Adult Basic Courses
Available courses
MCSC’s Adult Sailing Instruction can be introductory or life-long.
In Basic Adult courses‚ First-time sailors are paired with experienced instructors initially‚ and‚ as skills and understanding develop‚ students graduate to sail independently with other students. Once "certified" to sail at MCSC‚ members have access to unlimited open sailing aboard our bristol fleet of Ensign keelboats‚ and‚ with proper Intermediate and Advanced instruction and endorsements‚ many of our 85 shared boats including larger keelboats and centerboard boats.
To get started‚ we offer three formats of Basic Adult Sailing Instruction:
1.) Our two-week‚ 8-session Basic Adult Sailing course makes learning safe‚ effective and fun. Daytime and Evening sections are available. Classes meet Monday through Thursday and Fridays may be used as make up class days in case of inclement weather. Most students earn a Light Air Rating upon completion of a two-week course‚ enabling sailors to skipper an MCSC Ensign during open sailing freely and as often as possible when conditions allow.
2.) A "Weekend Intensive" (WEI) Basic Adult Sailing course packs the same instruction and more personal attention from a smaller class-size into two days and up to two evenings and is recommended for people with some sailing experience and/or a tight schedule. WEIs are Friday evening‚ all-day Saturday and Sunday and Monday evening. Many WEI students will finish with a Light Air rating.
In either a two-week course or a Weekend Intensive course‚ you will learn how to rig and launch a sailboat‚ sail off of the dock and into open water‚ execute many sailing maneuvers and return safely. You will learn and practice basic sailing techniques like tacking‚ jibing‚ docking and proper sail trim. You will have a solid grasp of key safety techniques like safety position‚ heaving-to and crew-overboard procedures. And you will understand many sailing terms and right-of-way rules.
Students who wish to take these courses must be members of MCSC. Members enjoy no-charge access to the MCSC fleet when they successfully demonstrate basic sailing skills and earn a rating or when sailing with other "rated" members. MCSC members are connected via a private Group texting "APP"‚ making it possible to meet and sail with a wide range of skippers. Almost 700 active members sail almost 40K hours every season at MCSC‚ improving and sharing skills while developing lifelong friendships with other members.
3.) If sailing is on your bucket-list but you are not ready to become a member‚ MCSC offers "Invitation to Sail" - a two day‚ 6-hour experiential course. You’ll sail with an onboard instructor both days (weather permitting) and learn about safety‚ boarding a boat‚ sailing off the dock‚ sailing to open water‚ steering‚ tacking (turning) and more.
If you decide to join MCSC after taking Invitation to Sail‚ 50% of fees will be applied to a Basic Adult course taken during the 2023 season.
In Basic Adult courses‚ First-time sailors are paired with experienced instructors initially‚ and‚ as skills and understanding develop‚ students graduate to sail independently with other students. Once "certified" to sail at MCSC‚ members have access to unlimited open sailing aboard our bristol fleet of Ensign keelboats‚ and‚ with proper Intermediate and Advanced instruction and endorsements‚ many of our 85 shared boats including larger keelboats and centerboard boats.
To get started‚ we offer three formats of Basic Adult Sailing Instruction:
1.) Our two-week‚ 8-session Basic Adult Sailing course makes learning safe‚ effective and fun. Daytime and Evening sections are available. Classes meet Monday through Thursday and Fridays may be used as make up class days in case of inclement weather. Most students earn a Light Air Rating upon completion of a two-week course‚ enabling sailors to skipper an MCSC Ensign during open sailing freely and as often as possible when conditions allow.
2.) A "Weekend Intensive" (WEI) Basic Adult Sailing course packs the same instruction and more personal attention from a smaller class-size into two days and up to two evenings and is recommended for people with some sailing experience and/or a tight schedule. WEIs are Friday evening‚ all-day Saturday and Sunday and Monday evening. Many WEI students will finish with a Light Air rating.
In either a two-week course or a Weekend Intensive course‚ you will learn how to rig and launch a sailboat‚ sail off of the dock and into open water‚ execute many sailing maneuvers and return safely. You will learn and practice basic sailing techniques like tacking‚ jibing‚ docking and proper sail trim. You will have a solid grasp of key safety techniques like safety position‚ heaving-to and crew-overboard procedures. And you will understand many sailing terms and right-of-way rules.
Students who wish to take these courses must be members of MCSC. Members enjoy no-charge access to the MCSC fleet when they successfully demonstrate basic sailing skills and earn a rating or when sailing with other "rated" members. MCSC members are connected via a private Group texting "APP"‚ making it possible to meet and sail with a wide range of skippers. Almost 700 active members sail almost 40K hours every season at MCSC‚ improving and sharing skills while developing lifelong friendships with other members.
3.) If sailing is on your bucket-list but you are not ready to become a member‚ MCSC offers "Invitation to Sail" - a two day‚ 6-hour experiential course. You’ll sail with an onboard instructor both days (weather permitting) and learn about safety‚ boarding a boat‚ sailing off the dock‚ sailing to open water‚ steering‚ tacking (turning) and more.
If you decide to join MCSC after taking Invitation to Sail‚ 50% of fees will be applied to a Basic Adult course taken during the 2023 season.