2008 Course Listings

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Basic Sailing
NYC Sailing School's Learn to Sail Course

Sailing is for all kinds of people - cruisers, racers, adventurers, poets - and for people who just like the feeling of wind in their face and sound of water going by. But before you can enjoy the satisfaction that comes from steering a sailboat around a harbor by yourself, it's important that you understand the basic principals of sailing. Basic Sailing course is a comprehensive preparation for a lifetime of sailing. If you've never sailed, have limited sailing experience or haven't sailed in a long time, our basic sailing course gives you the skills and confidence to take the helm.With an emphasis on practical training through experience, you will learn all the essentials of sailing quickly and more thoroughly than you thought possible. You will be at the helm on the morning of your first class, and in command of the boat through all of the fundamental maneuvers by the next afternoon. In addition to the practical training, you will enjoy several short classroom sessions sprinkled throughout the course.

What You'll Learn

During the Basic Sailing course, you'll enjoy learning:

• Nautical Terminology - The critical necessity of clear communications with your crew
• Sailing Theory - Why sails move a boat forward, even into the wind
• Water Safety - It's always more fun when everyone is and feels safe
• Knots - Learning the art of knots is a gratifying part of your training
• How to properly rig a sailboat - preparedness is the key to a successful sail
• Docking and undocking under power - To ensure the beginning and end of your sails are easy and fun
• Safe marina procedures - How to enter and depart any marina safely and confidently
• The four basic maneuvers of a sailboat - Tacking, gybing, heading up, and bearing away
• Points of sail - Names for angles of the boat to the wind when you are steering straight
• Sail trim - Sail trim is vital to your boat speed and control.  You’ll learn how to adjust your sails for the best advantage
• Man overboard recovery procedure - Learn to quickly recover a crew who has fallen overboard
• Reefing and heave-to - Learn how to reduce sail area to control the boat in heavy winds
• Right of way rules - What to do when near other vessels to ensure you avoid collisions
• Boat and boater regulations - Learn what is required by the Coast Guard and how to use it
• Tides and currents - Precisely forecast the speed and direction of currents throughout the Hudson and East Rivers and the Harbor, as well as determine how to compensate for them while sailing
• Aids to navigation - Sign posts of the sea. Learn how they help you stay in deep water
• Nautical Chart reading - Charts are like maps, only much more precise and detailed for the challenging nautical environment. Know how to use them to stay aware of your location

Successful Completion Prepares You To

• Skipper 18' - 27' boats in protected waters with light to moderate conditions
• Crew on similar sized yachts in open water and more challenging conditions, like New York Harbor Qualify for New York City Sailing School's Coastal Cruising course

Our Sailboats

Basic Sailing is taught aboard our beautiful and comfortable Hunter 216 sportboats departing from the 79th Street Boat Basin in Riverside Park located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. From the second we let off the lines you will be immersed in the sailing culture and have a blast as we blow past most other vessels in the water.

Schedule + Cost

Basic Sailing is offered every weekend throughout the summer. Program cost is $590 and is inclusive of all course materials, books and sailing equipment. Please Check below for availability:

Register for Basic Keelboat Sailing