Pacific Northwest Sailing Ventures
Sailboat moored at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham during a dockside sailing workshop
Workshops & Clinics

Hands-on. Dockside. Aboard a real cruising boat.

Seven workshops at Squalicum Harbor designed to make you a sharper, more confident sailor — without the boat ever leaving the slip.

01

The PNW Cruising & Voyage Planning Masterclass

Boaters planning their first charter or trip into the San Juan / Gulf Islands who are intimidated by the extreme tides, currents, and weather.

Format
Immersive dockside workshop aboard Starhaven at Squalicum Harbor. Use the vessel's actual salon table, chartplotter, and instruments to simulate real-world voyage planning and VHF monitoring.
Duration
3 hours
Pricing
$175 per person · $250 per couple
  • ▸Digital Navigation Deep Dive: Navionics, AquaMap, and OpenCPN for PNW route planning, accounting for tides and currents, and sharing routes with onboard chartplotters.
  • ▸Current & Tide Mastery: using DeepZoom to visualize 12-foot tidal swings and plan the best route from the San Juans to Desolation Sound.
  • ▸Weather Routing: using PredictWind to forecast cruising weather, choose departure windows, and find the best anchorages.
  • ▸Anchoring in the PNW: working with the vessel's actual ground tackle — calculating scope, anchoring deep / rocky / kelp bottoms, and stern-tying in tight inlets like Princess Louisa.
Email to book
02

Intro to Sailboat Systems

New boaters, recent ASA 103/104 graduates, or charterers who need to understand the physical guts of a modern cruising boat.

Format
Conducted dockside aboard Starhaven. Students physically lift floorboards, open engine hatches, and trace the actual plumbing and through-hulls of the boat.
Duration
2.5 hours
Pricing
$150 per person
  • ▸Tracing freshwater plumbing, water-pump troubleshooting, and accumulator tanks.
  • ▸Understanding the marine head, Y-valves, holding tanks, and strict PNW No-Discharge rules.
  • ▸Propane safety, solenoid operation, and safe galley use.
  • ▸Through-hulls, seacocks, and basic bilge pump mechanics.
Email to book
03

Advanced Marine Electrical & Power

Boat owners or charter guests who want to understand complex onboard power management.

Format
Hands-on dockside workshop aboard Starhaven. Students interact with live electrical panels, inspect actual battery banks, and view the shore-power charge controllers in a real installation.
Duration
3 hours
Pricing
$195 per person
  • ▸Deep dive into 12V / 110V panels: house banks vs. starter batteries.
  • ▸Calculating daily amp-hour usage and sizing an inverter.
  • ▸Proper battery charging procedures to maximize battery life.
  • ▸Shore power, galvanic isolators, and preventing electrolysis in the marina.
Email to book
04

Vessel-Specific Systems — Beneteau Oceanis 40.1

People who have booked a bareboat charter on a similar make/model and want a stress-free head start before their vacation.

Format
Conducted entirely onboard at the dock. A physical walkthrough of every breaker, rigging, and engine component on this exact vessel.
Duration
2 hours
Pricing
$150 per person
  • ▸Highly specific walkthrough of every breaker, through-hull, and quirk of the boat.
  • ▸Rigging orientation, reefing specifics, and engine checks (oil / coolant / belts).
  • ▸Deck layout, windlass operation, and anchor deployment specific to this rig.
Email to book
05

First Mate / Competent Crew Confidence Builder

Spouses, partners, or friends of experienced sailors who want to feel confident and useful — not just be a passenger.

Format
Live, hands-on skills lab on the deck of the vessel while securely tied to the dock. Use the boat's actual winches, lines, and cleats to build real muscle memory.
Duration
3 hours
Pricing
$150 per person
  • ▸Line handling: how to coil, throw, and cleat dock lines without getting fingers pinched.
  • ▸Winch safety: wrapping, tailing, releasing tension, avoiding riding turns.
  • ▸Emergency protocols: dropping sails, starting the engine, reading GPS, and calling a Mayday on VHF if the captain is incapacitated.
  • ▸Fender placement and basic docking communication.
Email to book
06

Winter Buy & Dream Consultations

Dreamers looking to buy a boat, considering liveaboard life, or thinking about putting a boat in a charter program — and looking for an honest reality check.

Format
Hosted in the salon and throughout the cabins of the docked vessel — experience the actual storage, headroom, and livability of a modern cruising boat.
Duration
2 hours
Pricing
$200 flat fee · up to 4 people
  • ▸Sit-down consultation in the salon on true cost of ownership, insurance hurdles, and marina waitlists.
  • ▸The math behind charter management contracts, drawn from real-world experience.
  • ▸Walkthrough of storage, bed sizes, and livability of the vessel.
Email to book
07

PNW Provisioning & Galley Workshop

The person tasked with feeding a crew of 6 for a week in the San Juans.

Format
Conducted in the vessel's actual galley while tied to the dock. Pack the 12V marine fridge, use the boat's storage lockers, and operate the gimbaled stove.
Duration
2 hours
Pricing
$125 per person
  • ▸Maximizing a tiny 12V marine fridge / freezer and managing ice in a cooler.
  • ▸Storing produce to prevent rot in a humid marine environment.
  • ▸Menu planning for limited water and power, and safe cooking while heeling or underway.
Email to book