Recent Articles
Lady Liberty Regatta in New York Harbor
May 16, 2019The American Sailing Association has launched a new campaign designed to get more women on the water. The “Women Wake Up Zone” encourages more women to take the helm. The Manhattan Yacht Club is hosting the Lady Liberty Regatta, an all-female regatta on June 8... Read More >
Can Overboard!
May 13, 2019Scenario: You crack open a cold one after a long day of sailing. Your buddy Jim finishes his first beer (rather quickly) and tosses the can overboard. When prodded about the environment, he confidently responds, “It’s just metal- it will break down... Read More >
The Sailing Season – Oahu, Circumnavigating The Island
May 9, 2019ASA Outstanding Instructor Greg Martin of Sail Hawaii is very familiar with the waters around the Hawaiian Islands and he regularly sails and teaches out of Oahu. Greg has contributed to a three-part story on sailing in Hawaii. Venturing further than Waikiki, a... Read More >
Choosing a Charter Boat Company
May 7, 2019When you took your first ASA 101 course this is the moment you were dreaming of. The sailing vacation where you are captain and the entire family is your crew. You could see it happening as you first picked up your Sailing Made Easy textbook. When you took ASA 103... Read More >
Veteran’s Sailing Education Program Update
May 2, 2019Last year the American Sailing Association launched its Veterans Sailing Education Program to promote sailing among veterans and to give back to those who have served in our nation's military. Over 100 schools are participating and numerous veterans across the... Read More >
Mediterranean Mooring: What Is It and Why?
May 2, 2019The moment you step off your yacht in St. Tropez you realize that you have hit the sailing jackpot. Well...that is if your mega yacht is backed stern to the quay and you’re debarking with a quick walk across the passarelle in view of all of the onlookers sipping... Read More >
Your Boat’s Spring Cleaning
April 29, 2019The wait is almost over...it’s just about time to pull off those winter boat covers and set sail into the warmer season! Whether you’re just getting started in the ASA 101 course or you regularly cruise in your own vessel, learning to properly care for a... Read More >
ASA Featured Instructor: Joan Gilmore, Sail Away Sailing School
April 25, 2019Captain Joan Gilmore can be found at Sail Away Sailing School in Minnesota but that is just her physical address. You really find her out on the water as she leads trips to her favorite ports on a regular basis. She holds a master’s degree in adult learning... Read More >
This Earth Day, Treat the Planet Like It’s Your Boat
April 22, 2019I first learned about the art of sailing when I was nineteen years old. I had signed up for a semester abroad with a program that teaches students marine biology and oceanography courses, as well as sailing and coastal navigation skills. After a year of scraping... Read More >
Inside Sailing – Tucker Thompson, Voice of the America’s Cup
April 18, 2019We’re proud to announce a new video series called “ASA’s Inside Sailing”, where we conduct on-camera interviews with prominent and/or interesting figures in the world of sailing.
For our latest episode of Inside Sailing, we interviewed the “Voice of... Read More >
First Flush
April 18, 2019After learning about Soraya Simi and her work, I checked out her short film First Flush. In just one minute we follow the journey of raindrops hitting the Los Angeles pavement, to the accumulating floodwaters traveling across roadways and down drains, all leading... Read More >
Choosing The Right Boat for Your Sailing Charter
April 15, 2019You’ll ask yourself if you need a watermaker or if air conditioning is important or even if you want a full-sized refrigerator onboard the boat you are going to charter. The truth is when you decide to take a sailing vacation aboard a sailing vessel that you... Read More >
Young Sailors: Are You an “Ocean Hero”?
April 11, 2019Young sailors, your sailing education is not just about learning to read charts and pull lines. Your generation faces a whole new set of challenges on par with the great explorers of ancient times. Unfathomably widespread plastic, fisheries collapse, water... Read More >
Go Sailing in Hawaii
April 8, 2019The first time you move across the channel between Maui and Molokai you are introduced to the tradewinds that blow over the West Maui Mountains. The sailboat heels over and you move across the channel with purpose. It’s a wet ride. Most visitors to Hawaii... Read More >
Introducing 5 Gyres: Sailor Scientists Fighting Plastic Pollution
April 4, 2019Sailors in every corner of the world are taking the ocean’s plastic problem into their own hands, or rather, into their own nets. Balloons, bags, bottles, ghost nets, and all kinds of plastic trash are being pulled out of the water by boaters everywhere, but... Read More >
Where To Sail This Summer
April 1, 2019The American Sailing Association has announced that it will be leading 3 Exclusive Sailing Tours this summer. You must sign up today, April 1, 2019. All Sailing charters will be led by ASA founder and sailing expert Lenny Shabes aboard his exquisite 1971 Catalina... Read More >
Environmental Updates
Can Overboard!
May 13, 2019Scenario: You crack open a cold one after a long day of sailing. Your buddy Jim finishes his first beer (rather quickly) and tosses the can overboard. When prodded about the environment, he confidently responds, “It’s just metal- it will break down... Read More >
Your Boat’s Spring Cleaning
April 29, 2019The wait is almost over...it’s just about time to pull off those winter boat covers and set sail into the warmer season! Whether you’re just getting started in the ASA 101 course or you regularly cruise in your own vessel, learning to properly care for a... Read More >
This Earth Day, Treat the Planet Like It’s Your Boat
April 22, 2019I first learned about the art of sailing when I was nineteen years old. I had signed up for a semester abroad with a program that teaches students marine biology and oceanography courses, as well as sailing and coastal navigation skills. After a year of scraping... Read More >
First Flush
April 18, 2019After learning about Soraya Simi and her work, I checked out her short film First Flush. In just one minute we follow the journey of raindrops hitting the Los Angeles pavement, to the accumulating floodwaters traveling across roadways and down drains, all leading... Read More >
Young Sailors: Are You an “Ocean Hero”?
April 11, 2019Young sailors, your sailing education is not just about learning to read charts and pull lines. Your generation faces a whole new set of challenges on par with the great explorers of ancient times. Unfathomably widespread plastic, fisheries collapse, water... Read More >
Introducing 5 Gyres: Sailor Scientists Fighting Plastic Pollution
April 4, 2019Sailors in every corner of the world are taking the ocean’s plastic problem into their own hands, or rather, into their own nets. Balloons, bags, bottles, ghost nets, and all kinds of plastic trash are being pulled out of the water by boaters everywhere, but... Read More >
Could Algae Save the World?
March 11, 2019Traditionally the boating community associates algae with one word: nuisance. It covers hulls, jams propellers, slimes up fishing poles, and can even make the water unswimmable. Algae is a gigantically diverse group of marine organisms, ranging from tiny... Read More >
Ask Lauren: What Do I Do If I See an Animal Tangled in Plastic?
March 5, 2019It is always exciting to encounter marine animals in their natural habitat- the vast diversity of creatures in the ocean both pull at our heartstrings and inspires a sense of wonder. We’ve all seen heartwarming videos of sailors, divers, and surfers having... Read More >
Learn To Sail Articles
Veteran’s Sailing Education Program Update
May 2, 2019Last year the American Sailing Association launched its Veterans Sailing Education Program to promote sailing among veterans and to give back to those who have served in our nation's military. Over 100 schools are participating and numerous veterans across the... Read More >
Parts of The Whole: Understanding Sailboats and Sailing – The Sails
March 14, 2019It's safe to say a sailboat is only as good as its sails when you consider that capturing the wind’s energy is the premise behind what sailors do to propel their boats in a forward direction. A good captain will trim those said sails to be as efficient as... Read More >
Parts of The Whole: Understanding Sailboats and Sailing – The Keel
February 25, 2019The keel is a fixed appendage on the bottom of the hull that provides the sideways resistance needed to counter the force of the wind on the sails. The keel also carries ballast, usually iron or lead, the weight of which counteracts the force of the wind that... Read More >
How To Sail a Boat
February 21, 2019There is a cloak of mystery that surrounds sailing. You might be on a picturesque beach and you see a sailboat off in the distance or you might be in a marina and you notice how the wind gently moves a schooner across the water. It makes you wonder, How To Sail A... Read More >
Where Are We Going: Understanding Points of Sail
February 14, 2019The direction of the wind dictates the direction a sailboat can sail. Understanding the points of sail is vital to understanding how sailors orient themselves relative to the wind. The Points of Sail describe the range of courses a sailboat can and cannot travel. Read More >
Shopping for a Sailing School
February 5, 2019Join Lauren as she continues on her journey to learn to sail. Follow her as she gets her feet wet as a beginner, gains experience, and earns her ASA certifications. The ultimate goal is to complete ASA 104 and go bareboat chartering somewhere exotic. ASA 103, Part... Read More >
Learning To Sail: A Navy Son and His Army Veteran Father
January 31, 2019Learning To Sail With Veteran Sailing Association in Tavernier, Florida The ASA Veterans Sailing Education Program is in its third month of operation and several stories about the program have arrived at ASA from veterans and ASA Affiliates. US Navy man Galen... Read More >
5 Reasons To Sail In San Diego
January 21, 2019You want to learn to sail so why not pick a convenient destination to take your sailing courses? San Diego is the ideal location to visit because you can mix in your ocean adventures with some sightseeing and some cultural sites. Throw in a visit to a wild animal... Read More >
Cruising Destinations & Tips
Choosing a Charter Boat Company
May 7, 2019When you took your first ASA 101 course this is the moment you were dreaming of. The sailing vacation where you are captain and the entire family is your crew. You could see it happening as you first picked up your Sailing Made Easy textbook. When you took ASA 103... Read More >
Choosing The Right Boat for Your Sailing Charter
April 15, 2019You’ll ask yourself if you need a watermaker or if air conditioning is important or even if you want a full-sized refrigerator onboard the boat you are going to charter. The truth is when you decide to take a sailing vacation aboard a sailing vessel that you... Read More >
Planning a Sailing Vacation
March 21, 2019There comes a moment when you are sprawled out on a beautiful beach and you look out at the ocean and see a sailboat and you wish you had opted for some time on the water. That doesn’t happen to you? Ok, we're actually talking to those of you who see the... Read More >
The Sailing Season: Seattle As a Sailing Destination
March 18, 2019Why Sail in Seattle? Take a moment and breathe in the crisp air on Puget Sound. Feel the wind as it moves across the water and through your hair. Mount Baker in the distance Victoria to the north and the Pacific Ocean beyond a series of islands heading out west.... Read More >
Plastic-Free Provisioning
February 28, 2019ASA’s Plastic Pollution Purge campaign asked our fellow sailors to “bring back more plastic than you take to your boat”, and to have fun practicing your crew overboard drills as you recover trash on the water. But to break the vicious cycle of plastic... Read More >
The Sailor’s Bucket List
February 11, 2019The bucket list is that imaginary document in your head that holds your fantasies. What is on your sailing bucket list? We share ours with you, share yours with us. Read More >
5 Reasons To Sail In San Diego
January 21, 2019You want to learn to sail so why not pick a convenient destination to take your sailing courses? San Diego is the ideal location to visit because you can mix in your ocean adventures with some sightseeing and some cultural sites. Throw in a visit to a wild animal... Read More >
Learning to Sail in the Florida Keys
January 7, 2019Sailing In The Keys Let’s go straight for the cliches and talk about the Conch Republic and a salty life and toss in flip-flops while you are at it. In a world away from everywhere the Florida Keys stands out as an outpost for the rest of us. The Florida Keys... Read More >