbar.
Thunderball Grotto and a walk through the settlement.
Mangrove estuary tour and a beach afternoon.
Sail north and anchor near Nassau for the final evening.
The last sail back into Nassau.
Log signed, certification complete.
Our route through the Exuma Cays · weather dependent
Two Boats, Same Route
Learn aboard our own monohull, or the catamaran from our partner, Amihan Charters. Both sail the same itinerary through the Exuma Cays.
The Full Package
8 days, 7 nights living aboard
Sail Canada instruction with a maximum of 4 guests
Your certification or endorsement, and your logbook
All meals and provisions aboard
Park, mooring and permit fees, fuel and water
Pre-departure Zoom sessions and the online learning hub
Before You Go
Flights and transfers, where to stay in Nassau, the day-by-day itinerary, a full packing list, seasickness tips, textbooks and travel insurance.
Open the Base GuideIncluded When You Book
Booking gives you the online learning hub, so the theory is done at home and the week is spent sailing.
Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Cruising, at your own pace
Every exam topic on video
Chart work, ranges and ETAs, provisioning, systems
Check your understanding before you sail
Meet your crew, plan meals, ask questions
Exclusive to NYC Members
National Yacht Club members pay less than the public rate on either boat. All-inclusive, per person, in Canadian dollars.
50% deposit confirms your berth. Your member rate is applied when you book.
Balance due. Booking within 60 days of departure is paid in full at booking.
Flights, transfers and travel insurance. All liveaboard payments are non-refundable.
Winter 2027 · Sweetwater · As of October 8
The Booking Process
At happysailing.ca/nyc. It holds nothing, it just tells us you're interested.
Choose your week, boat and course level, and check your prerequisites.
50% deposit holds your berth at the member rate. Cathy can quote travel insurance.
Learning hub access, the Exumas Base Guide, and a pre-departure Zoom with your crew.
Step aboard, sail the week, and fly home certified.
Scan with your phone camera. Member pricing, the full calendar and the intent form are all on the page.
Google Reviews
★★★★★ Five-star reviews from our Exumas and Bahamas crews
Absolutely fantastic, it could not possibly have gone better. I learned more than I ever thought possible, while feeling like I was on a vacation. I passed both my basic and intermediate cruising standards.
Evan is very calm and laid back, and focuses on hands-on teaching, having you do the sailing yourself and making the ideas click. By the end we'd seen world-class beaches, passed our exams, and become way more confident.
Evan was very patient, knowledgeable, and professional. We learned so much from him and would highly recommend taking his course.
Evan's expertise and passion for teaching created an engaging, supportive environment where we felt confident tackling new challenges and made learning both effective and enjoyable.
By the end we'd developed solid seamanship skills, a strong understanding of boat systems and life aboard, and improved our navigation and sail planning.
The perfect blend of fun and education. I gained so much confidence about chartering and sailing. The instructors handle the details so you can focus on learning.
Open Q&A
Raise your hand or type in the chat. We'll stay as long as you need.
Thank You, National Yacht Club
Register your intent at happysailing.ca/nyc and Suzie will call you to choose a week. The recording goes to everyone who registered for tonight.