Thank you for your interest in checking out a Dinghy from Annapolis Sailing School! We have an assortment of dinghies for you to choose from, giving you many options for getting out on the water.
Before you check out your dinghy, please acknowledge the following rules and regulations of dinghy usage.
Dinghy Usage Rules
- Pre-requisites
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- Must be a current Keelboat Club member in good standing
- Members joining the program must have attended a previous “Dinghy Day” at the sailing school.
- Members may only take out boats they have sailed on a “Dinghy Day”
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- Check-in
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- Members must check in and out with front reception when taking out dinghies.
- After check-in please go over your boat and alert us if there are any missing parts or damage.
- You will be alerted to any specific restrictions on a given day.
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- Safety Equipment
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- Must wear a life jacket at all times.
- Must wear shoes.
- Members must have a functioning VHF radio with them monitoring channel 71 tied to your life jacket
- If you do not have a working VHF radio you may rent one from the school (subject to availability) for $10 but are responsible for replacement if lost or broken.
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- Weather
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- All dinghies have weather restrictions at the discretion of the school, but these restrictions may vary depending on the boat and skill of the sailor.
- Adverse weather may result in restricted sailing area, cancellation, or premature ending of a rental session.
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- Sailing Area
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- All dinghies must be within line of sight of the sailing school.
- The eastern boundary is a line north from from Tolly Point to Hackett’s Point
- The Sailing area may be modified prior to or during a rental as a result of adverse conditions.
- In the case of modifications coming mid rental you will be notified via VHF and/or chase boat.
- Any boat found to be in violation of the sailing area will be subject to a $50 fee and will have their participation in the program evaluated with severe violations resulting in penalties including suspension or revocation of privileges without refund.
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- Responsibility for The Fleet
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- Members are responsible for loss or damage outside of normal wear to the boats they take out and agree to be charged for the cost of replacement or repair with notice.
- Members agree that they will properly derig and stow their boats and agree that they will be responsible for loss or damage that occurs as a result of improper stowage.
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- Personal Responsibility
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- Members are responsible for their personal safety whenever out on the water. Members must be aware of risks that come along with sailing dinghies such as increased likelihood of being hit in the head with the boom and capsize of the vessel. Members must take personal precautions against these risks and be able to respond to them when they occur, acknowledging that while in the event of an issue the sailing school will render assistance as soon as it can, assistance may not be immediately available.
- Members must also be aware that they will all but certainly end up in the water at some point and keep in mind that this is a natural body of water and there is marine life and objects in the water that could be harmful to the member or their personal property, so please be careful and only bring items that can get wet.
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- Before Check Out:
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- Members must be checked out on the style of boat you would like to take out and know how and be able to properly do the following for that vessel
- Rig
- Derig
- Stow
- Sail
- Right
- Members may receive specific restrictions based on boat type, ability, and conditions.
- Members must be checked out on the style of boat you would like to take out and know how and be able to properly do the following for that vessel
- Available Boats
Beach Catamarans
- Difficulty: Medium
- Beach Launched
- ~400 lbs
- Min crew/weight: 2/300lbs
- Max crew/weight: 6/1000lbs
Lasers
- Difficulty: Medium
- Dock Launched
- ~130 lbs
- Min crew/weight: 1/100lbs
- Max crew/weight: 2/250lbs
Americans
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dock Launched
- Weight: ~340 lbs
- Min crew/weight: 1/200lbs
- Max crew/weight: 4/600lbs
Precision
- Difficulty: Easy
- In water
- Ballast: 250lbs
- Min crew/weight: 1/100lbs
- Max crew/weight: 4/600lbs
Zests
- Difficulty: Medium
- Dock Launched
- Weight: ~161lbs
- Min crew/weight: 1/100lbs
- Max crew/weight: 2/250lbs
Quests
- Difficulty: Hard
- Dock Launched
- Weight ~309 lbs
- Min crew/weight: 2/150lbs
- Max crew/weight: 4/805lbs
Using the boats
- Before you launch your boat
- Screw in stern plugs
- Put in hull plugs
- Fully rig the boat
- Attach rudder to boat
- Ensure rudders are pinned in and tied off
- Put the centerboard down once the boat is in the water
- When you return (Prior to pulling the boat onto the dock or beach)
- Make sure rudder is off/up before you pull the boat up (otherwise you might break the pintle or gungeon)
- Make sure the centerboard/daggerboard is up before pulling boat onto the dock
- If you need assistance pulling up a boat please alert the staff you need assistance
- After pulling up the boat
- Take out stern plugs and hull plugs when finished
- Cleat off the bow line when finished. Make sure its not hanging in the water
- Coil the mainsheet and lay it down neatly
- Zests & Lasers – When finished sailing, pull the mainsheet in all the way and tie a slip knot in the line to prevent the boom from potentially falling off
- Check that there are no lines hanging in the water
- Pull the boats up onto the dock all the way
- Beach catamarans must be pulled up above the high tide line
- Stow everything back in the sheds
- Put rudders and tillers away in the numbered racks
- Roll up sails tightly and neatly and stow them on the racks
- Sails get folded into thirds, then rolled from head to foot…. Tightly
- Report any and all damages
- Include a detailed report with: what happened, names, date, boat(s), etc