ASA 101 - Keelboat Sailing 1 Course

No experience necessary. This course caters to a diverse range of sailors eager to enhance their sailing fundamentals — whether you’re a novice looking to learn to sail and be able to rent a sailboat or a seasoned sailor needing certification. There are no prerequisites to the course.

Montana state law stipulates an operator of a motorized vessel  15+

13 and older may participate, but know that you can not operate a motorized vessel until you are 15.

Learn to skipper a 20′ – 27′ sloop-rigged keelboat by day, in light to moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn basic sailing terminology, parts and functions, helm commands, basic sail trim, points of sail, buoyage, seamanship and safety including basic navigation rules to avoid collisions and hazards. Be certified to rent a sailboat of this size.

ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1
Topics Covered:

You’ll expand on your Basic Sailing Terminology by getting a good understanding of sailboat parts and functions.

You will be able to explain and identify sails, sail parts, and sail controls. You will learn how to effectively and correctly use and respond to helm commands:

“Heading Up”

“Bearing Away”

“Ready About” —– “Ready” —– “Helms a-Lee” (or “Coming About” or “Tacking”)

“Prepare to Jibe” —– “Ready” —– “Jibe-Ho” (or “Jibing”)

Navigation Rules are covered and utilized while taking ASA 101. Your certification in Basic Keelboat Sailing will familiarize you with the USCG Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook and help you understand basic right-of-way procedures on the water.

In ASA 101, you will familiarize yourself with safety equipment and procedures.

List the federally required equipment for a recreational sailboat of 25 feet in length.

Identify the location and color of navigation lights used by a recreational vessel of 25 feet in length.

Describe the purpose of a Float Plan, give examples of information contained therein, and to whom it should be submitted.

ASA 101 will teach you to sail. A certified sailor will demonstrate his or her ability to rig/hoist/set sails correctly.

The sailor will be able to demonstrate competence in these maneuvers:

Depart dock or mooring fully ready to get underway safely

Select and maintain a given tack and course

Demonstrate how to get out of “irons”

Head Up

Bear Away

Sail Close Hauled

Sail on a Close Reach

Sail on a Beam Reach

Sail on a Broad Reach

Sail on a Run

Tack

Jibe

We will ship the textbook to you in the mail when you confirm with deposit or full payment. Please plan to read the textbook and complete all the practice quizzes before joining the class on your scheduled day.

Knots covered: figure eight, clove hitch, bowline, square (reef) knot, round turn and two half hitches, cleat hitch

The lesson begins at 9:00 AM each day with an introduction and listening to understand your expectations and goals. Your instructor will make a customized suggestion to meet your goals and use the logbook for as a guideline and syllabus.

Classes are for 2 days and may adjust slightly due to wind and weather, but this is the general plan.

9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 30-minute on-shore lunch break.​

Day 1:

8:45 a.m. – Check in at the sailing shop.
9:00 a.m. – Meet with your classmates and instructor
9:30–12:30 – Sailing theory, depart the dock, hands-on sailing skills, dock the boat.
12:30–1:00 — Lunch break on the shore
1:00–1:30 — Sailing theory
1:30–4:30 — Depart the dock, hands-on sailing skills, and dock the boat.

​Day 2:

9:00 AM – Gather with classmates and instructor
9:15–12:30 – Depart the dock, sailing skills, dock the boat
12:30–1:00- Lunch break on the shore
1:00–3:00 – Sailing theory, depart the dock, sailing skills, dock the boat.
3:00-4:30 — Sailing exam. Review the exam with a class summary.

• Safety equipment and life jackets PFD Type V.
• Logbook, 101 Sailing Made Easy textbook
• Allotted boat time
• Advanced Sailing Instructors
• Certifications upon successful completion of written exam, 80% or better, and practical exams 100%.

We are open Memorial Day to Mid September. The lake level must be high enough to launch the boats.

Most of the summer the best wind is 10–15 knots out of the east on high pressure days—blue skies and light white fluffy clouds. This condition causes a thermal from the warming land pulling the cool air off of the lake.

The best sailing area is in the bay between the Dayton shoreline, Wild Horse Island, and Big Arm Bay where the winds are fairly consistent. However; this is Montana weather and it can change and there can be weather events that may change the daily schedule. We closely monitor this and will be sending you a confirmation 7 days before the lesson to verify the conditions are safe or if we need to reschedule.

Most of our classes will sell out. There is a minimum of 2 students required for the course. If the minimum is not met within 1 week prior to the course date, it will be canceled. We will contact you to reschedule to a different day.

You may cancel or no show, at any time subject to the following penalties:
Any cancellations more than 60 days prior to the start time of 10% of the payment collected.
Any cancellations between 60 and 30 days prior to the start time 50% of the payment collected.
Cancellation or no show, less than 30 days prior to the start time 100% of the payment collected.

Cancellations must be notified to us by phone or email and confirmed for approval. The penalties will be calculated from the date we receive your cancellation.
We may need to cancel a course due to unforeseen circumstances or natural events outside the control of Go Sail Partners, LLC including but not limited to lake wind advisories, thunderstorms, heavy rain, extreme cold, or high wind areas. We send you a gift card of the value so you can book an alternative date.
We reserve the right to cancel a trip at any time without reason. If we cancel without reason, we shall return all collected payments paid by you.