Learn to Sail at Offshore Sailing School
Inspiring & Fun Learning Vacations
From the city skylines of the Hudson River and Tampa Bay to the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the wide open expanse of the Chesapeake Bay and the tropical trade winds of the Sir Francis Drake Channel, Offshore Sailing School offers the chance to learn to sail on some of the most scenic, challenging and welcoming waterways in the world.
When you choose a learn to sail vacation with Offshore Sailing School, the destination is an integral part of the course. Participants often come back year after year to brush up on techniques, learn new skills and explore the surrounding area.
Learn to Sail Locations:
What Will I Learn?
The number one sailing school in the world, Offshore Sailing School offers the widest selection of three and five day sailing courses designed for beginner, intermediate and advanced sailors in real world sailing conditions.
"I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed my sailing instruction and lessons last week on Captiva Island. Mark was terrific - a very thorough instructor who also has a great deal of patience and a good sense of humor to boot. I learned a great deal and even impresed my husband, Archie, who has been sailing for over 60 years."
Judy Cox – New York, NY
All Learn to Sail courses start each day with a classroom instruction session, followed by exciting on-the-water training. If you choose the fast-paced three-day course schedule, you get six hours of on-water training each day. The five-day course schedule provides half-days of classroom and on-water training, allowing you to enjoy other activities while you learn.
On the last day of the course, you and your classmates will put all that you've learned to the test as you work as a team to chart a course and sail on your own, without the instructor aboard for the first time.
"Offshore Sailing School provided a great learning experience that not only taught me how to sail, but showed me how enjoyable it really is. The instructors were knowledgeable and well-presented but most important, they were enthusiastic. You could tell they loved sailing, and you couldn’t help but get into it.”
Joseph Bonanni – Endicott, NY
Basic Sailing Skills and Extensive Knowledge:
The Learn to Sail course takes you through the intermediate level, covering more than you can imagine, for the most complete Learn to Sail experience there is – which sets us apart from other Sailing Schools.
- Nautical terminology
- Rigging and sails
- Getting underway
- Proper winch techniques
- Finding wind direction
- Points of sailing
- Tacking and jibing
- Interaction of wind and sail
- Maneuvering in close quarters
- Wind pressure and lift
- Heeling and stability
- Apparent wind
- Wind shifts
- Sailing wing and wing
- Stopping and starting under sail
- Spinnaker techniques
- Crew overboard pick-up
- Sailing backwards
- Rudderless sailing
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- Sail trim and sail shape
- Boat balance
- Hull speed
- Mooring and anchoring
- Docking under sail
- Most used knots
- Right-of-way rules
- Grounding remedies
- Heavy weather techniques
- Steering with a compass
- Sailing in current
- Weather and lee helm
- Introduction to navigation
- Reefing (shortening) sails
Prerequisite: No experience or basic sailing skills necessary
Certification: COLGATE Day Sailing or
US SAILING Basic Keelboat
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The levels of instruction and sailing practice provided in Offshore Sailing School courses allow family members and friends of different ability levels to take different courses best suited to their goals within the same time frame. This unique format also allows those that want to enjoy a learn to sail vacation to spend off-water time with those that don’t want to take a sailing course. There is plenty of time to pursue other activities when not on the water.
Advantages of an Offshore Sailing School Course:
- Real sailing education
- Top notch instructors – ranked #1
- Sailing certification
- The best sailboats and equipment
- The best sailing textbooks 125,000 graduates
- Small class size
Skill, confidence and knowledge are the biggest rewards you’ll receive from successfully completing a sailing course with Offshore Sailing School. Upon completion of your sailing course, you’ll receive Colgate Day Sailing Certification , which gives you the personal validation of a job well done. You may also purchase U.S. Sailing Certification. With this option, you’ll also receive the U.S. Sailing “Basic Keelboat” textbook, which is loaded with lots of valuable information.
Learn to Sail on Safe, Fast and Comfortable Sailboats:
Learn to Sail courses are taught aboard the award-winning Colgate 26 sailboat. Designed by Steve Colgate, the Colgate 26 is a versatile, durable, safe and exciting training vessel used exclusively by Offshore Sailing School for all of their Learn to Sail and Performance Sailing courses. Its outstanding performance, excellent safety features and low-maintenance design make it the boat of choice for teachers, racers and leisure sailors.
The Best Sailing Textbooks:
Offshore Sailing School uses only the best textbooks as companions to its classroom and on-water instruction. Written by the founder and owners of Offshore Sailing School, Steve and Doris Colgate, “Fast Track to Sailing" will be sent to you before you arrive at your sailing session. This informative manual was written for the new sailor as well as those that want to brush up on techniques in order to move on to more advanced courses. Rather than just telling you what to do, it tells you why you're doing it.
Your Next Steps as a Sailor:
Once you've mastered the basics of sailing, you may want to learn new skills and improve your sailing knowledge with advanced courses. Offshore Sailing School features the best selection of advanced sailing, racing and navigation courses on the market. You can even combine your learning experience with a week-long cruising course in the Fast Track to Cruising program.
Additional Offshore Sailing Courses:
Get Started Now!
An Offshore Sailing School vacation or Getaway is for anybody that loves the outdoors, enjoys being on the water and wants to learn to sail in a relaxed, scenic atmosphere. You’ll sail away with not just a love of the water but a lifestyle that lasts a lifetime.
Interested in the peaceful and quiet sound of wind and water with incredible skyline views of New York City? Learn more about a New York and New Jersey Mini-Getaway !
Interested in a truly inspired learning vacation? Learn more about a Sailing Vacation !
Our guarantee: After you complete a course at the Colgate Offshore Sailing School, if the instruction you received was not up to your expectations, let us know right away and we will arrange to give you the same course over again, tuition free.
Call us now at 888-454-7015 or
Request a Quote to find out how easy it is to learn to sail.
Our Friendly Sailing Instructors are standing by to answer all your questions!
Learn a life-long skill, and embark on a new lifestyle...