Seattle Sailing Lessons

Learning to sail and joining the sailing community can be a very rewarding life experience and sailing is a great way to spend your vacations. Learning to sail is easier than most people think and a US Sailing certification from Windworks Sailing & Powerboating is the best way feel confident out on the water.

Why Windworks & US Sailing?

Windworks offers Free US Sailing Membership and Free Basic Keelboat Graduate sail ($180 value)*.

*Requires Windworks club membership and all (3) Basic Keelboat classes completed/passed.  Free Graduate sail is available Monday – Fridays during Summer Season.  Other seasons available any day of week.

• US Sailing requires more time on the water to get certified and a low student to teacher ratio.
• US Sailing is the only sailing body recognized by Congress.
• US Sailing provides the most comprehensive certifications available that result in the greatest student confidence.
• Windworks Sailing & Powerboating provides the highest level of education and is the only US Sailing school in Washington that certifies other US Sailing instructors.
• Windworks instructors are US Sailing certified, Coast Guard licensed, and professional educators.
• Windworks school is consistently rated 5 Stars on Google (Over 100 (5) Stars) by its students. Check our reviews.
• Windworks has best newer fleet of boats to learn on than any other sailing school in Washington.  Come see our fleet in person before taking lessons.

What does it take to get certified?

US Sailing & Windworks currently offers six levels of certification:

• Crew Level: A crew-level certification can be accomplished in one day and will provide the skills necessary to participate as a crew member on a small keelboat.
• Basic Keelboat: Build on what you learned in Crew Level and skipper your own boat. Find out how pilot a sailboat, navigate, anchor and manage a crew. Certifies student to skipper vessels up to 27’/tiller outboard
• Basic Cruising: Build on what you learned in Basic Keelboat by learning how to sail larger keelboats, up to 42 feet in length. You will learn basic navigation, sail theory, boat handling, anchoring, and docking.
• Bareboat Cruising:  Build on what you learned in Basic Cruising and get certified to skipper vessels up to 42 feet in length for multi-day charters. Bareboat Cruising will provide the knowledge to confidently and safely pilot a craft in a wide variety of conditions and anywhere in the world.
• US Sailing Coastal Navigation:  16 hours taught by Eric Jonsen (US Sailing trainer instructor).  Classes are spread out over (4) days after work during weekdays.  Requires US Sailing (BBC) Certification or equivalent.  Call our office (206) 784 – 9386 for details and dates.  Class sells out quickly.
• (5) day US Sailing Basic to Bareboat Certification.  Intense on water class for “Experienced Sailors” wanting US Bareboat certification quickly.  Taught on our larger diesel hydronic forced air heated 38′ to 47′ late model Sailboats with (3) cabins.  Call our office for details and dates.  (206) 784-9386
• Private Lessons Available for power and sail boats for $120/hour plus cost of the vessel for a half day.  Call (206) 784-9386 to arrange.

This course is designed for students who have never sailed before and want to learn how to skipper a small keelboat. The skills learned in this class can be built upon with our Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising and will eventually certify the student to take larger boats for multi-day charters.

US Sailing’s Basic Keelboat certification is the most comprehensive certification in the market and will give you the ability to responsibly skipper and crew a simple daysailing keelboat in familiar waters in light to moderate wind and sea conditions. The certification is broken into three classes that must be taken in order:

• Basic Keelboat 1 (BK1): Learn about safety, getting on and off the dock, how to raise the sails and more. Certifies student to sail as a crew member.
• Basic Keelboat 2 (BK2): Build on Basic Keelboat 1 with more sailing theory, boat handling, docking and practical experience.
• Basic Keelboat 3 (BK3): Build on Basic Keelboat 2 with more sailing theory, basic navigation, and other skills necessary to skipper a boat.

Successful completion prepares you to:

• Certification that allows you sail up to 25′ tiller steered sailboat.
• Crew operations and skills
• Leaving the dock or mooring
• Boat control in open and confined waters
• Heavy weather sailing
• Basic navigation skills
• Overboard rescue methods
• Safety and emergency procedures
• Anchoring techniques

Prerequisites

No Experience required.  Students must be 18 years or older.  Youth student classes  from ages 15 to 17 are available during summer months.  Please call office for schedule. (206) 784-9386.

Pricing

Basic Keelboat 1:

• Members & Non-members: $295
• Book a mid-week course for a 50% discount. (Text book extra)

Basic Keelboat 2 & 3:

• Members: $440 (Includes text book and free graduate sail)
• Non-Members: $540 (text book not included)

Learn to sail a cruising keelboat. Cruising keelboats generally have inboard diesel engines, a steering wheel, are set up for multiple day trips and, also, most cruising vessels and include hot and cold water, cooking facilities, sleeping quarters, and private bathrooms with showers. The larger size of the vessel is more comfortable for day sailing, as they can accommodate more passengers.

US Sailing’s Basic Cruising certification is the most comprehensive certification in the market and will give you the confidence to safely sail anywhere in the world and in a variety of weather conditions. The certification is broken into three classes that must be taken in order:

• Basic Cruising Part 1 (BC1)
• Basic Cruising Part 2 (BC2)
• Basic Cruising Part 3 (BC3)

Successful completion prepares you to:

• Certification that allows you sail up to 42′ sailboat.
• Organize and direct crew operations.
• Day-trip planning.
• Basic charts and navigation.
• Sail trim, heaving-to.
• Heavy weather sailing techniques.
• Inboard engine techniques.
• Docking techniques.
• Anchoring techniques.
• Safety and emergency procedures.

Prerequisites

Basic Keelboat Part 3 (BK3) or equivalent

Pricing

BC1, BC2, BC3 Package

• Members: $740 (Includes text book)
• Non-members: $895 (text book not included)

You finally made it, gone through all the classes, had sufficient time on the water, and now you are ready to get through the next level. Taking the cruisers out for more than a day sail, that’s what real sailors want, to take her where the wind blows you, and stay aboard anchored in a far away harbor.

The first night you will charter your destination and get provisions for the trip, feel free to stay the night in the marina on your vessel. The group will set sail in the am at the designated time, and be anchored or moored by sunset. The next morning you will set sail again, and take the test on the boat before arriving back to the dock before sunset.

Successful completion prepares you to:

• Certification allows you to skipper vessels up to 42 feet.
• Organize and direct crew operations.
• Plan multiple day charters.
• Advanced seamanship.
• Advanced sailing techniques.
• Advanced heavy weather sailing techniques.
• Advanced docking techniques.
• Extensive knowledge of boat systems including diesel engine troubleshooting and galley safety procedures.

Prerequisites

Basic Cruising (BC3)

Bareboat cruising also requires Navigation & Piloting Part 1 & 2 for a separate fee $475 for members and $550 for non-members.

Navigation and Piloting class is one of the favorite classroom courses for our members. We’ll teach you all of the critical information needed to navigate our beautiful complex waters of the Salish Sea and Puget Sound. You’ll learn how to interpret the USCG Aids to Navigation (ATON), how to read the navigational charts (maps), calculate tides and currents, estimate fuel burn and bridge clearances, and plan your itineraries.

Pricing

• WWSC Members: $795 (text book included)
• Non-members: $925 (text book not included)

The Catamaran Endorsement Course is intended for students with a US Sailing Bareboat Cruising certification or equivalent skills. The course is taught aboard our brand Lagoon 400 Catamaran. Our Catamaran Endorsement course is designed for sailors looking to become competent and confident on larger cruising catamarans. You’ll practice all the skills you need for chartering this yacht, anywhere in the world, on the beautiful Puget Sound.

Successful completion prepares you to:

Maneuvering Under Power

• Demonstrate holding position, pivot turn around center and around each hull, starting, stopping and speed control.
• Demonstrate leaving and returning to a dock under power.
• Demonstrate making way and maneuvering upwind and crosswind in forward and reverse. Demonstrate maneuvering with one engine.

Sailing Skills

• Demonstrate the trim cycle for a catamaran, including the proper use of the traveler and/or boom vang. Demonstrate the use of a barber hauler when sailing off the wind.
• Demonstrate the specialized skills of tacking a catamaran.
• Demonstrate jibing, including proper control of the mainsail.
• Demonstrate shortening sail to depower the boat.

Overboard Rescue

• Properly demonstrate one of the overboard rescue methods under sail, taking into account the boat’s performance characteristics.
• Properly demonstrate one of the overboard rescue methods under power, taking into account the boat’s performance characteristics.

Anchoring Techniques

• Demonstrate the proper use of an anchoring bridle, including its deployment, retrieval, and storage.
• Demonstrate the use of two anchors off the bow.
• Pick up and properly secure to a mooring from the bow.
• Pick up and properly secure to a mooring from the stern.

Prerequisites

Bareboat Cruising (BBC)

Pricing

• WWSC Members: $395
• Non-members: $595

You finally made it, gone through all the classes, had sufficient time on the water, and now you are ready to get through the next level. Taking cruisers out for more than a day sail, that’s what real sailors want, to take her where the wind blows you, and stay aboard anchored in a far away harbor.

You will learn, and practice, the skills required for safe coastal passages as a skipper or crew aboard an inboard auxiliary powered cruising sailboat during passages on coastal waters, in all weather conditions, including all levels of visibility and all hours of the day and night.

Successful completion prepares you to:

Preparation to Sail

• Prepare a plan for an open ocean passage of at least 600 nautical miles.
• Develop a comprehensive provisioning and galley duty plan.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive check of the vessel, her rig and equipment.

Crew Operations and Skills

• Develop a primary and alternative watch schedule and duty roster for the skipper, navigator, crew, galley and ship’s maintenance for the passage.
• Demonstrate a plan of advanced weather forecasting: global weather patterns, high and low pressure systems, fronts, storms, squalls, gales, hurricanes and various fog conditions.
• Leaving the Dock or Mooring:
• Develop a departure plan for the vessel and crew, and demonstrate appropriate helmsman and crew coordination and skills for leaving a dock in adverse (actual or simulated) conditions.

Navigation

• Demonstrate competency in proper offshore navigation techniques.
• Maintain a continuous ship’s log in a timely manner to include significant events, navigation entries and weather records.

Communications

• Be familiar with the operation of the SSB radio as well as other modern means of long range communications.

Boat Control In Open Water

• Demonstrate decision making and boathandling skills for boat control in any wind and sea conditions.

Heavy Weather Sailing

• Demonstrate boat control in adverse conditions (actual or simulated) using a sea anchor or drogue.
• Demonstrate boat control in adverse conditions (actual or simulated) using storm sails, and heaving-to or running off.

Prerequisites

Bareboat Cruising (BBC)

US Costal Navigation

Pricing

• WWSC Members: $1,750*
• Non-members: $2,200 (Text book extra)

* Textbook Included