US Sailing Instructions & Courses for All Experience Levels
Florida Sailing School: Key West & Miami
Charisma Sailing is offering private and group instruction and courses from our bases in Key West and on Miami’s Biscayne Bay. We create personalized pathways to sailing proficiency through expert, safe, and fun sailing education, following the successful US Sailing curriculum. All instructions follow the curriculum and internationally accepted standards of the United States Sailing Association, the National Governing Body for the Sport of Sailing.
The US Sailing Keelboat Certification System supports you to achieve your personal sailing goals with a clearly structured series of certification levels based on the natural progression of experience from daysailing close to shore to blue water cruising and extended passage making.
First Sail Experience
Would you like to try sailing? This casual sailing class is designed for students of all ages who have never sailed before and are curious about what learning to sail involves. This course is ideal for either single adult students or groups of families or friends.
This is the ideal course format to test if learning to sail is for you, whether on your own, with a partner, your kids, or grandkids. The minimum age for unaccompanied students is 12 years.
Enjoy your time on the water with one of our experienced sailing instructors to experience the joy of sailing in a stable, modern 26-foot keelboat that is designed for learning.
Our small group course sizes ensure everyone’s comfort and the guidance of our experienced instructors will make your sail an enjoyable and memorable experience close to shore.
Under the care of a US Sailing certified instructor, you will have the opportunity to learn a few sailing basics such as sailing terms and wind-sensing in a fun way on a safe, stable sailboat.
PREREQUISITES: No prior experience is necessary for this course.
LOCATION: Miami Yacht Club or Key West
COURSE LENGTH: 4 hours
GROUP SIZE: 4-6 people
Request information and register: Click here
Learn to Sail Intro Course
This 2-day course will teach you key sailing skills like:
How to read the wind
Steering the boat using a tiller
Setting and trimming sails for different wind conditions
Basic navigation and right of way on the water
How to tie important knots
Techniques for handling emergencies.
Don’t worry, everything is taught step-by-step, so you’ll build your skills gradually and our small group course sizes ensure everyone’s comfort on the boat.
The guidance of experienced instructors will make your sail an enjoyable and memorable experience on a safe, stable keelboat that is designed for learning.
This is the ideal course format if you are interested in learning how to sail, but are not yet ready for the Basic Keelboat Certification.
PREREQUISITES: No prior experience is necessary for this course.
LOCATION: Miami Yacht Club
COURSE LENGTH: 2 days
GROUP SIZE: 4-6 people
Request information and register: Click here
US Sailing Basic Keelboat Course & Certification
The US Sailing Basic Keelboat course is the national standard for quality sailing instruction.This course is designed for adult students to learn all skills required to competently sail an 18′ to 32′ keelboat in various conditions.
This class includes the essential keelboat sailing concepts of wind-sensing, boat preparation, boat parts, nautical terms, rigging, sail trim, departure and return under sail, basic sailing maneuvers, points of sail, use of navigational charts, basic navigation rules, emergency procedures, anchoring, overboard recovery, and the most important sailor knots.
Our small group course sizes of up to 4 people per boat ensure comfort and the best learning experience.
PREREQUISITES: No prior experience or certification is necessary for this course. However, you are completely new to sailing, however, it’s very important to study and prepare before the first day of class for this very fast-paced course. You’ll receive course material in advance to help you do this.
LOCATION: The course is available at our Miami and Key West bases.
COURSE LENGTH: 3-4 Sailing Days + ½ Day Written Certification Test
Click here to review the standards for all U.S. Sailing certification levels.
Request information and register: Click here
US Sailing Basic Cruising Course & Certification
The Basic Cruising Course is designed to allow a sailor the ability to responsibly skipper and crew an auxiliary powered cruising sailboat, during daylight hours, within sight of land in moderate wind and sea conditions.
This course follows the curriculum of the US Sailing system, the national standard for quality sailing instruction.
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite for this course is US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification. Students with prior ASA 101 experience or certification may “challenge” the certification by demonstrating the practical knowledge during 1 day course on the water and the written exam.
LOCATION: The course is available at our Miami and Key West bases.
COURSE LENGTH: 3-4 Sailing Days + ½ Day Written Certification Test
Click here to review the standards for all U.S. Sailing certification levels.
Request information and register: Click here
Monohull Skipper Course
This course combines the Basic Keelboat Certification and Basic Cruising levels of the US Sailing curriculum. Learn to sail and become certified for open water sailing at the same time.
This course follows the curriculum of the US Sailing system, the national standard for quality sailing instruction.
PREREQUISITES: No prior experience or certification is necessary for this course. However, you are completely new to sailing, however, it’s very important to study and prepare before the first day of class for this very fast-paced course. You’ll receive course material in advance to help you do this.
LOCATION: The course is available at our Miami and Key West bases.
COURSE LENGTH: 8 Sailing Days + ½ Day Written Certification Test
Click here to review the standards for all U.S. Sailing certification levels.
For more information and to register: Click here
US Sailing Bareboat Cruising Course & Certification: Monohull
Become certified for bareboat chartering a monohull sailboat.
This course fulfills the requirements of the U.S. Sailing Bareboat Cruising Course and is designed for sailors interested in monohull chartering in national or international waters.
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites for this course are US Sailing Basic Keelboat and Basic Cruising Certifications. This course includes a refresher on Cruising principles and teaches the skills needed for the Bareboat Cruising Certification level of the US Sailing curriculum.
LOCATION: This course is available at our bases in Miami and Key West.
COURSE LENGTH: 3 Sailing Days + ½ Day Written Certification Test
Click here to review the standards for all U.S. Sailing certification levels.
For more information and to register: Click here
US Sailing Bareboat Cruising Course & Certification with Catamaran Endorsement
Become certified for bareboat chartering a sailing catamaran. This course fulfills the requirements of the U.S. Sailing Bareboat Cruising Course and is designed for sailors interested in chartering a catamaran in national or international waters.
Study during a 4-day course on a cruising catamaran. This course is also available during an instructional charter with family or friends from our base in Key West, Florida.
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites for this course are US Sailing Basic Keelboat and Basic Cruising Certifications. This course includes a refresher on Cruising principles and teaches the skills needed for the Bareboat Cruising Certification level of the US Sailing curriculum, combined with additional catamaran training that will meet the certification standard for the Cruising Catamaran Endorsement.
LOCATION: ThIs course is available at our base in Key West, Florida.
Course Length: 4 Days + ½ Day Written Certification Test
Click here to review the standards for all U.S. Sailing certification levels.
For more information and to register: Click here
US Sailing Celestial Navigation Course
This course is essential for anyone seeking to learn traditional celestial techniques. Embark on a celestial journey with this US Sailing Certification Course, where you'll uncover the most effective methods for celestial navigation with practical applications for modern-day sailors.
Celestial Navigation graduates will have mastered the techniques of open ocean position fixing using sextant and timepiece. They will be able to apply their knowledge of sight reduction methodology to enable them to reduce a sextant sight to a plotted line of position using any celestial body found in the Nautical Almanac.
PREREQUISITE: The prerequisite for our Celestial Navigation shore-based course is a US Sailing Coastal Navigation Certification.
The prerequisite for the optional on the water experience is a US Sailing Coastal Passage Making Certification.
LOCATIONS: This course is available at our base in Key West, Florida.
COURSE LENGTH: 5 days of on-shore instruction + ½ Day Written Certification Test + Optional four-day on the water practice opportunity
Click here to review the standards for all U.S. Sailing certification levels.
For more information and to register: Click here
Challenge a US Sailing Certification Course
If you are an experienced sailor, you may challenge a course to achieve your desired certification level of the US Sailing Keelboat Certification System.
A certification candidate with previous experience and competency, may challenge the required prerequisite levels by completing the written and practical examinations for each required level. Essentially, you will be taken for an on-water check out for the highest level of certification you are challenging. If you pass the practical test, you can then take the exams for the appropriate certification levels.
An example is that you wish to challenge the bareboat cruising certification. Your on-water check out at the bareboat cruising level will test the knowledge and skills for that certification. Pass the practical test and then take the multiple-choice exams for the basic keelboat, basic cruising, and bareboat cruising certifications.
You can take the course challenge on your own boat or school boats in Miami and Key West, or our instructors will travel to your location.
Click here to review the standards for all U.S. Sailing certification levels.
Course Length: TBD
Sail away with us!
From the depths to the shallows. Amid coral reefs and sponge gardens. Under a canopy of mangroves. With nothing but the breeze blowing over an expanse of sail.
Discover yourself while you experience a new rhythm of life.
