Hello all,

I'm a casual dinghy sailor, and I want to learn how to sail larger
boats--yachts. To that end, I want to take one of those live-aboard
sailing courses that take about a week and end in some sort of
certification. I figure it will be a nice experience, and it will show
me what life aboard is like, so I can figure out if I want to buy a
yacht of my own. But.... picking the right course is hard.

First of all, the courses offer either ASA (American Sailing
Association) or US Sailing certifications (or sometimes both). Is one
of the certifications better, or more widely recognized than the other?
If I wanted to charter a boat for a day or two, would I be more likely
to get it with ASA or US Sailing?

Is there anything in particular I should be looking for in a sailing
school?

Finally, any recommendations? I'm looking for schools in Southern
California (trying to escape the cold for a week or two)

Thanks in advance,

Nikita.