Q: Can I bring my children?

A: Yes! Children are welcome as long as you register as a family. As a general rule, if you feel that they will not distact you from learning, they will not distract us from teaching. Depending on ages, we include children in several aspects of sailing and rigging the boat, so that you will learn to sail as a family. Children are usually excited to be part of the action! You would never hand the wheel of a motorhome over to a 10 year old, but they can take the helm of a cruising sailboat! Ever try bringing the kids out for a round of golf? We believe sailing is the perfect family sport, everyone can get involved.

Q: I have some sailing experience, do I need to take Intro To Sailing before ASA101 Basic Keelboat?

A: To recieve your ASA 101 certification, you must be able to proficiently handle a sailboat of about 20' in length on your own. That is quite a bit of proficiency to gain in a few days if you are new to the sport. If you have prior experience at the helm of a sailboat and a basic working knowledge of the sport, you may begin with ASA101. Although, we only certify students who can preform all the required sailing skills confidently by the end of the coures. Because we do not automatically pass students, we recomend that beginners start with Intro To Sailing. 

Q: Once I take a course, how do I gain sailing experience?

A: The Sailing Academy charters our school boats to students who have completed ASA101. We also have a sailing club for those who want to sail regularly yet are not ready to buy a boat.

Q: I've heard that The Sailing Academy is "cruising focused", what does that mean?

A: Sailing breaks down into two basic catagories, cruising and racing. Cruising simply means non-competitive sailing with family and friends. It could be simply cruising around the Chesapeake  bay or around the world. Cruising boats are build more for room and accomodations than for speed. Racing boats are build for speed and performance with fewer amenities in the cabin below.  Although we do race our boats to improve our sailing skills, we focus on teaching students who want to sail for relaxation with family and friends. There are whole sets of skills that cruisers need to know that simply do not apply while racing around the buoys (and visa-versa). The school founder has extensively cruised the Bahamas with his wife and children on his boat and brings that wonderful experience to The Sailing Academy.