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6 Sailing Bags You Need On Your Boat

I have to stop complaining about how many shoes my wife has because I probably have that many sailing bags. Yes, I have too many sailing bags and I am proud of that. You always need a good bag to carry your gear to and from your sailboat or to store much-needed equipment on your boat. I tend to like

ASA Board Member Michael Pandzik Dies at 77

ASA Founder and Chairman Lenny Shabes and President Cindy Shabes, with profound sadness and deep regret, want to inform all members of the American Sailing family and the American Sailing Association that a good and dear friend, Board Member, and shareholder of ASA, Retired Naval Captain Michael Pandzik has passed away at age 77 on 7 Nov 2022 in Kansas

The Sailing Terms You Didn’t Know That You Didn’t Know

Is sailing a foreign language to you? Sailors have a set of terms that help communicate instructions to crew and generally describe the operation of the vessel. However, some terms are not always as mainstream for the average sailor. These are a few of the terms that you may not be familiar with. In fact, you may never use these

Bite Sized Lessons : Aids To Navigation

In this bite sized lesson video we take a look at navigation aids. We explain the basic rules and talk about their colors, shapes and numbers.

Sailing in Los Angeles

When you think of Los Angeles you probably have images of Hollywood or Disneyland. You might think about Santa Monica Beach or Malibu but most likely you don’t automatically think about sailing. You should be thinking about Sailing in Los Angeles. Sailing within minutes of Downtown Los Angeles is easily attainable. Whether you decide on Sailing in Santa Monica Bay

Learning To Sail Is Just The Beginning

It’s Just the Beginning Do you remember the first time you were on a sailboat? What captured your interest – was it the wind in the sails, the sound of the water or the feeling of the tiller in your hand? What captured your imagination? The idea of daysails with your friends, visiting faraway shores or escaping your life and

Is Sailing Stressful?

What do you worry about when going sailing? Is sailing stressful or are you confident in all situations?

How to Plan a Daysail

So you’ve just added that ASA 101 seal to your logbook, and you’re excited to get underway for your first day sail. After all of your hard work, studying, and practicing, it’s finally your time to rally some sailing friends (your crew) and reap the rewards of the sailing lifestyle. This is a big moment in a sailor’s journey as

What is Seamanship?

How is seamanship defined? It is pretty much everything that happens on a vessel.

How To: Basic Anchoring and Anchoring Etiquette

Quite a long time ago…decades ago. I sailed over to Catalina Island from my marina near ASA headquarters. I was young. It was my first time embarking across the channel. My crew was a good friend and his cousin who was celebrating his 21st birthday. They drank beers the entire time. In simple terms, I was a solo sailor. I

5 Reasons to Sail to St. Barths

As if you need another reason to drop anchor in St. Barth we suggest these five reasons to sail your bareboat charter boat to this gem of an island that is the South of France in the heart of the Caribbean. Close your eyes and you’ll hear France all around you, lift a fork and you’ll taste the cuisine and

Places to See, Things To Do and the Beach Bars That Must Be Visited in the BVI

The British Virgin Islands are a famously popular spot for bareboat charters in the Caribbean. In fact, more ASA students choose the BVI as their destination of choice than any other charter destination. After you have obtained your ASA 104 certification and you want to head to the British Virgin Islands for a bareboat charter, how are you going to

Seven Destinations For Your Charter Sailing Vacation

So you are thinking about a bareboat charter vacation. Maybe you are thinking about a crewed charter sailing vacation. Either way, you probably are thinking about the British Virgin Islands as we find that an overwhelming majority of ASA graduates list the BVI as their charter destination of choice. However, let’s look past the BVI as a destination and focus

Plan Your Sailing Vacation With American Sailing Vacations

Each summer American Sailing Members and non-members set sail with groups of like-minded people in destinations around the globe. Our flotillas are consistently full of sailors looking to explore new destinations, and it’s not too late to plan your next adventure for this summer’s sailing season. Our luxury cruises aboard Arabella have been introducing sailors to New England for years,

Featured Instructor: Captain Rose Ann Points

As the owner of St. Augustine Sailing, Captain Rose Ann Points manages the company’s various member clubs, the local SailTime franchise, American Sailing Association School, and the new and used boat sales brokerage. Rose Ann founded a variety of team-building programs and sailing activities. She established Women on the Water (WOW) to enhance the lives of women through education, practical

Need a Sailing School?

Where do you sail? Where do you want to sail? American Sailing has sailing schools in locations around the world so you will always be able to find one near you. All you have to do is schedule a date and start working on your sailing education. Take a look at a few of our featured schools in locations near

Getting Ready for ASA 104

Captain Cam Seamus from Harbor Sailboats in San Diego California shared a few tips about the journey to taking ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising Made Easy and eventually going on your first Bareboat Charter Sailing Vacation. So, you’ve realized that it’s time to pursue your dream to bareboat charter – chartering boats without a licensed captain. Fortunately, the American Sailing Association

Understanding a Lee Shore

Captain Cam Seamus from Harbor Sailboats in San Diego California shares a few tips about handling and understanding a Lee Shore. Understanding a lee shore, the possible consequences, and how to avoid them is a necessity for anyone, anywhere, who is behind the helm of a boat. It’s an important and yet often overlooked concept. In fact, as I started compiling my