Offshore Sailing School

Took a beginner’s course, Fast Track Sailing, for three days in the summer and had a thrilling time. There were four students on our J26 sailboat. Every lesson begins with classroom instruction, followed by a full day on the water. You have a book to study for every lesson on the water (and for the final test) both on land and on water. After three days of lessons and the final test you will receive a beginner’s certificate.
We took turns at the helm/​tiller, trimming the sheets, both port side and starboard side, jibing and tacking, while learning sailing terminology up and down the Hudson River. There is much to learn and our instructor was very good making sure we each took turns learning every aspect.
Sun screen, a hat, dock shoes (Sperry Top-​Sider), pair of polarized sunglasses, and gloves are recommended attire. You can store your backpack on the boat.
It was a pleasure sailing with the Manhattan skyline in the background, and observing the many sports/​activities that go on the Hudson! It’s a busy river.

I took a two hour lesson in June with a friend. I got hooked and signed up for a three day certification course. I learned the basics.
We sailed out of North Cove marina. New York harbor is busy. It is a great place to practice the traffic rules. Our instructor was very experienced and could answer just about any question about sailing.
I feel like I would be ready to handle the boat solo but it would be a good idea to sail with a partner or join a club.

I had the opportunity to experience a few hours of sailing as part of a corporate outing this past summer and as someone who knows absolutely nothing about sailing, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and they have done this so many times that they don’t make you feel stupid for any question you may ask. They also give you the basics before you start and will guide you along the way. They also ask that you rotate so that everyone has a chance to experience each role.
Helpful hints for first timers:
* You will be required to wear either boat shoes or white soled shoes so as not to leave marks on the fiberglass boats
* Not required, but I recommend bringing gloves (sailing gloves, rubber coated gardening gloves or driving/​golfing/​batting gloves) for better grip, but more importantly, to save yourself from getting blisters as you will be pulling and releasing taut ropes frequently
* You will be sailing a Colgate 26 boat which will seat 3 on each side plus 1 instructor on the back by the motor
* There is no steering wheel on this; you use a tiller in the back of the boat
* There is room on the boat to store your bags (there is room near the front of the boat underneath the deck which is big enough to fit a person) and there is also storage under the seats (the seats lift up) so no worries about leaving backpacks or anything offshore or anything getting wet (read next bullet point).
* The bottom of the boat is extremely heavy so there is very, very little chance of it toppling over. You may be titled as you speed across, but never to the point where the boat is completely on its side and water filled.
I would love the opportunity to go back and experience this again.

i paid $ 300 for a 2 hour private sailing lesson. it was a surprise bday present for my fiancé. i was really excited about how much fun we: d have. but instead, while out on the water we were bored to tears. and after we got off the boat, i ended up apologizing profusely to my fiancé for the miserable time we had. we were both new to sailing. there was so much we could have learned. we even encouraged the instructor to teach us. but the instructor just relaxed and enjoyed herself, teaching us nothing. we were left just sitting and doing nothing else for 2 hours. if i wanted a cruise, i would have signed up for a cruise. and it would have been much cheaper. i felt cheated, scammed, disappointed. and my birthday plans for my fiancé were ruined. if you want lessons, please go somewhere you: ll get what you: ve paid for — not here.