Adult Learn to Sail
We have two options for adults learning to sail:
The Club 420.
The Santana 525 (keelboat)
If you are interested in private adult lessons, please contact us or visit our private lessons page for more information.
Club 420
Learn to sail in one weekend! Classes are taught in the Club 420, an entry-level, two‐person dinghy that is rigged with a mainsail and jib. The Club 420 can be handled by both youth and adults and is commonly used for high school and collegiate racing. Instruction includes basic sailing skills, rigging, knot tying, safety, and boat handling. With an emphasis on teamwork and fun, the class will work on beginning skills of both crewing and helming. Classes are generally held within the confines of the Hood River Marina, but classes may sail outside the marina when conditions permit. Teachers may include US Sailing certified instructors from our high school sailing team. Students will practice capsizing and swimming while wearing life jackets. Note: People with limited mobility may find it difficult to participate in this class. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us.
Schedule: Full day Saturday 9:00am to 4:00pm and half day Sunday 9:00am to 12:00pm
Prerequisite: Ability to swim, pass swim check and capsize drill. No sailing experience necessary. Repeat sessions encouraged! Weight range: 110 to 190lbs.
Limit: 12 students per session.
Keelboat
Adult Keelboat is a 3-hour class taught on a Santana 525. This is a 22' sailboat with tiller, main, jib, and a cabin below large enough to store gear and berth 2-3 sailors for overnight passages. The class will cover rigging, safety, upwind and downwind sailing, tacks, jibes, how to "heave-to", river navigation, and beginner race tactics. Students will leave the class with the ability to manage a keelboat on the water, understand sailing terminology and keelboat sailing principles.
Schedule: Half-day Saturday 9:00am to 12pm OR half day Sunday 9:00am to 12:00pm (depending on wind, session might be delayed to the afternoon)
Prerequisite: Ability to swim. No sailing experience necessary. Repeat sessions encouraged!
Limit: 2 students per session.