The US Sailing Basic Keelboat course is the gateway to programs in the US Sailing adult education umbrella. The course is a perfect entry into sailing and requires no US Sailing prerequisites – only your enthusiasm!*
“The Basic Keelboat graduate will have successfully demonstrated the ability to responsibly skipper and crew a simple daysailing keelboat in familiar waters in light to moderate wind and sea conditions.”
The course includes:
- Proper boat preparation
- Leaving the dock, mooring, and returning safely
- Boat control in confined spaces
- Aids to Navigation and how to use them
- Proper sail adjustment and points of sail
- Safety and emergency procedures
- Sailing theory and mechanics
- Crew operations and skills
- Heavy weather sailing
- …and more!
Boats used for this course vary from school to school but are generally 18-to-27-foot keelboats (meaning they can’t tip over!) with tiller steering (not a wheel). Participants will often complete the course with other students aboard. Most schools provide safety equipment like life jackets and radios – please check with your local provider.
All schools and instructors teaching the US Sailing Basic Keelboat courses are vetted and certified by US Sailing. Schools across the country teach a consistent and standardized program – meaning wherever you take the course, what you learn is guaranteed to be the same.
At the end of the course participants are tested on what they have learned, and if they pass, are granted a Basic Keelboat certificate qualifying them to take higher-level courses in the US Sailing system, like Basic Cruising or Performance sailing. A Basic Keelboat textbook is included to help you study!
Now’s the time to start your sailing journey! Learn more about the Basic Keelboat course and find a school near you here: https://www.ussailing.org/education/adult/certification-courses-endorsements/basic-keelboat/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhtvvzd-kiQMVNERHAR3PYhFWEAAYASAAEgJGcfD_BwE
*some schools require prerequisites as part of their program. Please contact your local school to learn their requirements.