Sail five days from Punta Gorda to the Dry Tortugas and the Florida Keys while earning U.S. Sailing certifications. This hands-on, live-aboard course emphasizes night sailing, offshore fundamentals, and approach training to Fort Jefferson.
Sail five days from Punta Gorda to the Dry Tortugas and the Florida Keys while earning U.S. Sailing certifications. This hands-on, live-aboard course emphasizes night sailing, offshore fundamentals, and approach training to Fort Jefferson.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by The Bluewater Academy · Punta Gorda, Florida
challenging.
5 days.
Moderate to high: expect long watch rotations, climbing in and out of cockpits, and mobile sleep schedules.
The meeting point is 3190 Suite C Matecumbe Key Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33955; check-in details are provided after booking.
The course prepares students for U.S. Sailing Bareboat Cruising and a Catamaran Endorsement as part of the curriculum.
Specific inclusions aren’t listed in the item summary—confirm food and provisioning details with the operator before arrival.
Return logistics vary; guests arrange their own departure from the Keys by plane or fast boat to Fort Myers or Key West.
Basic sailing familiarity and comfort in open water are recommended; the course is hands-on and assumes active participation.
The listing does not specify age minimums or group-size limits—ask the operator for details when booking.
Fort Jefferson on Garden Key is a 19th-century coastal fortress within Dry Tortugas National Park, established as a national park in 1992.
Respect coral reefs and seagrass beds: use moorings where available, avoid anchoring on reef, and follow park regulations to minimize impact.
The Bluewater Academy is a professional sailing school that delivers US Sailing and NauticEd certification courses aboard modern cruising yachts. The academy offers a structured curriculum spanning basic keelboat skills through coastal passage making and large keelboat skipper training. Students train on Beneteau Oceanis models and the Excess 11 catamaran, gaining hands-on experience in sail handling, navigation, anchoring, docking, and crew management. Courses include US Sailing Basic Keelboat (US 101), Coastal Navigation (US 105), Bareboat Cruising (US 104), combined certification options such as US 103/104 and the intensive US 101/103/104 combo, plus catamaran-specific training (US 114). NauticEd programs include Skipper Large Keelboat and the SLC international assessment for bareboat charter credentials. Program lengths range from two to six days, and training culminates in practical on‑water assessments and recognized certifications. Instruction emphasizes safety, seamanship, and real‑world decision making. Professional instructors lead each course with clear learning objectives, hands-on drills, and supervised passage plans. Small crew sizes allow individualized feedback and accelerated skill acquisition. The Bluewater Academy focuses on practical competence so graduates can confidently skipper coastal cruising vessels and evaluate charter readiness. The academy maintains industry-standard vessels and follows established US Sailing and NauticEd syllabi for standardized assessment. Prospective students can select single courses or multi-course combos to build toward charter qualifications efficiently. Several multi-course combos include live-aboard training nights aboard the Beneteau Oceanis 40.1, giving trainees practical experience with overnight passages, provisioning, watch systems, and extended passage planning. Final assessments verify competence for chartering and leadership and safety decision-making consistently.
Book with The Bluewater Academy