The basics of sailing remain unchanged over thousands of years, but operating modern sailboats takes more than a passing knowledge. If you are ready to sail and you’re looking for a school, be sure the instructors are certified by a group like ASA or U.S. Sailing. Following are schools offering certified instructors and courses for beginners.

Annapolis Sailing School
7001 Bembe Beach Road
Annapolis, Md., 21403
800-638-9192

Located east of Washington, D.C., Annapolis is known as America’s “sailing capital,” so it’s fitting that the home of the U.S. Naval Academy has one of the country’s best schools. The Annapolis Sailing School’s teaching philosophy is “everyone learns to be a skipper.”

Blue Pacific Boating/Sea Mist Skippers
14000 Palawan Way, Suite C
Marina del Ray, Calif., 90292
800-398-8830

Los Angelenos who want to sail should visit Blue Pacific, owners of the biggest privately owned fleet in the area. Classes run from one to eight days, and you can learn how to sail on even the largest yachts.

Boston Sailing Center
54 Lewis Wharf
Boston, Mass.
617-227-4198

The coolest thing about the Center’s beginner’s course? Getting the chance to sail around historic Boston Harbor. Bring a tea bag and make plans for a return trip with family or friends; students get a free trial membership to the Center, allowing you to go out on a boat again.

Colgate’s Offshore Sailing Schools
23rd St. Pier 59, Suite 5911, Chelsea Piers
New York City, N.Y.

80 Audrey Zapp Dr.
Jersey City, N.J.

16731 McGregor Blvd.
Ft. Myers, Fla.

800-221-4326 (all locations)

With locations on the east coast and Florida, Colgate schools have graduated more than 100,000 students since 1964. Colgate makes the world’s best sailboats, and students will learn on one. “The New Yorker” awarded them “Best Sailing Lessons” in their “Best Of” issue.

JWorld Sailing
The Performance Sailing School
2330 Shelter Island Dr. No. 106
San Diego, Calif., 92106
800-666-1050

Voted the best sailing school in the country by “Practical Sailor” magazine, JWorld can not only introduce you to the sport but also advance your training to professional racing levels. More than 20,000 people have taken JWorld classes.

Windworks Sailing Center
Shilshore Bay Marina
7001 Seaview Ave. NW, Suite110
Seattle, Wash., 98117
(206) 784-9386

Besides Starbucks and Microsoft, water is a main ingredient to life in Seattle. Windworks’ “Introduction to Sailing” pairs you with a certified instructor for a three-hour lesson on the basics. Afterward, you can sign up for more advanced lessons and even rent or buy a boat at the same location.

Before you sign up for any class, look for one that awards certification. Even a beginner class can certify you in some areas. Be sure it is part of a program that can get you fully certified as a sailing expert.

Submitted By: Victor Medina