Salt Spring Island residents can learn the basics of coastal cruising without leaving home this fall. The Salt Spring Island Sailing Club is bringing back its Basic Cruising Course in November 2026, taught by veteran instructor Gillie Hutchinson.
The course runs five consecutive Monday evenings from November 2 to November 30, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the clubhouse. It is free and open to club members only.
The sessions cover the theory and safety rules for Sail Canada’s Basic Cruising certification, including points of sail, tacking and gybing, crew overboard recovery, docking, nautical knots, anchoring, collision regulations, and chart plotting. The club says it is ideal for new boaters, whether sail or power, and for anyone wanting a refresher.
Hutchinson operated the sailing school LadySail for nine years and taught more than 200 new sailors. She has a particular focus on empowering women in sailing and has skippered private charters in Desolation Sound and the Gulf Islands.
Participants who complete the course and pass the written exam with a 70 percent mark can work toward Sail Canada certification. Full certification also requires at least 18 hours of practical on-water sessions, which may be completed at other schools in BC.
Space is limited, and the club asks participants to commit to all five sessions. More information is available on the Salt Spring Island Sailing Club website.
