The Downtown Sailing Center is a United States Sailing Association (US Sailing)
accredited sailing school that offers courses for all experience levels. US Sailing is the governing body for the sport of sailing in the United States and our courses are run to the highest professional and educational standard. The organization of our curriculum lets every student reach their full potential by developing skills in a logical progression and facilitating tailored instruction for every member of our community. Our curriculum uses a three-pronged approach which includes skill-building, racing, and exploration to train all students to be the most competent sailors on the water!
Courses
Our Instructors and Fleet
All of our instructors are experienced sailors who undergo rigorous instructor training and are certified by US SAILING as keel boat instructors. Student feedback speaks volumes to what our instructors accomplish with each group.
Our fleet of Access Dinghies, J/22s, and Sonars is optimal for teaching every skill level - from intro to race rules to developing safe, successful skippers.
Members of the Downtown Sailing Center receive special discounts on education courses. So, once you finish your course, you can get straight to the water for practice! Go to Recreational Sailing for details on Member Sails>>
Introduction to Sailing - 3 hour - Dinghy
You've probably said recently, "I've always wanted to learn to sail." Well, our 3-hour Introduction to Sailing Clinic is here for you!
This course will run through the basics of sailing. introduce you to nautical lingo, and get your our practicing. After a briefing by your instructors, students will get out to explore the harbor waters. Your instructors will be there coaching you the whole way!
The clinic is run aboard our Access Dinghy fleet. They are 13-foot small boats that allow two people to sail together. These boats are specifically made to not tip over, so you don't need to worry about that!
19 Jun 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
22 Jun 2013 1:00 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
28 Jun 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
29 Jun 2013 1:00 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
03 Jul 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
06 Jul 2013 1:00 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
20 Jul 2013 1:00 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
24 Jul 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
26 Jul 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
27 Jul 2013 1:00 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
Learn to Sail - 16 hour - Keelboat
This course take adults who have never been on a sailboat or who have minimal experience and gives them the skills to be a competent crew member. Experienced instructors teach the fundamentals of water safety, rigging a boat, wind direction, sail theory, points of sail, tacking and jibing. Upon successful completion of this course, students will feel comfortable on a boat and have the skills to competently crew on a 22- or 23-foot boat with an experienced skipper.
For complete session dates and/or to register, please click on the session below that fits your schedule:
01 Jul 2013 5:30 PM • Baltimore's Downtown Sailing Center
09 Jul 2013 5:30 PM • Baltimore's Downtown Sailing Center
05 Aug 2013 5:30 PM • Baltimore's Downtown Sailing Center
Intermediate Sailing - 16 hour - Keelboat
This course is for adults who have some sailing experience that want to get the foundations and skills for being a skipper. Intermediate sailing students learn how to leave and return to the dock (without a motor), how to perform crew overboard recovery, the rules of the road, basic navigation and how to handle a boat in strong winds. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be familiar with all of the skills needed to pass a DSC skipper check-out.
For complete session dates and/or to register, please click on the session below that fits your schedule:
01 Jul 2013 5:30 PM • Baltimore's Downtown Sailing Center
05 Aug 2013 5:30 PM • Baltimore's Downtown Sailing Center
Basic Keelboat
For those adults who are interested in completing a nationally recognized certification course, we offer the US SAILING Basic Keelboat Certification Course as a 32 hour intensive course and as a challenge course for sailors who have already developed their skills through other classes. The Basic Keelboat Certification Course covers basic and advanced sailing techniques, including reefing and anchoring. The course fee includes a one-year membership with US Sailing, a course book, course materials, and an offical log book. The Basic Keelboat course includes a comprehensive test that is to be taken at the end of the course. Students who receive this certification will be eligible to be DSC skippers.
For complete session dates and/or to register, please click on the session below that fits your schedule:
US SAILING Basic Keelboat Certification
25 Jul 2013 9:00 AM • Baltimore's Downtown Sailing Center
22 Aug 2013 9:00 AM • Baltimore's Downtown Sailing Center
Focused Skill Clinics
Already take the courses or have you noticed you need some focused attention? Focused Skill Clinics offer student opportunity to focus on one skill for the evening. Courses include Person Overboard (POB), Docking/Departing, Advanced Sail Trim/Maneuvering, Skipper Improvement, and Women's Clinics. These 3 hours clinics are $60 for non-members and $35 for members. Visit the
calendar to find the right one for you!
29 Jun 2013 10:00 AM • Downtown Sailing Center
29 Jun 2013 2:00 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
22 Jul 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
Learn to Race & Learn to Win Series
The Learn to Race and Learn to Win Series will teach you the basics of racing and winning. Learn to Race is a 3-hour lesson focused on teaching the basics of racing from starting sequence, to rounding, to understand courses and rules of the road.
Learn to win is a 3-hour course that will build on those skills and teach you how to master the start, how to line up to win, to understand points, and attempt more challenging start sequences. These courses are $90 for non-members, $50 for members and $30 for Accessible sailors. It's time to feed that competitive spirit!
Learn to Race & Learn to Win
19 Jun 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
22 Jun 2013 1:00 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
28 Jun 2013 5:30 PM • Downtown Sailing Center
Private Lessons
Private lessons are available for up to three adults and can be tailored to all levels, from beginner to US SAILING Basic Keelboat Certification. Private sailing lessons cost $60/hour for one adult plus $10/hour per person for each addition person up to three people. Three hours recommended for educational benefits, two hours required. You do not need to be a DSC member to take private lessons. If you are interested in private lessons, please email Julia at julia@downtownsailing.org or call at 410.727.0722
Other Courses
The DSC offers other courses and US SAILING certification courses to members, including:
US Sailing Cruising Certification Courses
Have you graduated from the Basic Keelboat course and decided you want to get into cruising? If the answer is "Yes," then the next major step in your sailing education begins with the US Sailing Cruising Certification series. Captain Phil Schnering will be leading three and five-day cruising courses from the DSC docks aboard The Pintita, a USCG Inspected 45' Ketch.
The Basic Cruising Course is designed to introduce daysailors into the world of cruising, while the Bareboat Cruising Course spends more time focusing on Anchoring and advanced cruising techniques.
Interested in diving into the Deep End? Take the five-day Combo Course. The combined certification course is five days of intensive sailing education aboard The Pintita, which specializes in multi-day trips around the Bay. The five-day course provides participants with the extended opportunities they need to experience the full range of sailing conditions, from zephyrs to fresh breezes and from sunshine to downpours.
Participants can check out the prerequisites for the course by clicking here.
For complete session dates and/or to register, please click on the session below that fits your schedule:
US SAILING Basic Keelboat Certification
21 Jun 2013 8:30 AM • Meet at the DSC Parking Lot
30 Jun 2013 10:00 AM • DSC/Inner Harbor and Patapsco
09 Jul 2013 5:00 PM • Baltimore Museum of Industry Outdoor Pavilion and Docks
14 Jul 2013 10:00 AM • DSC/Inner Harbor and Patapsco
28 Jul 2013 10:00 AM • DSC/Inner Harbor and Patapsco
11 Aug 2013 10:00 AM • DSC/Inner Harbor and Patapsco
25 Aug 2013 10:00 AM • DSC/Inner Harbor and Patapsco
08 Sep 2013 10:00 AM • DSC/Inner Harbor and Patapsco
14 Sep 2013 12:00 PM • Baltimore Museum of Industry Outdoor Pavilion and Docks
22 Sep 2013 10:00 AM • DSC/Inner Harbor and Patapsco
