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Basic Keelboat: Performance Sailing
Yachting · 12 hours

Basic Keelboat: Performance Sailing

US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification

About This Course

A US Sailing-aligned basic keelboat course covering sail theory and how a boat sails, points of sail and sail trim, tacking and gybing techniques, safety equipment and man-overboard recovery, and docking and anchoring. Designed for the keelboat sailor seeking performance sailing skills. Interactive lessons, guided reading, and gamified knowledge-check quizzes throughout.

What You'll Learn

How a Sail Works: Lift and Drive
The Keel & Righting Moment
Sailing Upwind and Downwind
The Six Points of Sail
Sail Trim for Each Point
Steering for Speed and Balance
Tacking: The Coordinated Turn
Gybing: The Controlled Turn Downwind
Coordinated Crew Work
Safety Equipment: Required & Recommended
Man Overboard Recovery
Preparing for Heavy Weather
Anchoring: Choosing a Spot & Setting the Anchor
Picking Up a Mooring
Docking Under Sail & Power

Course Curriculum

5 modules · 15 lessons · 12 hours

1

Sail Theory & How a Keelboat Sails

How sails generate lift, the forces on a keelboat, the keel and righting moment, and the physics of sailing upwind and downwind.

How a Sail Works: Lift and DriveThe Keel & Righting MomentSailing Upwind and Downwind
2

Points of Sail & Sail Trim

The six points of sail, how to trim the sails for each, reading telltales, and steering for speed and balance.

The Six Points of SailSail Trim for Each PointSteering for Speed and Balance
3

Tacking & Gybing Techniques

The mechanics of tacking and gybing, coordinated crew work, controlled gybes, and avoiding the accidental gybe.

Tacking: The Coordinated TurnGybing: The Controlled Turn DownwindCoordinated Crew Work
4

Safety Equipment & Man Overboard

Required and recommended safety equipment, the man-overboard recovery, and preparing for heavy weather on a keelboat.

Safety Equipment: Required & RecommendedMan Overboard RecoveryPreparing for Heavy Weather
5

Docking & Anchoring

Choosing an anchorage and setting the anchor, picking up a mooring, and docking under sail and power.

Anchoring: Choosing a Spot & Setting the AnchorPicking Up a MooringDocking Under Sail & Power
$195.00USD
12 hours
5 modules · 15 lessons
Certificate of completion
Passing score: 70%