Please sign up by NOON on 4/1 to receive the event link.
This virtual event is for DSC Adult Education Instructors to learn about our new scheduling platform, Sling, for class sign-ups. If you haven't received your invitation, email laura@downtownsailing.org.
We will go over the interface via the web platform and the phone app and discuss how to sign up for teaching opportunities and review the applicable features.
Questions can be sent to laura@downtownsailing.org in advance so they are sure to be addressed during the session.
This event will be recorded to become the introductory Sling video for instructors.
Have you ever thought, "I've always wanted to try sailing…"? If the answer is YES, then the DSC’s 3-hour Taste of Sailing course is for you!
This experience-based course will teach you the basics of helming a sailboat, trimming sails, and will introduce you to some cool nautical lingo. We believe in “learning by doing”, so the majority of your time will be spent on the water with one of our experienced instructors.
You’ll learn while sailing around Baltimore’s beautiful waterfront and have the opportunity to experience the city in a whole new way!
Each boat will have a maximum of 4 students, so there will be plenty of opportunities to try your hand at the tiller, handle the sails, or just sit back and take in the sights.
We welcome everyone from the solo sailor (we’ll pair you up with a group!) to family groups. This is a great opportunity for an educational family outing that can be enjoyed by all. We require that children be at least 7 years of age. If your group size is larger than 4, please contact us (email info@downtownsailing.org) for options.
Please note that there is a firm administrative course change/cancellation fee of $35 per course for switching dates or cancelling. Full cancellation policy is on the FAQ page, located here - please read carefully as refunds are not guaranteed for cancellation within 14 days of class start date.
This course is taught aboard our Sonar class keelboats. These 23' boats have a large cockpit and heavy keel to provide stability. They are specifically made to not tip over, so you don't need to worry!
Parking is available on site in the gravel lot of the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Classes meet behind the BMI pavilion, near the gate to the Downtown Sailing Center main dock. Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to orient yourself and meet your instructor.
Life jackets are required to be worn and will be provided. Please wear close-toed shoes for safety. We recommend dressing for the weather (it can feel cooler on the water than on land!) and bringing a full water bottle, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen and a great attitude.
Please see our Adult Ed FAQ page for additional information, including details on our cancellation policy.
The on-site bathroom is a port-a-potty.
If the event is full, you may add yourself to the waitlist - we will contact you if a spot opens up or we are able to add more boats.
Payment is due at the time of registration to reserve your spot - space is limited so don't delay!
Have you always wanted to learn how to sail? Do you want to become a capable and confident crew member at the Downtown Sailing Center? If you said YES, Introduction to Sailing is the course for you!
The course is designed to help new sailors feel comfortable on a boat and give you the basic skills needed to competently crew on a small keelboat with an experienced skipper. During this course, you will learn the following:
We believe in “learning by doing” at the DSC, so the majority of your time will be spent on the water! An experienced instructor will guide you through the curriculum and be on the boat with you at all times. The maximum number of students per boat is 3, to allow everyone plenty of time to learn to drive the boat and trim the sails.
If you have sailing experience but are rusty or did not learn from professionals, we strongly recommend taking this course. Our curriculum is guided by US Sailing materials and you will learn proper and safe sailing techniques.
This is an Adult Education course, and all participants must be at least 16 years of age. To enquire about family-based sailing education options, contact us (email info@downtownsailing.org).
The two-day course takes place from 9am - 4pm each day, with a lunch break in the middle of the day - you can bring your lunch or there will be time to go out to a local fast-food spot. You must be available for the full timeframe as the boats will spend the majority of the day on the water.
This course is taught aboard the DSC’s keelboats, and you’ll sail on either a J/22 or a Sonar. Both have a heavy keel to provide stability and will not tip over during your sail!
Parking is available on site in the gravel lot of the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Classes meet behind the BMI pavilion, near the gate to the Downtown Sailing Center main dock. Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to orient yourself and meet your instructor. The restroom onsite is a port-a-potty.
If the course is full, please add yourself to the waitlist - we will contact you if a spot opens up!
Please review our FAQ page for additional information, including details on our cancellation policy, and let us know if you have any questions (email info@downtownsailing.org).
FULL PAYMENT IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR THIS COURSE. SPACE IS LIMITED.
8:30AM - 5PM each day for class
(Note that this course will take place at Markley's Marina in Essex, MD)
Ever dreamed of chartering or owning your own cruising sailboat?
The US Sailing Basic Cruising Certification Course is a 4-day intensive sailing course in which you will learn to responsibly skipper and crew an auxiliary powered cruising sailboat during daylight hours, within sight of land in moderate wind and sea conditions.
You will learn to prepare the boat for sailing and complete a thorough systems check, safely depart from the dock under engine power, learn crew communication skills, practice boat control in confined waters, raising the sails, rescuing an overboard crew, and returning to the dock. You'll also learn anchoring procedures, safety and emergency protocols, and basic navigation.
Participants need to have successfully completed the US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification in order to qualify for the Basic Cruising Certification.
Each student will receive a copy of the US Sailing Basic Cruising textbook. Upon successful completion of the exams, students will receive a logbook and sticker.
Details:
We believe in “learning by doing” at the DSC, so the majority of your time will be spent on the water! An experienced instructor will guide you through the curriculum and be on the boat with you at all times. The maximum number of students per boat is 3, to allow everyone plenty of time to practice the skills.
This is an Adult Education course, and all participants must be at least 16 years of age.
The course takes place from 8:30am - 5pm each day, with a lunch break in the middle of the day. You must be available for the full timeframe as the boats will spend the majority of the day on the water. The restroom onsite is a port-a-potty.
This course is taught aboard the DSC’s cruising boats, and you’ll sail on an auxiliary-powered vessel between 30' and 40' in length.
Intermediate Sailing (Level 2): Keelboat Skipper Skill Building
Weekend Course - Saturday & Sunday (9am-4pm)
Are you looking to take your sailing skills to the next level? This intermediate-level course is for those competent crew members looking to advance their skills in boat-handling. This course is ideal for those with solid crewing skills (see below) who are looking to advance to the DSC skipper level - the skills learned in this course are tested during the DSC Skipper Checkout.
During this fast-paced course, you will learn how to:
If you're not sure if this is the right class for you, our Adult Education Manager would be happy to answer your questions - email lessons@downtownsailing.org to set up a call.
Basic Keelboat 5-Day Course
Wednesday through Sunday (9am-4pm daily)
The US Sailing Basic Keelboat course is an intensive course designed to teach you all aspects of handling a keelboat, including sailing technique, water safety (including rescuing a person in the water), knots, vocabulary, and an introduction to weather. This is a nationally recognized certification course which, once completed, will allow you to progress to more advanced US Sailing courses including Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising.
Please read this page thoroughly to decide if this course is right for you, and if so, which option is best for you. This 5-day schedule is our fastest-paced option, and is best suited for those with some sailing experience.
The course culminates with written and practical exams, and in order to earn the Basic Keelboat Certification, each student must successfully demonstrate the ability to responsibly skipper and crew a simple daysailing keelboat in familiar waters in light to moderate wind and sea conditions. The skills tested are listed here.
Each student will receive a copy of the US Sailing Basic Keelboat textbook. Upon successful completion of the exams, students will receive a logbook, sticker, and one-year US Sailing membership.
The course takes place from 9am - 4pm each day, with a lunch break in the middle of the day - you can bring your lunch or there will be time to go out to a local fast-food spot. You must be available for the full timeframe as the boats will spend the majority of the day on the water.
Advanced Sailing (Level 3): Basic Keelboat Certification Completion Weekend Course
Are you looking to round off your sailing education with the US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification? Are you already a competent sailor, with the ability to smoothly execute dockings & departures under sail, the Figure 8 POB, and the Quick Stop?
This advanced-level course is for those who have successfully completed the Level 1 and 2 courses at the DSC and have had adequate practice time to solidify skills. This course will complete the Basic Keelboat curriculum on Day 1, and on Day 2 you will complete the US Sailing Basic Keelboat written and practical exams.
To decide if you are ready for this class, please review the following questions - if you can say YES to all of them, this is a great time for you to take this class! This is not a class to be taken immediately after the Intermediate Sailing course - practice time in between is required to make sure you get the most out of this Advanced level class. In particular, you MUST be able to execute both types of POBs and dock smoothly under all wind conditions. These skills will not be practiced in this course, but you WILL be tested on them during Day 2.
For those who have not taken the Level 1 and 2 courses at the DSC, if you can answer all of the above questions affirmatively, you are welcome to join us! If you have any questions as to your readiness and wish to consult with the Adult Education Manager, please email lessons@downtownsailing.org to set up a call.
If you have taken both Level 1 and Level 2 at the DSC, we will discount your cost of this course so that the total cost of this self-paced Basic Keelboat option is the same as the 5 or 6 day option. Please email lessons@downtownsailing.org if this applies to you.
Performance Sailing
This course is for sailors looking to take their skills to the next level and learn about optimal sail trim, spinnaker sailing, and generally getting the most speed out of your boat. This is not a learn-to-sail course, participants must be comfortable with all aspects of boat handling, wind awareness, executing smooth tacks and jibes, etc.
This will be an intense and fast-paced course, and you will learn the following skills:
This is not a racing tactics course, but participants will practice rounding marks, and some fun races will be held for skills practice.
Keelboat handling skills are required - all participants require DSC skipper-level skills, to be capable crew with good helming skills, to have passed the US Sailing Basic Keelboat course, or similar. Please refer to the below skills list to ensure you are ready for this course!
Pre-Requisites:
If you have any questions about the course or as to whether this is the right time for you to take it - please email the Adult Education Manager at lessons@downtownsailing.org to set up a call.
The two-day course takes place from 9am - 4pm each day, with a lunch break in the middle of the day. You must be available for the full timeframe as the boats will spend the majority of the day on the water.
Life jackets are required to be worn and will be provided. Please wear close-toed shoes for safety. We recommend dressing for the weather (it can feel cooler on the water than on land!) and bringing a full water bottle, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen and a great attitude. The restroom onsite is a port-a-potty.
Basic Keelboat Weekends Course
Saturday/Sunday over 3 Weekends (6 Days, 9am-4pm daily)
(Note dates in details - we will skip Father's Day weekend)
Please read this page thoroughly to decide if this course is right for you, and if so, which option is best for you. This 6-day schedule is our medium-paced option, and is best suited for those with at least a little sailing experience.
Introduction to Sailing Weeknights Course - 4 Mondays (5pm - 8pm)
Introduction to Sailing Weeknights Course - 4 Tuesdays (5pm - 8pm)
Note that this offering is a private offering requested by a party of four, and is not open to the public at this time. If you are interested in this course, please email lessons@downtownsailing.org so you can be informed when additional offerings are scheduled. There is a minimum of three students required to run the course.
Please read this text FULLY before signing up as it contains details on logistics of the course, the skills required and additional costs during the class.
The course will be conducted onboard Makani, a Bavaria 38 based in Middle River, with a DSC and US Sailing certified instructor.
Course Details:
The US Sailing Challenge Combo is an evaluative course for seasoned, prepared sailors to obtain the US Sailing Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising AND Bareboat Cruising certifications all in only 5 days of testing. Please read the following links and ensure you are prepared to demonstrate all skills listed on each page. Other than time to familiarize yourself with the course boat, there will not be time to practice each skill in detail before the test.
In addition to the practical skills demonstration, you will take three written tests, one for each certification. After registration, the DSC will mail the three textbooks to your provided address. Plan to study them ahead of time as there will not be time to read them during the course.
Course Logistics/Additional Costs:
You will live aboard Makani, a Bavaria 38 based in Middle River, for the duration of the course and spend the nights at anchor. You'll depart from and return to Middle River, and will be able to leave cars at the marina. You must be prepared to live aboard for the course dates as the boat will not return to 'home port' until the final day.
On Day 1, students and the instructor will provision the boat together and students will split the cost of the grocery bill, including provisions for the instructor. Students will be able to make sure their dietary requirements and preferences are accommodated.
The boat will spend all 4 nights at anchor, unless students choose to split the cost of a marina for a night. Details about this option will be discussed onboard.
More information about how to pack for the trip will be provided via email as the course approaches.
Tuesday through Friday PLUS Sunday (9am-4pm daily)
*Saturday will be skipped due to this being the likely date for the 2025 Baltimore Marathon*
The Downtown Sailing Center
1425 Key Highway, Suite 110, Baltimore, MD 21230(410) 727-0722 • info@downtownsailing.org
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