Earn your US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification in our 5-day Basic Keelboat course designed specifically for women. Open to sailors of all experience levels, this course creates a supportive, collaborative learning environment that empowers women to build skills, confidence, and independence on the water. Join us for a memorable week of hands-on learning, camaraderie, and the joy of sailing. You’ll begin with the essentials—boating terminology, points of sail, steering, sailing upwind and downwind, basic knots, on-the-water safety, and crew-overboard drills—then progress to more advanced skills, including sail trim, tacking and jibing, rules of the road, basic navigation, reefing, line handling, outboard engine basics, and docking. This is a hands-on class that takes place both on the water and in the classroom. We teach aboard our J/80s—modern, responsive keelboats that are widely recognized as stable, safe, and fun teaching platforms. With their deep 6-foot keel and balanced design, they track beautifully and won’t tip over, giving you confidence as you learn. The large, open cockpit provides plenty of space for maneuvering and participation, making it easy for everyone to get hands-on experience. Classes are limited to 8 students or fewer, so you’ll get personal attention from your instructors and have time to get to know your crewmates over the course of the weekend or week-long session—it’s part of the fun! After completing the Basic Keelboat Full Course, students will be tested for the US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification. Upon successful completion, they will receive a US Sailing Membership, Logbook, and Certification Sticker, signifying that they are qualified to skipper a tiller-steered keelboat up to 27 feet in length. Prerequisites: While there is no prerequisite for this course, students are highly encouraged to take the "Basic Keelboat Online Course" in order to best prepare for your in-person training: www.boaterexam.com/sailing/basickeelboat/