What Course Is For You?
So which course is for you? Lots of options are available to ensure the perfect fit. Generally, there are three different reasons one might take sailing lessons: you intend on purchasing a sailboat, you would like to rent or charter sailboats in the future, or you are just looking to try something new. The offered courses try to capture each of these needs.
1. You would like to confidently operate a vessel that you own or want to buy.
The size of the boat you own or want to buy will be a factor in deciding what course you will need to take. Generally, sailboats are categorized as daysailers or cruisers. Daysailers are boats without overnight accommodations, similar to the Rainbow 24 used in our basic courses. If you’re starting from scratch with no sailing experience, look at our Basic Courses. Cruisers are boats with the amenities necessary to live on board. Check out our Cruising Courses (ASA 103 and ASA 104) to check out what you need to take to become an expert.
If you have your own vessel, sailboat, or powerboat, we also offer Private Instruction and Powerboat Instruction.
2. You would like to rent or charter sailboats.
You’ve seen those beautiful pictures in sailing magazines – families and friends cruising the Caribbean waters, full sails, clear skies, and endless horizons. In order to charter a boat in most cruising destinations, you will need an American Sailing Association (ASA) 104 certification, or the equivalent. The prerequisites for the ASA 104 certification are ASA 101 and 103 certifications. There are multiple courses you can register for to achieve your ASA 101 certification. You can register for ASA 101 on our Basic Courses page. There are also multiple ways to get the ASA 103 certification. ASA 103 and ASA 104 courses are highlighted in “Cruising Courses“. Just remember to look for the ASA certification levels when exploring the course options.
3. You are looking for a great experience on the water.
We can absolutely make that happen, too. Check out our Recreation tab and see what we have to offer! From two-hour TrySails to evening getaways, we will show you why people are so passionate about sailing. But be warned: once you experience sailing, you may be hooked!
Course Categories
Basic Courses
Our basic keelboat courses are taught on Rainbow 24s. In the three-day course, the Basic Sailor Certified, you will learn basic keelboat operating skills which we will test you on for your American Sailing Association Basic Keelboat certification (ASA 101). Tack on two more days with our Beyond Basic Sailor course, and you will gain boat-handling confidence and sail-trim proficiency. In the Complete Sailor course, you will spend the first three days working towards your ASA 101 certification. The last two days are spent focusing on advanced sail-trim, and boat-handling techniques to best prepare you for the next course. The skills learned in these classes are easily applicable to a wide variety of boats and styles of sailing. Additionally, you will find an accelerated version of ASA 101 to get you certified in just one weekend! Yes, we can teach you to sail and certify you in just one weekend (Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday).
Click here to view our Basic Keelboat Courses
Cruising Courses
Cruising Courses are taught on one of our auxiliary cruisers. These courses are perfect for all types of people including those who are preparing for vacation on a chartered boat, own their own cruising boat but want to learn how to use it better, or people who are considering getting into cruising. Generally, the courses teach the skills you need to spend extended periods of time on a cruising boat. Although each course will focus on different aspects, all sailing courses remain interdisciplinary.
Click here to view our Cruising Courses