Sail Canada Instructor Development Clinic

From January 31 to February 3, 2027, BOSS will host a 4-day Sail Canada Instructor Development Clinic.

Target Audience: The clinic is optimized for individuals who are interested in acquiring new instructor credentials while, in parallel, developing the knowledge and skills necessary to work as instructors in the southern Caribbean during the Canadian winter. It optionally includes an ASA cross-over component that will enable participants to obtain ASA certifications that are equivalent to their Sail Canada credentials. To qualify, participants must already be a Sail Canada Basic Cruising Instructor and have at least one season’s teaching experience. (Note also that BOSS has scheduled a SC Advanced Course for the week following the clinic, for any SC instructors that need an Advanced student qualification in order to teach liveaboard courses.)

Clinic Approach: Clinic activities take place as part of a 4-day cruise in the Grenadines, an archipelago of 30+ islands in the southern Caribbean, which is widely-recognized as one of the top cruising grounds in the world

Clinic Components include:

Clinic Leadership: The clinic is led by Rob McLean, Lead Instructor and Coordinator of Barefoot Offshore Sailing School. Rob is a Sail Canada Senior Instructor Evaluator and an ASA Senior Master Instructor. Rob’s sailing resume is here: http://robmclean.ca/sailingresume.html

Registration Deadline and Capacity: BOSS requires a minimum of three candidates to enable the clinic to proceed. The maximum capacity is four candidates. The registration deadline is November 15, 2026, but we encourage earlier registrations since leaving it that late will make it difficult to complete clinic preparations. Refunds will be provided if the clinic is cancelled due to an insufficient number of candidates.

References: Six Sail Canada instructors participated in our first two clinics in 2022 and 2023.

Clinic Details

• The clinic begins and ends at the Barefoot base in Blue Lagoon on the south-west corner of the main island of St. Vincent
• During the clinic we will cover approximately 120 miles visiting most of the main islands in the Grenadines, including Bequia, Canouan, Petit St. Vincent, Mayreau, and Union islands
• We will spend a night in the Tobago Cays, considered by most as the “jewel of the Grenadines”. When anchored in the main bay, there is nothing between you and Africa but three horseshoe reefs. The nightly beach BBQ is a magical experience
• While the clinic will be intense and demanding, there will be swimming and snorkelling opportunities most days
• Candidates will be expected to dedicate at least 20-30 hours to prepare for the clinic, in order to achieve the best return on their investment in the clinic. Details on preparation activities will be shared once candidates have registered for the clinic.
• As with all Sail Canada clinics, there will be exams to be written, delivery and critique of sample classroom lessons, delivery and critique of sample on-water lessons, and demonstration of sailing skills
• Rob will share his extensive knowledge of the Grenadines, acquired by teaching there since 2018
• For information about flights to SVG, see How to Get Here

For more information

If you need more information to assess this opportunity, email Rob McLean at rob.m@barefootyachts.com

To register

There are three steps involved in registering.

• Step 1: Inform Rob McLean of your intention to participate. BOSS will provide an invitation to participate in the clinic and generate an invoice covering the BOSS clinic fees. BOSS requires a 50% deposit to hold your reservation. The balance is due 45 days before the clinic start date.
• Step 2: We will inform you when the clinic is posted with Ontario Sailing and provide a link for payment of the Ontario Sailing clinic fees. You will need to register with Ontario Sailing twice: once for the Intermediate Instructor portion of the clinic (unless you already have this credential), and once for the Catamaran Endorsement portion of the clinic.
• Step 3: BOSS will provide access to all the documentation you need to prepare for the clinic.

Clinic Costs

BOSS clinic costs are as follows:

The above costs do NOT include:

• Ontario Sailing Clinic Fees. These are collected separately by Ontario Sailing, and in prior years have been less than $200 for Intermediate Cruising Instructor and less than $100 for the Catamaran Endorsement Instructor
• Travel to and from SVG
• Accommodation on SVG before or after the clinic. (BOSS can help make accommodation arrangements)
• Dinners ashore, alcoholic beverages (not while underway), personal snacks
• Miscellaneous fees including cruising permit, national marine park fees, mooring fees: (cumulatively less than $100)

Contact Us for further information

Email Rob McLean or use our enquiry form.