"Great program...  far exceeded expectations!  I'll be back."  (And she was!)
-Gale Wenberg, Manhattan.

Prerequisites: none.
Certifications achieved:

-ASA or US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification.   You can get both if you like, and  we're the only Tri-State school that can offer you this.
 

and...

(Start Sailing exceeds their standards.)

-Safe Boating Exam Certification.  This is a nationally recognized curriculum from the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, NASBLA.  Meets Safe Boating legal requirements for any state in the country.

Both the Keelboat and Safe Boating Certification are included in our tuition.

Curriculum: enough to require a separate page!

It’s safe, inexpensive and in the right hands, surprisingly easy, too.  Our sailing school program combines decades of experience with fresh enthusiasm.  Ideal for adults of all ages, whether complete beginner or with little experience or formal training, Start Sailing^sm navigates you through all the theory, terminology and maneuvers - putting you on a course toward a lifetime of pleasure in this wonderfully diverse sport.

Sailing is a healthy, accessible pastime that you’ll never outgrow!  It can be as exciting or relaxing as you like.  Maybe you see yourself cruising into a sunset after work, listening to your stress drain away with the sloop’s bubbling wake.  If you “work hard and play hard,” one-design racing is probably the game for you.

Whichever you prefer, Start Sailing^sm gets you started and gets you off to the best start, too.  Location, instructors, boats and methods- we max out the industry gauges of excellence, yet our all-inclusive price is in line at $645.

Start Sailing^sm is backed up with the experience and perspective of 38 years in the sailing school industry, giving you a great foundation on which to start building your own experiences!

Start Sailing^sm is 32 hours long, with 26 spent on the water - and plenty of time at the tiller, too, with small groups of just 3 students per instructor (most sailing schools assign 4).  And unlike too many other schools, we never use an instructor who isn't certified by either ASA or US Sailing.  (more on: Instructors / ASA & US Sailing)

Learning is by doing: instructors only demonstrate, coach and encourage.  In fact, you’ll get to try singlehanding, where others keep clear as you handle all the basic tasks.

And because you’re not sailing in New York Harbor or the Rivers, you won’t be intimidated by commercial shipping or adverse winds and currents.  You’ll be sailing on the quiet side of City Island, which has the longest tradition of sailing schools in the region - and for good reason: nothing compares as a learning environment. 

We don't just "throw you to the wind:" we review the chart and waters with you, talk about the day's weather, suggest an itinerary of where to go and what to work on, and supply a radio so we're always connected.  Whenever necessary, we coach you by radio or come out by chase boat.  And of course, if you need a little extra help, we get on board with you.

Very few schools offer this valuable tool; some scoff at it.  It's even been suggested that the few schools using this method are just misleading you about their actual course hours.*  But there's nothing misleading, and there's nothing like it for that final boost in confidence, and to start you off in making decisions on your own.

After your Practice Sails, you'll truly be ready to keep sailing with rentals and advanced courses.

*Our Practice Sails supplement the 24-hour regular course with an instructor, of which 18 are spent on the water and 6 in the classroom.  This brings your total time-on-the-water to 26 hours, and your total course time is 32 hours.  That comes out to only $36/hour for time on the water with an instructor, and only $20/hour for the entire course!  Do the math - most other schools get between $40 and $60 per hour on-water w/instructor.  And, you share those hours with an extra student!  The best sailing education is also the best value in the industry.

What's wrong with this picture? See if you can figure out the error, and tell us!   Get it right, and we'll give you a $25 gift certificate good for anything we offer!  (Or, to Start your Sailing education, just ask us.) Hint: don't over-analyze the photo, or make assumptions about what was happening when it was taken. Look for something that's basically backwards!

These students are from Memorial Day Weekend '06.  They are tacking the boat, or turning through the eye of the wind and crossing the sails over. Sailboats can't go straight into the wind: they have to zig-zag in the general direction the wind is coming from.  Each 'zig' or 'zag' involves a tack.   Steve Card, photo.