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Train aboard a fully equipped 37' power catamaran out of Shilshole Bay Marina and master night operations, advanced docking, and twin-screw handling. This two-day US Powerboating-certified course with Capt. Margaret Pommert focuses on real-world scenarios in Puget Sound traffic and currents.
Train aboard a fully equipped 37' power catamaran out of Shilshole Bay Marina and master night operations, advanced docking, and twin-screw handling. This two-day US Powerboating-certified course with Capt. Margaret Pommert focuses on real-world scenarios in Puget Sound traffic and currents.
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Operated by Windworks Sailing & Powerboating · Seattle, Washington
Onboard learning in Puget Sound. The Advanced Powerboat Cruising course is a two-day hands-on training delivered from a 37' Fountaine Pajot MY4.S Power Catamaran, launching from Shilshole Bay Marina in Seattle, Washington. Designed for competent powerboaters seeking night operations and twin-screw catamaran skills, this US Powerboating-certified APC combines classroom briefings with live-aboard coaching at sea. The training vessel is equipped with generator (genset), thrusters, convection stovetop and grill, video monitoring, reverse cycle heat and air conditioning, B&G chart plotter and RADAR, AIS, 2 refrigerators, 3 cabins, 2 heads, two 220hp diesel engines—systems students will learn to operate and troubleshoot. Curriculum centers on advanced docking and anchoring, helm control in variable wind and sea states, night navigation and restricted-visibility procedures, radar and electronic chart use, use and limits of bow thrusters, dinghy management underway, and plans of action for onboard emergencies, including night crew overboard rescue. Beyond technique, instructors emphasize voyage planning: interpreting multi-day weather forecasts, provisioning and inventorying safety gear such as liferafts, and the paperwork and protocols for entering foreign ports. Sea conditions around Seattle expose trainees to tidal currents, ferry and commercial-traffic lanes, and sudden weather shifts—real-world scenarios that sharpen judgment and seamanship. Teaching is led by Capt. Margaret Pommert, a US Powerboating certified Powerboat Cruising Instructor and Instructor Trainer whose 45,000 sea miles include leading the Waggoner Guide flotilla and a 3,000-mile passage from Hawaii to Fiji. Her ABYC marine diesel engine credentials and long-term experience with coastal passages bring exacting technical standards and calm decision-making to the course. Who should book: owners and crew who already hold Basic Powerboat Cruising certification and seek Inshore Powerboat Cruising and Night Operations Endorsement, twin-screw experience, or Windworks Power Catamaran certification. The instruction balances aggressive, scenario-based drills with pragmatic maintenance and systems checks so graduates return to their boats with actionable procedures and confidence. Logistics: the course runs over two immersive days with night hours included; students should arrive prepared for live-aboard conditions at Shilshole Bay Marina, bring basic electronics familiarity, and expect hands-on time at the helm. For anyone serious about safe coastal cruising in the Pacific Northwest, this course converts theoretical knowledge into practiced competence under an experienced instructor on a fully equipped power catamaran. Course outcomes include practical emergency procedures, night crew-overboard rescue drills, and routine systems maintenance such as generator (genset) checks and battery charger management. Graduates leave with navigational competence using radar, AIS, and electronic charts, and practical plans for provisioning, mooring and entering unfamiliar ports. Instructors supply real-world checklists and decision templates students can adapt to their own boats. The emphasis on twin-screw catamaran handling, combined with night-operation training in Puget Sound traffic and current patterns, makes this a bridge to confident cruising captain.
Students must hold Basic Powerboat Cruising (BPC) certification and either Windworks Power Catamaran certification or significant twin-screw inboard powerboat experience plus instructor permission.
The course is tailored to include Inshore Powerboat Cruising (IPC) certification and the Night Operations Endorsement; Windworks Power Catamaran certification is optional with additional arrangements.
The course meets at Shilshole Bay Marina, Seattle, WA; expect live-aboard check-in prior to underway sessions.
Yes—this APC includes live-aboard night operations and restricted-visibility drills as a core component of the curriculum.
Instructors monitor multi-day forecasts and adjust schedules; safety takes priority and make-up sessions or rearrangements are handled case-by-case.
The course is live-aboard; basic galley facilities are aboard the 37' power catamaran, but students should verify specific meal provisions with the operator before arrival.
Windworks Sailing & Powerboating in Seattle, Washington offers a variety of hands-on sailing and powerboating experiences across Puget Sound. The organization runs day sails, two-hour introductory outings, weekend and multi-day certification courses, skills clinics, flotillas, and seasonal events. Short experiences include the Intro-to-Sail two-hour cruise led by a USCG Captain/Instructor, and TGIF Sunset Sails on 30'–46' sailboats with a six-person limit for semi-private evenings. Practical skills clinics include Anchoring & Crew Overboard practice with on-water drills and role rotations. Certification-focused programs include the US Sailing Basic Keelboat Series (three-day instruction with certified instructors) and the US Sailing Cruising to Bareboat five-day course that prepares participants for bareboat skipper certification. Powerboating options include a Powerboat Conversion class to train certified members on the Camano 31 trawler Clifford, taught by instructor Margaret Pommert, and a two-day US Basic Powerboat Cruising Series that leads to an international US Powerboating certification. Community and event offerings feature the Founders Cup - Capri Race Finale and the Southern Crossing Flotilla, a four-day fall excursion in South Puget Sound. Each program emphasizes on-water practice, instructor guidance, small-group formats, and real-world seamanship skills to build competence and enjoyment on Puget Sound.
Book with Windworks Sailing & Powerboating
