Earning your ISSA (International Sailing Schools Association) certification in Lefkada means a week full of hands-on training — real sailing, real navigation, real responsibility on the water. Coming in with the right groundwork makes the difference between a stressful week of catch-up and a week where the actual sailing sinks in. Here’s how to prepare before you step aboard.

Know what you’re training toward

ISSA offers a range of certifications, from beginner skipper courses through to master of yacht and catamaran endorsements. Before you arrive, confirm exactly which course and level you’re enrolled in — the prep for a beginner course is lighter than for an offshore skipper ticket, and your instructor will tailor the week differently depending on your starting point and goal.

Brush up on basic knots

You don’t need to arrive an expert, but instructors move faster — and you retain more — when the fundamentals aren’t brand new.

  • Bowline — the most-used knot on any boat, for attaching a line to a fixed point
  • Cleat hitch — securing a line to a dock cleat
  • Figure-eight — a stopper knot, prevents a line running out through a block
  • Reef knot — for joining two lines or reefing a sail

Ten minutes a day with a length of rope in the weeks before your course will save real time on the water.

Basic chart reading and terminology

You won’t be expected to navigate solo on day one, but a working vocabulary means you spend the week learning to sail — not learning what the words mean.

  • Port and starboard (left and right, from the perspective of facing the bow)
  • Bow, stern, beam, and helm
  • Tacking vs. jibing — the two ways of changing direction relative to the wind
  • Points of sail — how a boat’s heading relates to wind direction

A quick evening reviewing a sailing terminology glossary is enough to remove the “second language” feeling on your first day.

Safety maneuvers worth understanding in advance

Your instructor will drill these properly on the water, but understanding the concept beforehand means the physical practice clicks faster.

  • Man overboard (MOB) procedure — the sequence of actions to recover a person in the water
  • Reefing — reducing sail area in stronger wind
  • Docking and mooring approaches — how a boat behaves at low speed near a pontoon

Basic seamanship terms to know cold

A short list worth memorizing before you arrive:

  • Windward / leeward — toward and away from the wind
  • Heading up / bearing away — turning closer to or further from the wind
  • Give-way vessel / stand-on vessel — right-of-way rules between boats
  • Fenders and lines — protective bumpers and the ropes used for docking

What to bring for the training days

  • Non-marking deck shoes — you’ll be on your feet and moving around the deck constantly
  • A notebook — useful for jotting down terminology and daily debriefs
  • Sun protection — training days run long, often the full daylight window
  • A layer for wind — you’ll be exposed on deck far more than on a standard charter
  • Any prerequisite certifications or logged sea time, if your course level requires them — bring the paperwork, not just the memory of having done it

Mental preparation: expect to be a student again

The most common surprise for experienced sailors isn’t the material — it’s the pace. ISSA courses are intensive and hands-on, with instructors correcting technique in real time. Come in ready to be corrected often; that’s the fastest way to actually improve, not a sign you’re behind.

Arrive curious, not polished — that’s what the week is for. See you on the water in Vliho Bay!