Do your courses offer ASA certification?
Yes. At the end of each course, you can challenge the appropriate American Sailing Association standard.  If you pass, you will receive an ASA certification seal for your log book. If you do not pass on the first try, you can challenge the standard again for no additional charge.

I already have some sailing experience, what course should I take?
If you have sailed before but never had any formal education, you should probably enroll in Basic Sailing. Even though you may already know some of the information, this course will fill any gaps in your knowledge and provide you with ASA certification. We also offer Private Lessons.

What happens if it rains?
Bad weather is not as big of a problem as people think.  We monitor the weather very closely.  There are so many times when forecasters predict doom and gloom and when we wake up on Saturday morning to find beautiful sunshine.  When forecasters call for rain, it might only be a short passing sprinkle.  Sailing is a water sport and it's natural to get a little wet (hopefully from spray).  A shower or two is no cause for alarm.  The bigger problem is wind.  Sometimes, inclement weather brings too much wind.  We have an upper wind limit of 25 knots for sailing in the harbor.  Each season, we lose on average of 1 weekend to a storm (like a tropical storm or hurricane) and one weekend to high winds (normally in the spring).  If we decide in advance to reschedule a day of sailing, we will try to call you on Friday.  But usually, we wait until Saturday morning to make a final decision.  Even if it starts out with some rain, education can still move forward until the sun comes out with some theoretical work.

What type of clothing will I need?
Most people have all the necessary clothing in their wardrobe. A windbreaker, sweatshirt, t-shirt, jeans and shorts will get you started. You should also have some type of boat shoe or a sneaker with light-soles which will not mark up the boat. More detailed information on clothing as well as other recommendations are included in the course manual you receive after sending in your registration.  When signing up for class at our school, you can also buy some cool sailing gear.

Do you rent boats to graduates?
We do not rent boats.  The main focus of our school is education. But we do offer you many ways to keep sailing after your course is over (see below).

How can I keep sailing after my course?
You have many options after completing Basic Sailing.  You can sign up to sail on Dennis Conner's Formula 1s or the 12 Meter.  You can accelerate your learning curve by starting to dinghy sail.  Our next course after Basic Sailing is Basic Coastal Cruising.  During the winter, you can sign up for Coastal Navigation here in the city and our Sailing Vacation down in the sunny and warm Caribbean.  But the best value available to you after Basic Sailing is membership in the Manhattan Sailing Club. The club owns a fleet of 30 boats and by joining the club, you can begin sailing on this fleet and participating in the many club programs from Fleet Captain to racing.

Is there an age limit?
Students should be at least 18 years of age for Basic Sailing group lessons unless accompanied by an adult.  We also offer teen and junior programs.