CANSail Levels

Certified Courses CANSail Levels 1 to 6 and CANSail Chutes and Wires 1 and 2.

The Fanshawe Yacht Club Sailing School courses follow the Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) Learn to Sail program, offering standardized instruction to youth and adults.

In 2012, CYA introduced its new sailing program, CANSail, with 6 levels (CANSail 1 to CANSail 6) and 2 advanced levels, Chutes and Wires 1 & 2 (for spinnakers and trapeze). These new CANSail levels replace the previous White Sail, Bronze Sail, Silver IV and Gold V levels and are now the levels of instruction used at the Fanshawe Yacht Club Sailing School.

Student Course Selection

To help determine which course a student should enroll in, refer to the documents below. The CANSail Course Selection Guide helps to determine the best course given a student's experience. The CANSail Conversion Chart maps the previous "traditional" CYA levels (White Sail, Bronze Sail, Silver IV and Gold V) to the new CANSail levels.

• CANSail Course Selection Guide PDF Document
• CANSail Conversion Chart PDF Document

Evaluation Checklists for CANSail Levels

• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail 1 PDF Document
• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail 2 PDF Document
• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail 3 PDF Document
• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail 4 PDF Document
• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail 5 PDF Document
• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail 6 PDF Document
• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail Chutes & Wires 1 PDF Document
• Evaluation Checklist - CANSail Chutes & Wires 2 PDF Document

CANSail Levels at the FYC Sailing School

At the Fanshawe Yacht Club Sailing School, we offer our youth program as a day school through the summer months. The CANSail levels 1 and 2 are offered in two-week sessions (4 each summer) and a conscientious student should be able to achieve one level in each two-week session. The CANSail levels 3 and 4 are more complex and they are offered in four-week sessions (2 each summer) so that the serious student can attain that level each session. The advanced CANSail levels 5, 6, and Chutes & Wires 1 and 2 require more intensive training and practice by attending regattas through the entire summer season. At this stage, it is not unusual for students to work all summer to achieve one level.

Our adult program is geared to allow a serious student to achieve both CANSail levels 1 and 2 in a single session totaling about 30 hours of instruction. Additional courses are offered following those levels for adult students to continue to their advanced CANSail levels.