Learn to Sail
Inspiring, refreshing, rewarding and fun!
Offshore Sailing School opens a whole new world of lifetime opportunities with our Learn to Sail getaways. The sailing adventure that we offer you is neither gender nor age-specific. If you want to learn sailing, love the outdoors and being on the water, Learn to Sail vacations give you a whole new perspective on life. You'll be day sailing in no time.
The best sailing education you'll find
If you never sailed before, have just enough experience to know you need more training, or feel "rusty" and seek a refresher — Learn to Sail is for you. Our Learn to Sail course is a terrific way to learn sailing. this is where your new lifestyle begins. When you learn with Offshore Sailing School you get the very best sailing education there is.
“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
Award-winning sailboats
You’ll sail the dynamic COLGATE 26, America's #1 training sailboat. This carefully thought-out, award-winning sport boat has a huge comfortable cockpit, many go-fast adjustments, safety features and easy handling characteristics. During your sailing adventure, no more than three other classmates and your instructor are aboard, ensuring maximum individual instruction and a job for everyone at all times. You may also opt for a Private Course for Two or a Private Family Course for up to five.
In the Learn to Sail course you'll learn more than you thought possible and gain skills and confidence to take command of any sailboat up to 30’ and take it day sailing. The sailing instruction course content and quality is the same at all locations with patient, caring instructors who take you through the intermediate level. Here you’ll find classmates with remarkably similar interests to yours and enjoy lasting friendships. There is no better way to learn sailing!
“A fantastic use of three days. Great instruction and terrific group of people learning to sail.
I plan to come back for another Offshore Sailing School course soon.”
Peter Culley – New York, NY
Seven locations and easy schedules
The Learn to Sail - sailing adventure - course is available at all Offshore Sailing School campuses in three action-packed days or at a more leisurely pace over five days, depending on the location you choose. The three-day schedule gives you 1-1/2 hours of classroom each day, followed by six hours of on-water instruction with a break for lunch ashore. In the five-day resort schedule you'll attend daily classroom sessions followed by half-days of on-water instruction, leaving plenty of time to pursue other activities outside of your learn sailing pursuits.
“I left Florida with the feeling I now know how to sail a boat. I returned to the frigid snow covered land of a wintry Canada
and two weeks later, I still have vivid and pleasant memories of say sailing and riding the waves. Well done, you have under-promised and over-performed, and therefore exceeded expectations. A rare feat indeed.”
John dePass – Hamilton, ON
On your last day, you and your classmates chart a course and sail on your own, without your instructor aboard. No other sailing school gives you this bonus practice on a $40,000+ boat at the learn to sail level. It's the ultimate test of Offshore's ability to deliver what you came for and then some – proof positive of confidence in sailing skills achieved and fun times ahead under sail.
Three and five-day schedules available
You can Learn to Sail in the New York metro area on convenient three-day weekday or weekend getaways, April through October, living at home or in a nearby hotel. Tuitions start at $795 (weekdays) and include everything below except accommodations.
Three-day and five day sailing adventure schedules are offered year-round at three southwest Florida destinations, three day schedules are available at our Chesapeake Bay campus April through mid-November, and five-day schedules are available in the British Virgin Islands throughout the year — all providiing rewarding learning vacations at the highest level.
The very best textbooks you'll find
Your textbook sent in advance to study for the Learn to Sail course is Fast Track to Sailing, written by Steve and Doris Colgate, published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill in 2008, is available in e-book format too. Fast Track to Sailing is a 120-page, full color stand-alone book written for the new sailor with big dreams and little time. It gives you all the techniques and knowledge you need for day sailing, alone or with crew. You’ll learn not just how to do things aboard, but why you are doing them.
Certification that means a lot
With your Sailing Course, you earn Colgate Day Sailing Certification at no extra charge. You may purchase US SAILING Certification. If you choose this option, you will also receive the 91-page US SAILING Basic Keelboat textbook and take the US SAILING Basic Certification test during the course. Note US SAILING chose our Colgate 26 sailboat for the cover of this book — proof positive that is a great boat for training new sailors.
Next steps
Learn to Sail is the first step in our most popular program - Fast Track to Cruising® - an exciting seven-day getaway that takes you right up to big boat sailing speed. If your goal is to go beyond day sailing and go cruising someday, consider combining your Learn to Sail experience with one of our cruising courses in our exclusive week-long Fast Track to Cruising program.
“I have owned my 32’ boat for three years but have never felt comfortable and confident. Your course has made me comfortable in handling my boat and confident in my knowledge. An added bonus was the unexpected awesome experience of sailing the Hudson River off Manhattan. The contrast between the serenity of sailing and the excitement of the city was mind blowing.”
John Cerqueira – Cary, NC
Visit What you learn in our courses to see everything covered in the Learn to Sail course.
or call 888-454-7015 today.
Locations for Learn to Sail
Just want an introduction to learning to sail?
Try a Two-day Learn to Sail Getaway or just take a two-hour sailing lesson. We guarantee you'll be coming back for more!