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American Sailing Names David Taylor Chief Executive Officer

A thirty-year business builder and ASA-certified sailor takes the helm of the world’s most respected...

Across Oceans

What five offshore races revealed about leadership, teamwork, resilience, and the realities of life at...

Swimming with Outboards

When a 25HP Yamaha slipped into 16 feet of Caribbean water, a simple sail day...

Earth Day Begins at Sea

Earth Day Begins at Sea: A Sailor’s Call to Stewardship explores how sailors can protect...

The Anatomy of a Boat

The parts of a boat will soon become second nature when you learn to sail.

Product Review: Nomadix Towel

Don’t judge me but I used this towel for three weeks without washing it. Sometimes you have to sacrifice in order to get a full idea of what a product can do. Before we get into the thick of it, let me explain that I have had a second Nomadix towel in a drybag, on my boat for more than

Featured Sailing School: Reef Runner Sailing

Learning to sail is a bucket list item for many people but learning to sail with your significant other is a twist on doing things to strengthen your relationship. This month’s featured school, Reef Runner Sailing does just that. A husband and wife team sharing their love of the ocean with potential cruisers. If you ever considered leaving your

2022 Sailing Adventures with American Sailing

Do You Need Sailing Vacation Inspiration This year, join American Sailing as we sail to destinations near and far. From the tropical waters of the British Virgin Islands to the culturally rich anchorages of Croatia we encourage you to go sailing with us. Join groups of American Sailing Members in New England and the Chesapeake Bay aboard Arabella or hop

Featured Instructor: Captain Jeremy E. Elwell

Captain Jeremy E. Elwell at Reef Runner Sailing School is This Month’s Featured Instructor A quick read into Captain Jeremy’s back ground and you might be motivated to leave your life, get on a boat and find a new wife. Sailing does that to you and this month’s featured instructor is an example of the sailing lifestyle taking you in

10 Phrases You Never Knew Came From Sailing

Sailing was the hinge of western civilization for hundreds of years, as result sailors’ slang & terminology are rooted in the English lexicon and still exists profoundly to this day.

Frederick Douglass: The Sailor You Should Know

In October of 2021, I sailed on the Chesapeake Bay on an American Sailing Charter. As with all of these charters, I am fortunate enough to meet many great people who love to sail. We anchored in Cambridge, Maryland, on this particular charter and went ashore. I am almost embarrassed to admit to this, but I never really understood the

Parts of a Sailboat – The Sails

It’s safe to say a sailboat is only as good as its sails when you consider that capturing the wind’s energy is the premise behind what sailors do to propel their boats in a forward direction. A good captain will trim those said sails to be as efficient as possible and the proper heading will help with overall performance, but

Product Review: California Cowboy

American Sailing has a new partner in its member benefits program and it may be one of the most useful products that casual sailors will utilize. If you are a racer and you do not need superfluous stuff on your boat, you may think I am wrong. If you are a racer and you love to celebrate your Wednesday night

Featured School: Marina Sailing Newport Beach

Marina Sailing is California’s largest sailing club. Since 1962, they have offered a welcoming environment for new sailors to learn and pursue their sailing passions. As a member, you have access to six beautiful locations maintaining a fleet of over seventy yachts. On top of that, there are thousands of members to share your passion with. The Newport Beach

Twelve Steps To Becoming A Sailor

While scrolling through Facebook I was introduced to the Women’s Sailing Association of Santa Monica Bay (WSA) sailing group. This post appeared and I had to share it with our American Sailing Readers. We all have dreams about sailing and the author of this piece, Yosh Han, outlines her twelve steps to living her life as a sailor. Even though

What to Expect When You Go Sailing With Friends

This Multi-Part Series will focus on what to expect when going out for a leisure sail with friends. This is different from what you might expect when taking your first sailing lesson or sailing with an instructor. Part #1 Getting To The Boat You arrive at the sailboat with excitement for your first day of sailing. You’ve listened to Jimmy

A Love Letter to Sailing

It is that time of the year when we feel like expressing our love for the special people and things in our lives. This year I am professing my love for sailing. This is my public love letter to sailing. Share your love letters to sailing and we will publish some of them on the American Sailing website and on

11 Tips For Bareboat Cruising

Night sailing is a bit of a different animal so we’ve cobbled together seven tips to keep in mind as you sail off into the wild black yonder.

Who Do You Sail With?

ASA school Spinnaker Sailing in San Francisco shared this photo of Romain and Lucio taking ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing as a father and son team. All you need is this photo to explain what sailing is all about. Meanwhile, take a look at some of these and hopefully, they will inspire you to share your love of sailing with

The Process of Buying Sails, and How to Protect Your Investment

Buying New Sails For Your Sailboat While there are plenty of types of sails out there ranging from golliwompers, fishermen, and in the old days, bloopers, for most of us, sails simply come in three different forms. Main sails Genoas and jibs Spinnakers, both symmetric and the new gennakers Let’s discuss these three sails, and the options that are available,

Danger Areas on a Boat

When you take ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing, your instructor will reinforce many safety lessons in the curriculum. You will become so well versed in safety terminology that your ability to sail safely and confidently will be rooted in the basic mechanics of being aware while on a sailboat and underway. However, there are a few things that you should

7 Spots To See With Cruise Abaco

If you are looking for the ideal beach getaway with a combination of sailing and sightseeing, Abaco might be what you are looking for. ASA school Cruise Abaco offers a unique “Captained by Day, Bareboat by Night” ® program which allows the Captain/Instructor to sail and instruct, stopping to snorkel a reef or visit a settlement and then each night