Fundamentals of Sailing (ASA 101) is a 22-hour, comprehensive, sailing course focusing on the basic skills necessary to safely sail a small keelboat in moderate conditions in Baltimore Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay. Our course structure allows the beginning student to experience sailing in varied weather conditions, which will enhance confidence on the water. The first 15 hours are completed in one weekend with 3 hours being classroom instruction and 12 hours on the water. The remaining 4 hours is spent perfecting skills with the guidance of an instructor. Student can schedule the practice sailing sessions on any Sundays of choice.

Graduates of Fundamentals of Sailing are invited to take part in one free Social Sail. Social sailing is scheduled every Friday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 pm and on some Saturdays from 2 to 5 pm. It's a great way to hone your skills and meet other people who share your interest in sailing.

Course Content:
Topics covered include sailing vocabulary, basic sail trim, points of sail, rigging the Sonar and preparations for getting underway, sailing from and returning to the dock, holding a steady course, the maneuvers of heading up, coming about, falling off and jibing, rules of the road, basic knots and an introduction to chart reading.

Boats used in the instruction:
The course is taught on board Getaway's fleet of Sonar's, a quick and responsive 23-foot, fixed-keel sloop with a large comfortable cockpit. Sonar's are high performance boats and lots of fun to sail. Click here for the specifications and pictures of the Sonar. Upon completion of our program, our Sonars are available through club membership or charters.

ASA Basic Keelboat certification examination:
Fundamentals of Sailing is designed to prepare you to pass the American Sailing Association's Keelboat Certification Examination. The written examination is offered at the end of the instructional period. As you continue your sailing experiences, the ASA certifications serve as mile stones along the way and more importantly can be presented as evidence of sailing skills if you wish to rent a sailboat at another location. Please seriously consider adding this to your sailing resume. The examination, logbook, grading, certificate and presentation to the ASA costs $75.

Textbook:
The textbook, Sailing Fundamentals by Gary Jobson, can be purchased at most bookstores or at Getaway Sailing. The cost of the book is $21.95 plus tax. Upon request, the textbook will be mailed -- add a postage charge of $4. We recommend that all students read parts one through three of the book before coming to class.

Schedule:
Fundamentals of Sailing is scheduled every weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 5:30 pm with a one-hour lunch break. Practice sailing can be scheduled on any Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. The 3-hour Social Sailing is offered every Friday from 5:30 pm to sunset. The ASA 101 examination may be taken at the conclusion of the course typically after the practice sail. Weekend Courses start April 19th and end in November.

What to Bring:
The best outfit for sailing is shorts, a top and tennis shoes (white soles) or boat shoes. A hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water bottle are essential for those sunny days. Please bring a bag lunch.

Cost:
$335.75 per person for club members, $395.00 per person for non-members.



Getaway Sailing personalized sailing accessories:
Very cool tee-shirts and hats with the Getaway Sailing logo are available at costs of $17 and $13, respectively.