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Featured Sailing School: Blue Pacific Yachting

If learning to sail in Los Angeles is on your to-do list you can be sure that Blue Pacific Yachting can get you out on the water. Blue Pacific Yachting is located in Marina Del Rey, California and they offer a full slate of ASA courses. Sail Santa Monica Bay or join one of their destination charters. This Month’s Featured

Member Benefit Spotlight – Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO)

One of my long-lasting memories of bareboat chartering has become a ritual when in the perfect anchorage. My family enjoys catamaran sailing so we typically bareboat charter a catamaran in the 40 to 48-foot range with a trampoline at the bow. If you have the right hammock you attach it under the trampoline and you hover a few inches

Destination Learning: Where to Travel To Learn to Sail

If you have been on the fence about learning to sail because you feel like you don’t have the time, have you considered the thought of a vacation specifically for learning to sail? Yes, learn to sail while you are on vacation. American Sailing schools can be found in destinations around the world and quite a few are in those

Featured Sailing School: Erie Islands Sailing School

Erie Islands Sailing School was founded over ten years ago by Tim McKenna and purchased last year by former students Kent and Tricia Purvis. How cool is that to have former students continue to help teach others? The school has always been based on education, safety, and fun for our students. This Month’s Featured School is Erie Islands Sailing School Where

Where and How To Bareboat Charter

We dropped anchor in about 30 feet of water beside an island that had the ruins of an old prison. Some kids were climbing to the top of an outcrop and leaping into the clear water. I couldn’t see where they came from as we were the only boat in sight and the island is too small for any residences.

Featured School: Modern Sailing School

Sailing in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay is both picturesque and challenging. Modern Sailing School & Club has been teaching in the waters of the Bay for nearly 40 years. Since 1983, Modern Sailing School & Club has been introducing people to sailing from their headquarters in Sausalito, California. Even if you have never

Mid-Summer Sailor’s Buying Guide

With the summer sailing season in full swing, you have probably figured out that you need new gear. If you spend any time on the water you will see equipment and apparel that you need to have to enhance your sailing experience. That is where we come in to help you find a few more pieces to round out your

American Sailing Member Benefits

Oh lordy – the birds are chirpin’, the snow’s melted and that boat is ready to gallop around for another spring and summer (at least). Here’s a list of some presents to get yourself and your lovely to make it a more pleasant sailing season.

Catamaran Sailing – What’s the Difference?

Over the last 25 years, catamarans have seen a massive rise in popularity among charterers, cruisers, and even the casual daysailor. Curious about catamaran sailing? Here’s some basic information you need to know: What is a Catamaran? A traditional sailboat is a monohull–in other words, it has only one hull centered around a heavy keel. A catamaran is balanced on

Five Sailing Superstitions to Retire and One That Should Be Kept

Sailing superstitions go back to the dawn of modern civilization - we take a look at some of them and decide whether or not there is any truth to them!

How A Boat Sails Upwind

A sailor’s life revolves around the wind. Its direction and its strength govern where he can sail, with what degree of difficulty or comfort, and how quickly. Naturally, the language of sailing reflects how sailors orient themselves and everything around them with reference to the wind. Upwind and Downwind The sailor’s world is roughly divided into two hemispheres: upwind and

Safety Equipment Required on a Boat

The USCG requires certain safety equipment on a boat and it is imperative that you make sure that your vessel is properly outfitted with this equipment. These minimum standards require U.S Coast Guard “approved” or “certified” equipment. This equipment includes: Life Jackets All recreational vessels must carry one wearable life jacket for each person on board. Any boat 16 feet

ASA 101, New Sailor Resources

Congratulations, you have earned your ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing certification! It’s time to go sailing and build upon your sailing education. Remember, ASA has you covered with plenty of new sailor resources. You are now part of a large sailing community that is eager to welcome you. While the ASA website can answer most of your questions you should

Visiting Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket and Cuttyhunk on the ASA Grand Tour of New England

Writer, Editor and Sailor, Bob Curley, is a Rhode Island Expert who contributes to American Sailing on sailing New England and the Caribbean. The ASA Grand Tour of New England aboard the sailing yacht Arabella is highlighted by stops at three of the historic jewels of the Massachusetts coastal waters: Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Cuttyhunk Island. The first two are

Your First Sail

The American Sailing Association has put together a short, fun, online sailing course, Your First Sail, designed to familiarize you with the world of sailing. It goes over the basics like what to wear and what to expect.

Beyond Newport; Sailing and Sightseeing in Rhode Island

Writer, Editor and Sailor, Bob Curley, is a Rhode Island Expert who contributes to American Sailing on sailing New England and the Caribbean. Newport is a not just a fantastic home port for your at-sea adventure aboard the sailing yacht Arabella: it’s also perfectly positioned for exploring the rest of the Ocean State. Located on the southern tip of Aquidneck

Planning a Sailing Vacation: Differences between a Bareboat Charter, Captained Charter, and Flotilla

There comes a moment when you are sprawled out on a beautiful beach and you look out at the ocean and see a sailboat and you wish you had opted for some time on the water. That doesn’t happen to you? Ok, we’re actually talking to those of you who see the sailboat and want to go sailing. Why not