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ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing

8K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  sailingdog 
#1 ·
Think I or someone else may have asked this - there is a 2-day class here in Philly for $329 - is it worth it? Think I remember someone saying "Screw that -- just hang out at the docks and ask to learn and help from sailors with their own boat."

Thoughts on that?
 
#2 ·
I took the class many years ago. I found it to be very good. It does depend alot on the instructor and your classmates. For me it was all positive. Meet some really nice people and learned much in the process. Class was in Chelsea Piers N.Y. but still applies. Good luck. PEACE HAPPY SAILING.
 
#4 ·
If you don't know people that have boats and aren't comfortable with just "hanging around the docks", then take the course. Down here in Miami the sailing center that I volunteer at charges $525 for 5, four hour classes. It's a US Sailing program which is similar to the ASA program. Taking the class is a nice way to get into sailing and you can meet people that are in the same place you are and that certainly does help build friendships.
Good luck.
 
#6 ·
While just hanging out at the marina and learning to sail by sailing has its place... Classes also have their place. A good ASA 101 course can help you with learning the proper techniques and theory behind a lot of what you have learned how to do... and knowing why it works can help a lot. Also, you will learn the proper terms, which makes communicating with other sailors easier.
 
#7 ·
I recently took a similar class a few years ago and although I've been sailing casually since I was a kid on small boats and had crewed on larger, I found it useful. There is a lot of stuff you need to know that these classes present in an easy to digest pace. Also, the class I took spent a few hours practicing motoring around the marina and docking a lot, and also a few hours practicing anchoring, etc. Skills you may not 'pick up around the dock'.
 
#8 ·
I took that class and found it very useful and fun. I agree totally with all the docking work you do in the class and how useful that is. Also, most places offer a combination of ASA 101/103 class at a reduced rate which would be 2 full weekends and it may be worth your while. In theory, these help you be able to charter boats from Sunsail, etc., but who knows. Where I took the classes it was $395 for ASA 101 and 103 separate, but $495 if you signed up for both at the same time - that was a good deal. You may want to check out the combo class. 103 teaches navigation, anchoring, weather, reefing, etc. - well worth it.
 
#9 ·
Depends on what you are looking to gain by taking the course.

If the ASA Certification Curriculum is important to you then Yes, you will need this as a pre-req to most of the courses. It is also a good way to meet people in your area that like to sail. Even an experienced sailor will probably pick up a couple of pointers from the course, but the written test is primarially vocabulary questions and matching (Leech/Luff/Foot, Cringle/Head/Clew, Running/Standing rigging, Tiller/Telltale Bow/Transom, Port/Starboard, etc....)

If you have sailing experience, and simply want to charter, it is not needed.
 
#10 ·
I originally signed up for the ASA Keelboat course in 2005, which at the time was a two-day class. I happened to plan it the weekend of Katrina, so needless to say we only got one day of the class in, on a 37 ft Catalina Capri. On the second day we were all high-tailing it to higher ground.

When the local company that was hosting the classes resumed them last fall, they were using a new 3 hour block system. The one day I already had counted as a 101 and a 102, and I still had had credit left for two more 102 blocks - which I took last October. They had sold the Capri and are now using Beneteau 7.5's (fast!)

Since then I've bought a boat and haven't followed up, I still think I need one more 102 class before I can get take basic keelboat certification.

For somebody with little or no experience, I'd say it's worth it. That all of course depends on the instructor. The instructor that I managed to sail with each time had decades of experience. When we came back in to drop of a student, he had us come all the way into and back out of the slip with sail power only... not a zip-in/zip-out procedure in post-Katrina Municipal Harbor ("careful, watch that mast sticking up there"). I wonder how many people have tacked out of West End in a 26 footer. In other words, you may very well gain experience in situations that you wouldn't even think about otherwise. Plus, you'll meet people of similar interests and experience level.

Last fall, a 3 hour block cost $50. I doubt a lot of $ is being made by the host here, I think the intent is to drum up business, whether it be sales or charters/rentals. To spend less than $20 an hour with a pro was a pretty good deal in my book.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I took a week-long course with Blue Water Sailing School out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. It cost me about $1500, but included living expenses for the week aboard a 41foot Benetau. Two other students and I, with a very experienced Capitan, cruised from Ft. Lauderdale to Key Largo ... Sweet!

We all qualified for the ASA 101, 102 and 103 courses.

I recommend you try this route. As a novice to sailing, it gave me an invaluable introduction to the language of sailing, the importance of safety afloat, the names of the parts of the boat and how they all worked together...oh, and especially, how to get your crew to work together to have a great sail.
 
#12 ·
OH WOW I MIGHT GET SUNK Its

:) I'm real new here and don't know much, but I know I really like this sight. Ya'll seem really friendly, duty bound to help, and incredibly good source of knowledge. Butt kissing done now.
I don't belong to a yacht club, probably never will. Why knot make this a big ole UNofficial yakit club that is willing to throw a line online and at the boat yard. Maybe a sticker or somethin'.
I'd be willing to ride for an hr or two to look at something or ride a while on another boat or meet for a help session. I know Iknow. You give help, you give help, but cant ever get any when it comes to La bore, but hell whats the difference between someone with their hull on the rocks and someone in their backyard dreaming about being the catalyst for a feeding freenzy?
I need info. Not going to lie. I'm here to get all the free advice I can get because its the beginings of a divorce justs from what I'm spending on the boat its self(not saying she's not shikkled wittless bout goin' sailin'), BUT, lessons are expensive.
I'm not going to say that I want a big commune of sailors, just a way to see each other and say" hey sailnetter, whats up"
I don't know. What are ya'lls thoughts.
 
#13 ·
Baitball-

Do you have a boat yet???
 
#14 ·
Ya man they just have this adiction to dirt man. Not completely new, just haven't found the impeller on ether one. I'm dont mean to be out of line, but thats my point. I dont have a clue lookin for help and if I can lend it Hell man I'm in. Just tell me to shut up if I'm doing wrong by asking but I'm just that kind of fella. Throw it out there and see what happens. At least I'm being honest, I bought two wrecks, going to rigg them or tie them or something. I want to know what to do when I've gotten into to much weather, and my little 9.9 merc cant take it. Sorry if I offended
 
#15 ·
Buy a junk boat

Baitball
You're right. Buy a boat this is what I did too.

I took several classes like capsizing classes, $90 for 2 hours. Out of 2 hours, one hour I was watching like some fatty tried to swim 8 feet from the stern to the center board to pull it down after two instructors capsized the boat. I took $350/14 hr "weekend bootcamp" class. Nice ladies came to socialize and I spent with them and the instructor 4 hrs in the marina cafe over beer and pizza. A lot of told very interesting stories (charities they do, grandsons they have, poluted environment, dishonest politicians). Then two hours of slow rigging. Then 10 min docking each in between bathroom brakes. Then written tests - everybody passed! Then it was over. Got a little red book, congratulation - you're a sailor.

I do not take any sailing classes ever since. All you need is online USCG safety course (my state, check yours).

My friend runs signmaking shop he made me a few T-shirts "crew available" and "will crew for beer". I put my T and go to the doc. That really works and it's free. But before you have to learn the basic knotts (with one hand!). Google the Internet and practice.
 
#16 ·
Marinade well

I might need to go take capsizing class. Took little Oday 12 to the juice today for a test run if you will. Dagger down, useing a sunfish sail with a bit of a mast "extension" to get down in the fitting in the bow and the boom over my very ducked down head, I made her move. It wasn't pretty of course. I ran a line to the eye in the center of the sunfish boom through the pulley for the sheet on the 12. For the sake of stupidity I'm going to call that the vang ala' redneck. Tryed to sheet her by a line on the end of boom, my back will be better tomorrow I'm sure.
Paddled out, turned her bow just a little off weather, raised sail, pulled in the "sheet" and started out. OK just lost V. Lets try this tacking stuff. I turned on in to the wind and stalled, plop. gust of wind. Cough cough.
Ya YA, I was setting there looking at sail thinking this tacking stuff should be easy,why didn't I turn and grab wind and go. Then I did, and it healed me hard and I went in.
We are in very shallow water and I just flipped her up and rerigged her. More smart now. Started on a run, and brought it to a reach, tacked through a run and all was well. When I turned back to weather and tryed to tack through it, sail came in to amidships alright and then,bam, almost tossed me in after it luffted.
Man this can't be right. I know Iknow Oday boat with Sunfish sail, not right but I had to see. Will this catastophic FLINGING JIB be a little better when my mast of original design gets here:D
 
#17 ·
LOL... at least you're out there and giving it a shot. :)
 
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