San Francisco Bay's famous wind, strong currents, and heavy shipping traffic offers sailors one of the most challenging and exciting sailing venues in the world. With the Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz in the background, learning to sail in ASA 101 will give you the experience and skills you need to enjoy sailing in a variety of conditions - with confidence. This American Sailing Association course provides the skills you'll need to enjoy active participation as crew in the operation of a sailboat. Learn sailing terminology and its applications, essential knots, points of sail, navigation rules, docking basics, and more. Our Berkeley location offers this course on a 24-foot tiller-steered keelboat called a “J/24.”
Your four days of hands-on training will be under the guidance of an experienced instructor who is US Coast Guard licensed and ASA certified. This course consists of some lecture and mostly hands-on training while sailing a J/24. This boat model is strong and sporty, and is in fact the most popular and prevalent one-design keelboat with a rich racing pedigree. The boat provides instant feedback to the helmsperson through its tiller steering (vs. wheel) and its low profile in the water. (In choppier waters, you may get wet!) The boat is fairly “manual” which means it's a process to rig it for the day's sailing, but also means you have many sail shaping and sizing options before departure or while underway. Class size is limited to three students.
Your official ASA logbook and Sailing Made Easy textbook are included with your purchase of this course and will be mailed to you. If you wish to pick up your books in person or if you sign up less than a week from the first day of your course, please contact our office. Optionally, you may purchase the Sailing Made Easy e-book directly from the ASA. Advance study of your textbook will enhance your success in this course.
Upon successful completion of ASA 101, you will be prepared for ASA 103, Sportboat Basic Coastal Cruising and well on your way to becoming a skipper on San Francisco Bay and beyond.
There are three ways to sign up for this course - by phone (510) 831-1800, email, or by clicking the link below.
