Learn to Sail in No Time with These 5 Surprisingly Simple Steps

If you want to learn to sail, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we lay out 5 steps that will help you go from no sailing experience to having learned the basics of sailing in no time.

The most straightforward way to learn to sail would be to complete an ASA 101: Basics of Keelboat Sailign course at an ASA certified sailing school. While not legally required for sailing in the US, completing the ASA 101 course successfully will ensure you’ve learned the basics of sailing and will give you the confidence to sail effectively and enjoy your time on the water.

Learn to Sail Step #1: Find a Sailing School Near You

Assuming you don’t have family or friends that can teach you, the first step in learning to sail would be to locate a sailing school near you.

If you’ve decided that completing an ASA 101 course is the best way to learn to sail (we think so), you can find an ASA (American Sailing Association) certified school that is closest to your location by using the ASA school locator tool on their website.

Learn to Sail Step #2: Schedule Your ASA 101 Course

Once you have found a certified ASA sailing school, schedule your first sailing lesson with the school. Some schools might offer non-certificate sailing lessons, but if your goal is to become ASA certified, you will definitely want to schedule an ASA 101 course. This will teach you the basics of sailing and will provide certification of your sailing knowledge. Related: What is the ASA 101 Certification?

Since ASA 101 is the most popular sailing course among new sailors in the US, you will often find that classes are full at many schools until a few weeks into the future. The sooner you schedule your course, the sooner you will find an available time and start sailing on the water.

Learn to Sail Step #3: Study the Material

Perhaps unsurprisingly, you will want to read the study materials that are required to the course before showing up for the first class. The companion book for ASA 101 is Sailing Made Easy. Reading it beforehand will give you ample time to follow along with the activities that take place during the ASA 101 course, and will give you a better grasp of the material as the course is being taught.

Additionally, you might find some supplemental material helpful. Related: Parts of a Sailboat. Keep in mind that the multiple choice test at the end of the course will cover the material in the Sailing Made Easy book, so the majority of your study time should be focused on the concepts presented in the book.

Learn to Sail Step #4: Complete the ASA Course

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the course material, you will have the chance to practice your skills on the water during your course. If you’re not comfortable on the water yet, don’t worry. Your instructor will help you familiarize yourself with the parts of the boat, how to control it, safety procedures, and right-of-way procedures for other boats on the water, among other things.

Upon successful completion of the course, you should be feeling confident enough in your sailing skills to skipper a small keelboat during day sailing in low to moderate winds.

Learn to Sail Step #5: ASA 103, ASA 104, & Continuous Learning

To learn how to sail on bigger boats and longer voyages, including multi-day sailing trips, the logical next step would be to complete the ASA 103: Basic Coastal Cruising and ASA 104: Bareboat Cruising courses.

As you continue sailing, you will undoubtedly pick up more knowledge as you go. Many experienced sailors will tell you that learning to sail is a continuous endeavor, and that the learning never really stops.