Estelle Cockcroft

Estelle Cockcroft is a seasoned sailor, catamaran expert, and co-founder of Catamaran Guru. With over 70,000 NM sailed and 30+ years aboard, she empowers new cruisers with expert advice on liveaboard life, yacht ownership, and ocean adventures.

asa 108 offshore passage-making banner

ASA 108 – Offshore Passage-Making Sailing Certification

Offshore Passage-making (ASA 108) Prerequisite: All previous keelboat and navigation standards. General Description: A certified student is able to safely act as skipper or crew of a sailing vessel on offshore passages requiring celestial navigation. Sailing Knowledge Plan a passage across the North Atlantic or Pacific Ocean using publications and instruments required for navigation on […]

ASA 108 – Offshore Passage-Making Sailing Certification Read More »

asa 107 celestial navigation theory banner

ASA 107 – Celestial Navigation Theory Course

Celestial Navigation (ASA 107) Prerequisite: None but basic sailing and coastal navigation experience recommended. General Description: A certified student is able to demonstrate the celestial navigation theory required to safely navigate on an offshore passage. Sailing Knowledge Convert longitude into time, calculate the zone time given longitude. Convert standard time and zone time to G.M.T.and

ASA 107 – Celestial Navigation Theory Course Read More »

asa 106 advanced coastal cruising certification banner

ASA 106 – Advanced Coastal Cruising Certification

Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 106) Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing, Basic Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering and Coastal Navigation Certification. General Description: A certified student is able to safely act as skipper and crew of a sailing vessel about 30 to 50 feet in length in coastal and inland waters, in any conditions, day or night. Sailing

ASA 106 – Advanced Coastal Cruising Certification Read More »

asa 105 coastal navigation home study banner

ASA 105 – Home Study Program for Coastal Navigation

Coastal Navigation (ASA 105) Prerequisites: None but basic sailing experience recommended. General Description: Navigational theory required to safely navigate a sailing vessel in coastal or inland waters. Sailing Knowledge Explain the chart symbols and conventions on U.S. nautical charts in accordance with international terminology. Identify a source of official U.S. Coast Guard navigation publications. List

ASA 105 – Home Study Program for Coastal Navigation Read More »

asa 104 bareboat chartering intermediate coastal cruising banner

ASA 104 – Bareboat Chartering – Intermediate Coastal Cruising

Bareboat Chartering (ASA 104) Prerequisites: Basic KeelboatSailing and Basic Coastal Cruising certification General Description: An advanced cruising standard for individuals with cruising experience. A certified student can act as skipper or crew of a 30 – 50 foot boat sailing by day in coastal waters. Knowledge of boat systems and maintenance included. Sailing Knowledge State

ASA 104 – Bareboat Chartering – Intermediate Coastal Cruising Read More »

asa 103 basic coastal cruising banner

ASA 103 – Basic Coastal Cruising

Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA 103) Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat Sailing certification General Description: A certified student is able to cruise safely in local and regional waters as both skipper and crew on an auxiliary sailboat of about 20 to 30 feet in length, in moderate winds and sea conditions. Sailing Knowledge Identify expanded parts inventory on

ASA 103 – Basic Coastal Cruising Read More »

bali 4.8 is safe though some worry about catamarans flipping

Catamaran Safety

How Safe Are Catamarans For Blue Water Sailing? But What If They Capsize? “I have heard concerning stories about cats flipping in strong winds”. This question comes up more often as more people are sailing and chartering catamarans. People generally love the comfort, space and performance of a catamaran, but are concerned about the safety of a catamaran

Catamaran Safety Read More »

Stephen and estelle cockcroft offer liveaboard catamaran ownership seminars

Our Story

After much encouragement from friends, clients and colleagues, we took the plunge and created this website. We hope to tell our story as a way to not only entertain, but also to encourage and educate all the sailing dreamers and planners out there. We have owned many yachts (monohulls and catamarans), many in ownership programs,

Our Story Read More »

Welcome to the Catamaran Guru™ Archives, also known as the number one catamaran resource. Find all the information you need by using our category drop down or search bar.

Find Your Topic