Gift Certificates are available
No previous sailing experience is required. We conduct our sailing lessons primarily in Toronto Outer Harbour, providing a convenient and sheltered environment for beginners.
Take the helm, learn the language of sailing, and gain practical skills while earning a Sail Canada certification
During this course, you will learn basic sailing terminology, commands, and safety procedures. Under the supervision of our instructor, Alexei, who has more than 10 years of teaching experience, you will gain hands-on experience operating a sailboat and performing the duties of an active crew member.
Training takes place aboard a Government of Canada-certified teaching vessel. By the end of the course, you will feel comfortable and confident as a sailboat crew member, able to participate in the safe operation of a keelboat in moderate conditions.
Students who complete the course requirements and pass the open-book written examination are eligible to receive Sail Canada Start Keelboat Sailing certification.
If you are new to sailing, we recommend completing this course before enrolling in the Basic Cruising Standard course.
Group size and duration
Groups of 2 to 4 people will complete this course. The Start Keelboat Sailing course is 15 hours of instruction, including 10 hours of coached sailing, 3 hours of sailing theory, and a 2-hour written exam review.
Materials and exams
We will use the Sail Canada textbook “Basic Cruising Skills” by Gillian West. Your time sailing will culminate in one practical sailing exam and one open-book written exam.
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- $625 per person
- I strongly encourage you to buy a copy of the Sail Canada textbook “Basic Cruising Skills” from the online store:
https://ontariosailing.ca/product/basic-cruising-skills-manual/
With this book, your learning process will be easier and more efficient. - Sail Canada certification, only if you pass all the tests and exam – $47 incl. HST.
- You can acquire a VHF Radio Operator’s license by completing an extra 6 hours of class and paying only $150 (full price is $198).
- Students in the Start Keelboat course can study together with students in the Basic Cruising course in mixed groups.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites.
Schedule
The Start Keelboat Sailing Course can be booked for a few blocks per day, so that a one-day session will be about 5 hours long.
Because the number of places is limited during the summer months, please register early.
To confirm your registration and reserve your time, please transfer 50% of the fee by eTransfer to alexeip1@yahoo.ca. The remaining part of the fee is due on the course start date.