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How to Manage Trash Aboard

We at Sailors for the Sea get asked a lot about how to deal with trash, and what’s “ok” to throw overboard. And the simple answer is, in a perfect world… nothing. That banana peel, glass jar, or soda can take a lot longer to biodegrade in the marine environment than you might think.

Earth Day 2023: American Sailing Launches Sustainable Membership Cards

As part of American Sailing’s ongoing commitment to our environment through the Plastic Pollution Purge Initiative, beginning this Earth Day, we are no longer issuing plastic membership cards. We are releasing newly designed, sustainable, print-at-home membership cards to reduce our use of plastic and so that our members and instructors can still enjoy the benefits of carrying a physical card

Can Overboard! 🔉

Scenario: You crack open a cold one after a long day of sailing. Your buddy Jim finishes his first beer (rather quickly) and tosses the can overboard. When prodded about the environment, he confidently responds, “It’s just metal- it will break down naturally.” A debate starts, and you want it to stop so you can enjoy the sunset and your

Social Media and the World Ocean

Social Media and the World Ocean

7 Things Sailors Can Do to Make for a Healthier Environment

A sailor’s task is to keep watch over the oceans & waterways and it’s our duty to be responsible and not leave it in worse condition than when we found it.

Ecology Tips For Sailors

ASA is committed to helping its members, students and partners obtain knowledge about environmental issues.

The Science of the Ocean

The ocean is a vast space, and sailors inhabit just the surface. Below us, around us, and even above us, we are all affected by what goes on in the oceans. The ocean is where we sailors yearn to be. After all, if you had a choice, would you rather be at your desk or on a boat? While many

Join Us In Celebrating Coastal Cleanup Day

In the 1980s, a small group of volunteers in Texas rallied their community together to take a day to clean up their coastal area. They organized a team and trekked a couple miles of beach to remove a few bags of trash from the shoreline. Thirty years later, over 100 countries will be participating in an effort now known as

The Charter Quiz

Do you have the urge to put your sailing education to use on a bareboat charter? Are you considering a crewed charter? Test your knowledge with this quick and fun charter quiz to give you some of ideas during the planning process of your sailing vacation.

The Ocean Quiz

Do we really know how much plastic is on our ocean? We love to sail but do we know enough about what is beneath the surface of the water that we enjoy? Take this quick quiz on what lies beneath the surface as well as what gets into the ocean.

World Ocean Day

World Oceans Day is held every June 8 to spotlight, celebrate and work to raise awareness about the health of our world ocean. When seen from space, the earth looks like a giant blue marble. It is said that earth day was created because that picture from space of the tiny sphere known as earth made it obvious that the

Meet the SeaKeepers

The American Sailing Association has an exciting new partnership with the International SeaKeepers Society to promote ocean research and conservation. The International SeaKeepers Society promotes oceanographic research, conservation, and education through direct involvement with the yachting community. Who Are The International SeaKeepers Society? Our small but distinguished membership includes entrepreneurs, yachtsmen, corporations, divers, scientists, and concerned citizens building a global

This Earth Day, Treat the Planet Like It’s Your Boat

I first learned about the art of sailing when I was nineteen years old. I had signed up for a semester abroad with a program that teaches students marine biology and oceanography courses, as well as sailing and coastal navigation skills. After a year of scraping together money and filling out forms, I spent my sophomore winter on an 88’

Sailors and the Environment

Every time we hoist a sail we utilize a natural resource that needs attention. The water we sail on needs an advocate and that person is you. The American Sailing Association is committed to addressing the issue of plastic pollution and environmental stewardship. Oceans and lakes are our playgrounds and we have an inherent responsibility to protect them. Sailors Can

How Teen Sailors Can Make a Difference

Your teenager can engage with the enviroment while learning to SCUBA dive and sail in the British Virgin Islands with SeaTrek BVI

Plastic Items You Can Stop Bringing Onboard Today

Maybe our last article about plastic in the ocean scared you a bit, but now that you know what’s going on, it’s time to get motivated. The good news is that little changes in our day-to-day lives can have a big collective impact on reducing the plastic flowing into the ocean, and you’d be surprised how easy it is to

Your Boat’s Spring Cleaning

The wait is almost over…it’s just about time to pull off those winter boat covers and set sail into the warmer season! Whether you’re just getting started in the ASA 101 course or you regularly cruise in your own vessel, learning to properly care for a sailboat is an important and necessary skill to have.

Our Plastic Problem: A Remarkably Brief Overview

I don’t need to waste a sailor’s time by telling you there’s plastic in the ocean. If you’re out on the water, you’ve seen it by now. Some places are cleaner than others, and in some parts of the world it has reached an extreme that is truly surreal: As we’ve mentioned before, this is not an “ocean problem.” This