Intro to Keelboat Sailing

Check Today in the Union on the day of the lesson. The time shown in TITU may be earlier than shown above but the lesson will start at the time shown above.

The Intro to Keelboat Sailing lesson is intended to provide a beginner-friendly path to our heavy and light keelboats. This intensive lesson will cover the basics of sailing on a keelboat at hoofers and will allow you to begin taking lessons on our keelboat fleets. This course covers sailing terminology and theory, practical sailing knowledge including knots and safety, and an introduction to the keelboat’s ratings and lesson structure.

All of the material covered in this class can be done on land; this class is not contingent on weather.  This lesson replaces 12 hours on 3-4 days of instruction in previous years because of changes in the lesson flowchart. There is an almost overwhelming amount of information.

Please download the  Preparatory Instructions from the Instructor (homework)  upon signing up. That has several hours of prepartory work. Please confirm to the instructor that you’ve received them as soon as possible by email.  If you do not, you may be removed from the lesson.

Please note: it will take quite a while to earn a rating with which you could check out a keelboat yourself if you come through this track.  It is advised for members who wish to get out sailing sooner to start on Techs or Zests or take both routes concurrently.  This will allow you to practice sailing on your own and refine your skills before jumping up to a larger keelboat.  It will smooth the learning curve and allow you more time to sail on your own and take your friends out on a Tech, a Zest or a Sloop and will not increase the total time to earn a keelboat rating. 

You will learn information and skills in keelboat lessons that will be valuable in sailing any craft. Spending time on the water will speed up getteng any rating on any boat.