Learn to Sail
If you want to learn to sail and you’re just starting out, this page is for you. People learn a skill like sailing in many ways. Maybe you just want to learn informally or maybe you want to learn in a way that provides proof of what you’ve learned in the form of a certification? There are several good, reputable, established sailing instructional programs and many great sailing schools and instructors out there. You could even just learn from friends or teach yourself by watching YouTube videos and crashing your own boat a few times. However no matter your learning style and goals for learning, the established method of learning how to sail always has exactly two components: Theoretical and Practical.
Theoretical
Established sailing instructional programs such as American Sailing (ASA), Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and NauticEd offer a systemic, structured and progressive program with assessments to test and validate your knowledge and skills. These programs also provide a certification that can be used to rent or charter a boat, which most sailing companies require before a sailing vacation without a hired Captain. Regardless of whether you want a “sailing certification,” if you really want to learn to sail, it’s still a good idea to follow a structured program, as these are all designed intentionally and laid out in a logical progression, emphasizing knowledge and skills in order. It doesn’t really matter which program you choose. American Sailing is big in the US and is widely known and respected around the world. RYA is big in Europe and also widely known and respected all around the world. NauticEd is relatively newer but they have a robust online learning system and are becoming more widely known. There are other programs, but to keep it simple these are the three that are most recommended.
To begin the theoretical component of your sail training, take your pick:
New Sailors Begin Here! (American Sailing)
New Sailors Begin Here! (RYA)
New Sailors Begin Here! (NauticEd)
In addition to following the structured theoretical course program for Basic/ Beginner Sailing from any of these programs, most localities have their own legal requirements for boater safety education. In the US, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) have created a program for boater safety education that is required and recognized by each of the 50 states. You should take a NASBLA approved boater safety education course online as well to be compliant with your state’s boat operator laws. There are numerous NASBLA approved courses, but the free one that is most recommended is BoatUS. The course takes a few hours to complete in one sitting, so get comfortable. While 20% of the course content is “state specific” if you complete the course for the state you’re in, it is recognized by all other states like a driver’s license.
Free Hawaii Mandatory Boating Safety Course (BoatUS)
Practical
As you progress through the theoretical component of your sailing instruction, you will also want to practice what you learned on an actual boat, with an instructor, ideally certified in the theory program you are following. This is where sailing schools come in. You could just meet an experienced sailor and have them show and practice what you learned but if you work with a certified sailing instructor, they will be trained and qualified to demonstrate, practice with you, assess the skills and validate the certification that goes along with the theory that you’re studying. Certified sailing instructors are bound by contract to only administer assessments and certify through an established sailing school affiliated with that particular training program. If you meet someone who says they’re a “certified sailing instructor,” you should ask what training program they teach for and what sailing school do they work for. While some sailing instructors may work as an independent free agent, they still must assess and certify through an established, affiliated sailing school.
Sailing schools are businesses and they have a financial model to follow which pays their expenses. Boats are not cheap and neither is the time and expertise of an experienced sailing instructor. However, you can significantly reduce the cost of practical sail training by taking a group class with between 2 – 4 other people. This is the ideal class size, so you can get enough practice while also learning from other students’ questions and mistakes. Sailing is a social activity and it’s always more fun and effective to learn with a small group.
One hot topic that is discussed amongst sailing instructors, is what is the necessary and required duration of the practical component of a sailing course? This area of consideration comes from the professional side of the maritime industry, where professional licenses always require a minimum number of days of “sea time” to earn a license. Some sail training programs require a minimum number of hours or days of instruction to earn a particular level of certification. There’s merit to this thinking, as the more experience you have the better. However, from a pedagogical (instructional) standpoint, everyone learns at their own pace and so for recreational training, it really only matters that you learn the theory and develop the skill, however long or short it takes. That said, if your training program says your practical course for whatever level you’re on should be a minimum of 48 hours, then don’t let your instructor short change you. Some training programs, like RYA have a bridge to professional licensing so the minimum course lengths specified by a program should always be followed.
Practical Action for Practical Training
So just go ahead and pick whatever sail training program looks best for you. That training program will have a resource page for local sailing schools in your area that employ sailing instructors certified for their program. Call and talk to them about scheduling a course and ask them about how they administer the training. Sailing may be a traditional activity, but the trend now is for modern advances in instructional methods that make the best use of your time. Or maybe you prefer to sit in a classroom and read a hard copy book with an instructor? With modern advances now we have the option to complete the theoretical portion of your training online, at your own pace in the comfort of your own home and then only have to pay for the time of an instructor and a boat when you’re ready to practice skills.
If you would like more information and are interested in practical sail training in Hawaii, please get in touch!