My husband and I "head out" tomorrow for a weekend anniversary trip that includes our 101 class.

I actually feel like I know what I am doing and will not be at a complete loss!

Thank you for making me feel like I have enough of a handle on it to take the plunge.

Wish us luck, we'll keep you posted.

- Robyn Lund

This is a great site.

I've been sailing since the early 1960's but have not done much in the last 30+ years, having to work can be a real drag.

It's exactly what I've been looking for as a refresher.

- Glen

Thank you so much for all of your great work!

I run a community sailing school with all volunteer instructors and am just thrilled to have all of these lovely teaching aids!

Please add me to both your mailing list and your fan club!

- Kate Bedard

I am trying to learn how to sail while in Afghanistan.

This is by far the best video on "points of sail" I have found.

The website linked with profile also has a fantastic "powerpoint" on introduction to sailing.

- C J Barnard

Posted on YouTube.com

I've had a look at your website and am very impressed.

What a great resource for those just getting into sailing!

I agree that most of the online resources out there assume some basic level of knowledge and vocabulary.

Your site is accessible and well laid out - congratulations!"

Beth A. Leonard
The Voyager's Handbook
Welcome to Ashoreschool.com
Comments
     If this is your first visit, welcome aboard. If you are returning, we hope you like the improvements we have made. Our goal is simple: Create a great media rich resource for the new sailor. To do so, Ashoreschool.com has become both a content provider and an collector of the best sailing material on the web. We hope our efforts will assist you in successfully preparing for your instructor-lead sailing classes, and continue as you begin your new life as a sailor.
    Building on our past year's success of providing innovative sailing Lessons and Tools, this month we are releasing our completely rebuilt site with a vastly improved indexing system. Hopefully these improvements will encourage you to explore our recent additions including the Newsstand, our expanded Video section, as well as the new adventure Planning section.
     Caution: This is NOT your grandmother's website.  Sailing is an active sport and we have designed Ashoreschool.com to be interactive and entertaining.
Coming Soon! Increase your comfort level and confidence with sailboat images identifying key areas of a sailboat.  When your instructor says "Check the wind direction by looking at the wind indicator" or "Check the steaming light to be sure it works", you know exactly where to look.
Learn to Sail Classes

There are hundreds of sailing schools that would love to teach you to sail. There are even specialty classes like; sailing schools for women, couples sailing schools, bareboat sailing schools, Caribbean sailing schools located in the Virgin Islands, American sailing schools all along the coasts and and lake areas that provide excellent sailing education and sailing instruction. If your interest is bluewater or lake sailing, looking for cruising instruction and sailing certification or advanced celestial navigation there is a "how to" sail class for you. Many beginners start with the basic ASA or US Sailing Association classes, and move on to bareboat charter and coastal navigation courses. What ever your sailing or boating interest, there is a "Learn to Sail" class for you. We hope these online sailing lessons help you maximize your time on the boat. Good luck and enjoy your life  ... you only get one.


Resources
Learn the 100 most important words and terms you need for sailing
Five ready to use Day Sail checklists that can be viewed for FREE on your iPhone or any other Web - Enabled - Device from Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T's G3 network. If you have a laptop on your Nav Station, you can also call up the checklist or print the PDF version. Checklists include Personal Gear, Safety and Legal, House Systems, Machinery, and Reading Sails and Lines.
We just expanded this section to include dozens excellent videos involving sailing training, knot tying, racing, bloopers, and fun commentary presented in High Definition.
All the videos are organized and present in our clean, uncluttered format.
Learn, laugh, and most important: Enjoy yourself.
We welcome your comments and ideas. Marilyn and I developed this site as a way to help the beginning sailor. If something needs to be clarified, or you think it's great, just drop us a note and tell us..
Drop us a note
Open PDF to Print Checklist
Go to Points of Sail Lesson
Available as a special stand alone tutorial, our Points of Sail lesson is clearly unique in its multi-view approach to understanding wind direction and the sailing terminology associated with it. This lesson clearly illustrates not only the Point of Sail and the Mainsail position, it also includes the tack, the wind angle, and the masthead wind direction. As a special bonus, it also includes the "clock method" of describing wind direction
Go to Sea It Say it
Go to Checklist Index
Go to The Video Library
Lesson
Experience is a great teacher, and this is a great place to start. In our new "Teachable Moment" section we hope to bring you the experiences of thousands of miles of sailing, without leaving your seat. Beth Leonard, circumnavigator and author of The Voyager's Handbook, saw the benefit of our project and was the first to add a lesson. Cmdr. Suzanne Giesemann, the respected author and avid sailor has just added another great lesson from her book It's Your Boat Too. Cruiser Laurie Pane, who sailed around the world with his wife and son, share two great lessons from his is book Chasing Sunsets. Offshore sailor, Bill Biewenga's has just been added two more lessons. NEW  Jim & Wendy Ulik prove you can live your dreams in a sailboat under 30 feet! NEW Scott Welty, the fun teacher, shares one of his great MacGyver lessons with us.  Check back frequently as we add more.

Go to Checklist Index
When we first saw the Marine GeoGarage we knew it would be perfect for the sailor learning the basics of charting and navigation symbols. By laying 1018 NOAA charts over Google Maps, the Marine GeoGarage allows you to effortlessly visualize the details. Adding tools like the US Coast Guard Navigation Aids and NOAA Chart 1 Symbols to the screen, makes it the perfect tool for students exploring any coastline in America. Techically adding layers is called a "Mash Up". So ours must be a Super Mash Up!
Go to Checklist Index
Three tools have been included within this lesson group. First the US Coast Guard's combined  International (COLREGS) and Inland Navigation Rules. Next is The Handbook of the Nautical Rules of the Road, written by Chris Llana and George Wisneskey, an excellent guide for gaining understanding. Finally we have included the US Coast Guard Auxiliary's Plain English flash card prep tool, available in the original print version and updated for on-line lessons.

Go to Nav Rules
Go to Weather and Tide Resource Page
These resources were collected and contributed by Bill Biewenga.  Bill is one of America's most accomplished offshore sailors. He has accumulated approximately 400,000 sea miles including 37 transatlantic crossings, several TransPacs, numerous record attempts, deliveries and races, as well as participation in four round the world races.  Bill has several lessons in our Voice of Experience Section

Go To The Interactive Sailing Lesson Index Page

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Go To Points of Sail Training Lesson
Go to Sea and Say It
To to the NAV Rules Index
Learn Some Great Lessons by clicking this Button
Go to NOAA Charts over Google Charts
To Weather and Tide Links
Send Us Feedback

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Go To Knot Videos and Animations
10 Great E-Magazines at your finger tips

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We told the publishers of the best cruising, racing, and regional boating magazines what we were doing and they were more than happy to contribute the electronic version of their magazines. These magazines are filled with excellent articles covering wonderful places you can put on your personal "100 Places to Sail" list, as well as great experiences others have had and survived. Enjoy Latitude's and Attitude's Seafaring, Latitude 38, Carolina Currents,48 Degrees North, Points East, Great Lakes Scuttbutt, Southwinds, Caribbean Compass, Spinsheet, and Ocean Navigator.

Video Lesson created by Ashoreschool.com
Video Lesson created by Ashoreschool.com
New 3 Minute "How To" Video Lesson
The Mother of Sailing Videos
Send us your comments
The Newest Flashcard game for learning parts of the sailboat
The Newest Coastal Storm Prediction Center
Complete Weather and Tides Library
Points of Sail
New Video Library
Go to the fantastic Free Newsstand
Incredible tool to view charts for  any US Harbor
Learn From Others
Access Checklist by PC & iPhone or other Web Enabled Devices
Click here to go to the fun new way to learn sailing basics
Return to Port
Send us your comments
The Newest Flashcard game for learning parts of the sailboat
The Newest Coastal Storm Prediction Center
Complete Weather and Tides Library
Points of Sail
New Video Library
Go to the fantastic Free Newsstand
Incredible tool to view charts for  any US Harbor
Learn From Others
Access Checklist by PC & iPhone or other Web Enabled Devices
Click here to go to the fun new way to learn sailing basics
Return to Port
LEARN: Free interactive sailing lessons will take you from an absolute beginner to a confident sailing student who can communicate well with your instructor and classmates. 

READ: The electronic version  of
L&A's Seafaring, Latitude 38, Carolina Currents,48 Degrees North, Points East, Great Lakes Scuttbutt, Southwinds, Caribbean Compass, Spinsheet, and Ocean Navigator.


DEFINE:    Understand the  definitions of common nautical words and phrases

CHECK: Five ready-to-use Day Sail checklists that can be viewed for FREE on your iPhone or any other Web - Enabled - Device
EXPERIENCE is a great teacher, and this is a excellent place to start. In this section we bring you the experiences of thousands of miles of sailing, without leaving your seat.
CHART: 1018 NOAA charts over Google Maps, with US Coast Guard Navigation Aids and NOAA Chart 1 Symbols. Makes it the perfect tool for students exploring any US coastline
WATCH: Expanded section includes dozens of excellent videos involving sailing training, knot tying, racing, bloopers, and fun commentary presented in High Definition.

UNDERSTAND: Our Points of Sail lesson  clearly illustrates not only the Point of Sail and the Mainsail position, it also includes the tack, the wind angle, and the masthead wind direction.
PLAN: Where do you go once you have learned   sail?  These great websites will help you plan you future behind the helm.
PREDICT: These excellent weather related resources were collected and contributed by Bill Biewenga. All the resources you need to keep an eye on the weather
SEE:  Increase your comfort level and confidence with  sailboat images identifying key areas of a sailboat.
SAY: We welcome your comments and ideas.  If something needs to be clarified, or you think it's great, just drop us a note and tell us...
MAIN: Return to Port
We know what your asking... Is it really free? It this some kind of trick? Who gives away content like this? Yes, No, We do!
Plus we have made it really easy!  One of our favorites is the "Lessons in a Box". You can add this drop down box to your website and it takes up only about 1/2' x 3" but gives your students, friends, neighbors, and relatives access to 9 Ashoreschool lessons - Just copy and paste the code to your website.
Drop us a note
Send Us Feedback

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So once you pass your bareboat course... where can you go? Find the best places to sail, and itineraries for charter bases around the globe. Interested in cruising the Pacific Northwest, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, the Mediterranean?  Sailing offers true "Choose Your Own Adventure" opportunities matched by few activities. 
Go to Checklist Index

Preview

Latitude's and Attitude's Seafaring, Latitude 38, Carolina Currents,48 Degrees North, Points East, Great Lakes Scuttbutt, Southwinds, Caribbean Compass, Spinsheet, and Ocean Navigator.