Basic Sailing - Keelboat Certification

Overview

Island Sailing's review and testimonial. When an Island Sailing student takes practical training from one of it’s hands-on instructors, the student now has the opportunity to rate their learning experience with the instructor.Rated 4.87/5 by students!

Learn to Sail!

Begin your sailing with no prior experience! In the Basic Sailing Course you learn the fundamental knowledge and practical skills required to be become a competent sailor and gain your Skipper Small Keelboat Certification - all in a relaxed and fun weekend.

Learning to sail is fun, easy and safe.  The course is a combination of online knowledge study followed by a weekend of on-water practical training. You begin shortly after sign-up with online knowledge courses - the online knowledge courses allow you learn the fundamentals at your own pace.The practical class itself is mostly on the water and with an emphasis on students learning, practicing and refining basic sailing maneuvers and skills.

Your instructor is US Coast Guard Licensed, highly experienced and dedicated to making the class a safe and enjoyable learning experience. If the instructor feels the class (or individuals) need more training (no wind, &c.), they're empowered to follow-up at no additional cost to the students.

register now for sailing classes, courses and clinics

2 Days Small Group Instruction

small group sailing classes

Courses are kept small for personalized instruction, and our instructors are highly experienced sailors and USCG Captains. The weekend will be spent both in the classroom (a little) and on the water (a lot), and the emphasis is on learning and practicing practical skills. By the end of the class... read more

...the instructor will verify your competency at a Skipper level, which means the instructor is confident in your abilities to sail or crew without him. Some examples of what you'll learn and practice:

  • Sailing terms and communications
  • How to use the tiller properly
  • How to raise the sails
  • Use the various lines to make adjustments or “trim” the sails
  • Basic maneuvers such as tacking and gybing.
  • Docking,
  • Raising and lowering the sails
  • Retrieving crew-overboard.

By the end of the course, you’ll garner respect from your crew as a helmsman, learn to handle the sails and lines as crew, and tying knots such as bowlines and hitches will become second nature. And, we guarantee competency!

Advanced Online Knowledge Training

NauticEd Worlds most advanced sailing education. Click and receive 2 free online sailing courses.Learning to sail requires understanding a sailboat, terminology, the theory of how wind powers sails, basic maneuvering, navigational rules and more.... For knowledge, we offer NauticEd's online courses to prepare you with the most advanced and current online sailing education available (read below for the book option).  Start immediately, take your time, and test online. read more

When you sign-up, you'll receive a NauticEd account that includes the following courses:

Skipper Small Keelboat Course - topics include (full description at NauticEd Skipper Small Keelboat Course):

  • Weather and Sea Conditions
  • Electrical Systems and Mechanical Systems
  • Rigging
  • Rules of the Nautical Road
  • Maneuvering in the Marina
  • Sailing
  • Communications
  • Navigation Introduction
  • Anchoring and Mooring
  • Coping with Emergencies

Navigational Rules Clinic - topics include (full description at NauticEd Navigational Rules):

  • Why "Right of Way" is more properly called "Stand On"
  • Essential knowledge regarding the Rules with other vessels
  • How not to get squashed like a bug by big container ships
  • Who gives way between power driven vessels and sailboats
  • When sailboats must give way to other vessels
  • When Sailboats give way to each other
  • You'll be presented with realistic illustrated situations

Book Option

NauticEd Skippering a Small Keelboat by Grant HeadifenFor students who prefer a more traditional book format, Skippering a Small Keelboat offers everything you need to know - and with its unique, scannable QR codes providing clear instructional videos and animations, it is the next best thing to being on the water with an instructor at your side. It brings the book to life. The only thing missing is the water.

Skippering a Small Keelboat - Skills from the Masters is available on Amazon →

Skipper Small Keelboat Certification

Nauticed Skipper small boat sailing certification

Certification requires you pass all the competency tests listed below. With NauticEd it's really simple: when you sign-up, you'll be given access to an online resume that records your online training, instructor sign-offs and experience... read details

Each step is recorded in your online resume, and once ALL the required steps are achieved - you're certified.  Pretty cool, eh? Certification requires successfully passing the following competency requirements: 

√ Knowledge: online courses
√ Practical Competency: 2-day course
+ Experience: 2 additional days of sailing experience

The additional days of experience are required to demonstrate that you can successfully skipper on your own, utilizing what you learned online and on-the-water.  The days are logged into your NaucticEd online logbook and once completed - you're certified! Read more about NauticEd Sailing Certification »

And yes, this is a higher standard in that you're required to demonstrate 2 days of experience on your own (prior experience counts).

American National Standard - Sail

NASBLA Certified CourseOur training adheres to EDU-3 On-Water Sail Standards (American National Standard), the official standard for on-water instruction in entry-level recreational sailboat operation, and as is verified by NASBLA as conforming to an "independent third-party assessment process". read more

The effort was funded by the United States Coast Guard in an effort to increase boating safety, and our courses utilize the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) approved Rubric Methodology. What does this mean? Our instructors use the ANSI 'rubric methodology' to objectively assess student performance in our courses.  Upon successful completion, students will receive the ANS endorsement on their sailing certification, which signifies that their certification meets USCG recreational competence standards. Read more about the American National Standard and NASBLA »

Guaranteed Practical Competency*

Guaranteed Competency includes assessing skills, abilities and knowledgeSimply, you're paying us to learn to sail at a certain level (not for a certain number of hours).read more

We guarantee* that in practical courses your instructor will verify* your practical competency.  By this we mean that Island Sailing management cannot override instructor decisions; and towards the end of the practical course your instructor will decide whether you're sufficiently trained (or not).  Sometimes the instructor may want to reschedule if the weather's uncooperative, or they may feel a particular student may need additional instruction or mentoring on certain topics.

 * The Practical Competency Guarantee requires that prior to class (a) the student successfully completes the prerequisite practical courses, and (b) the student completes the required online knowledge courses. The Guarantee does not apply if prerequisite practical courses and required knowledge courses are not completed prior to class.

Free Tracklink ios App

NauticEd Tracklink sailing appA leading sailing app that includes "Geofencing" GPS tracking, anchor alarm and vessel emergency features.  Even better... read more

...your time sailing is sync'd with your online sailing resume, taking the hassle out of keeping a written logbook and completing resumes for charter companies!  For more info, click here NauticEd Tracklink

Prices & Registration:

Basic Sailing Course - Skipper Small Keelboat Certification: $415.00 per sailor ($374 for Club Members)

What's Included (Skipper Small Keelboat):
• Online Courses*: Skipper Small Keelboat, Basic Navigational Rules.
• 2 days Small Group Instruction with Guaranteed Competency
• NauticEd Skipper Small Keelboat Certification once all certification requirements are achieved
• NauticEd Membership, online resume and free Tracklink ios App
*The paperback Skippering a Small Keelboat - Skills from the Masters is not included and is purchased from Amazon (click here).

Sailing gifts, the Gift of Sailing

Sailing Gift Certificates
Give the Gift of Sailing to friends & family
click here

Registration:

To register online, select a class date to begin registration. Please complete the form and process for each student as we need those details for the class.... *note: if a member, please contact us to book directly with Member Discounts. Class Booking Conditions (Deposits, Refunds and Cancellations) are detailed here >

Upcoming Basic Classes (date is first day)

  • Mar28Sat
    Basic Sailing - Portland
    $415.00
    1
    left
    10:00 amIsland Sailing, 515 NE Tomahawk Island Dr, Portland, OR 97217, United States

Questions?

Please contact us with questions or if a convenient course date is not listed.

Contact
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Need Help? Contact Island Sailing

Alternatively, you can contact Stephen directly at stephen@islandsailing.org or (503) 285-7765 with questions, for more information or to sign-up!

What our students say about Basic Sailing...

5 star instructor ratingRated 4.87/5 by students (189 reviews)

Student reviews are submitted to NauticEd upon course completion. See Sailing Reviews for more information »

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Michelle J. on 8/23/2018

4.2 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Lisa L. on 8/23/2018

Appreciate your class. Learned a lot.

4.4 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Lisa L. on 8/23/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Roy L. on 8/23/2018

We were weathered out a scheduled day. A.J. went out of his way to find a substitute date that would work while we were in the area. Outstanding!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Benjamin G. on 8/22/2018

read more reviews

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Benjamin G. on 8/21/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Janet H. on 8/21/2018

AJ covered everything required in the course and I had the opportunity to put all the newly learned skills into practice. I finished the second day of the class feeling more confident than I had expected. Having said that, I definitely need some more time

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Russell K. on 8/20/2018

The class was great. Alan did an amazing job getting us all to not just perform sailing tasks but think about why we were doing them. Learning about sailing is my first goal, not just getting a certificate. Alan made that happen.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Laurell H. on 8/20/2018

Amazing instructor!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Cindy B. on 8/19/2018

Stephan is a fantastic instructor and very kind in how he corrected us as we learned. I would recommend him to anyone wanting to learn to sail or sail better. Thank youso much!!

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By William B. on 8/12/2018

I learned a lot from Alan during the Skipper small keel boat classes, the spinnaker clinics and the several evenings I sailed with him on board Zap. Island sailing is lucky to have him at the helm.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Spencer
By Mark A. on 8/10/2018

Dave is a very knowledge and patient instructor. He did a very good job of teaching at the various levels required to meet the needs of all of the students.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Ximing S. on 8/8/2018

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Roy
By Chris B. on 8/7/2018

3.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Nicholas B. on 8/6/2018

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Roy
By Brent B. on 8/4/2018

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mary W. on 7/29/2018

Wonderful experience. Great instructor. Very passionate and knowledgable. My only suggestion is to create a moment to digest information being presented and allow for questions before moving on to new teachings. I heard bookmark that question many times

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Jeremy P. on 7/29/2018

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Kathy R. on 7/26/2018

AJ was great. I need more practice and have eagerly signed up for the next step. I love it!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Suzanne F. on 7/22/2018

Nate was patient, so knowlegable and professional. We spent more time learning on the boat and it all came together.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Luken U. on 7/22/2018

Stephen is one of the most relaxed, nice, and informative instructirs I've had for anything

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Rosemary M. on 7/16/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Jon W. on 7/11/2018

AJ had a great approach of teaching us while letting us feel relaxed and learn. Had a great two days!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Svetlana W. on 7/8/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Mark J. on 7/3/2018

Nat was excellent in all areas. He took the time to explain maneuvers, gave good feedback, was willing to listen to sometimes repetitive questions, and was willing to admit when he forgot to tell us something or didn’t communicate the entire situation.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Jimmy S. on 7/2/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Kalina L. on 7/2/2018

Nat is everything you hope your instructor will be: friendly, patient, knowledgeable, and passionate about sailing.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Russell K. on 6/30/2018

Stephen was patient with the group and very clear about what he wanted us to know. A bonus came from the fact that we all had a great time while learning.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Scott H. on 6/25/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Spencer
By Scott H. on 6/25/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mike N. on 6/24/2018

Stephan was an excellent instructor. He explained each maneuver orally and visually. He guided us by letting us do the maneuvers ourselves and giving us pointers all the way through. Thereby giving us the true feel of each maneuver but being close enough

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Spencer
By Kelly A. on 6/24/2018

I thought Dave was great and really worked at my pace--challenging me but not overwhelming me! Thank you!!!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Mike L. on 6/23/2018

We were fortunate in that the others in our group didn’t show up. Alan really gave us serious practical instruction/experience that I feel I can use successfully. Great teacher and I’d recommend him for anyone learning how to sail.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Thomas T. on 6/20/2018

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Shelley H. on 6/18/2018

Stephen is a great instructor. I'd prefer a course that takes place with more days on the boat with an instructor to develop a depth of competency.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Katie B. on 6/15/2018

Really great enthusiasm & professional, knowledgeable instruction!

3.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Jim S. on 6/11/2018

Alan was great until we ran aground. This happened 3 times during out 2 days of lessons. In stead of remaining calm and leading us out of this non-emergent problem he resorted to unhelpful yelling at us, providing us with poor direction, and basically cre

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Christopher D. on 6/11/2018

Alan did a fabulous job. Very thorough, and explains content well. I've recommended a number of others to him since those classes. (I would have given him 25 stars out of 25 but that would have left no room for improvement).

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By John B. on 6/10/2018

Stephen has a deep sailing knowledge and is so willing to share it with others. His passion for sailing is evident through his generous gift of time and dedication to teaching. Stephan was objective in his assessments of our understanding, confidence and

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Michael R. on 6/10/2018

I am very appreciative of my time with Stephan. He has the heart of a teacher and genuinely wanted to insure we had a great experience and left competent to sail on our own with a love of the activity. Beyond his professionalism and teaching approach I am

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Tanya T. on 6/2/2018

I couldn’t say enough! What a great experience with such a great instructor!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By James T. on 5/29/2018

I felt very satified with Stephens teaching and instructing. He showed great patients and had a deep knowledge of sailing.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Steven M. on 5/23/2018

As to the last 2 questions above: I'm not familiar with that assessment. He may have used it in our evaluation, so the answer could be Yes. - We didn't have much wind to work with and a truer answer the the last question would be a blend of Yes and Somewh

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Janelle T. on 5/22/2018

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Amber D. on 5/21/2018

Nat was an excellent instructor. He assessed our starting skills and abilities well and was able to adjust to our different learning styles. Nat was incredibly patient and calm - making for a very relaxed but safe learning environment. He did a great job

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Owen S. on 5/15/2018

Stephen is an excellent instructor. I would definitely take more courses with him.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Adua B. on 5/13/2018

Besides being knowledgeable and very kind with our mistakes, Nat has a lot of patient and the right ways to teach. It was a fantastic class!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Richard M. on 5/4/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Alexei L. on 4/20/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mark C. on 3/22/2018

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Micheal P. on 3/14/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Kim V. on 3/7/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Faling
By Ryland B. on 2/19/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Garrett U. on 1/29/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Calden C. on 1/28/2018

Nice work Nat!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Viet H. on 1/18/2018

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Faling
By Tammie K. on 1/12/2018

I’m off to a good start!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Sarah H. on 12/30/2017

Stephan is an excellent instructor. He is very knowledgeable and gave us lots of tips he has gathered from years of experience sailing. I would take love to take additional courses from him.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Erica M. on 12/29/2017

Not sure what is intended about the Y/N survey question about the National Standard Rubrics assessment methodology, so for the sake of rating the instructor, I replied yes as I believe he made good effort to cover the all of the material required. Also,

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Vaileios X. on 12/27/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Faling
By Dixie J. on 11/24/2017

Bruce made the course challenging, informative yet fun!!!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Jeff B. on 11/14/2017

Great sailing experience with you for the weekend. I'll recommend it for anybody. Happy sailing and Goodwill to you and yours Alan

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Sofia-Cristina V. on 11/12/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Faling
By Clinton K. on 10/29/2017

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Faling
By Peter C. on 10/3/2017

Had a great weekend with Bruce (re)learning to sail. The boats were a little small for 4 students and an instructor. 3 students would have been better but I understand the economics.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Wesley A. on 10/1/2017

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Janet H. on 9/22/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mark T. on 9/17/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Tom F. on 9/11/2017

Excellent instructor, provides the background and reason why something is done the best way and easiest way.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Sumeet S. on 9/9/2017

Stephen was very thorough and knowledgable. He knew the ins and outs of the local area and obviously sailing in general. Best of all, he knew how to transfer that knowledge and teach it. I came in with zero knowledge of sailing and learned enough to be co

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Oren T. on 9/9/2017

Stephen was not just a great teacher, he really was concerned that each student understood and was competent in executing each of the skills required for the class. It was obvious within the first hour that this class was about practical application, and

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Arthur W. on 9/8/2017

Stephan was very good at Do you need a visual on that? showing what he had done. We also went through a lot of drills which I had not done before which I probably should have like heaving to. I have done it before but not as a drill or a learning exerci

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Alice M. on 9/3/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Shawna M. on 9/2/2017

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Justen M. on 8/27/2017

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Donovan M. on 8/20/2017

Not only was he super professional, but had all the tricks of a true sailor

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Timothy D. on 8/19/2017

Alan was a great instructor who's clearly very knowledgeable about sailing. He was able to adjust his teaching style to best suit each of the four people on our boat, not an easy task. I'll take another class from him anytime.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Jon B. on 8/16/2017

Stephen is outstanding ! Very knowledgeable and loves what he does. I am so fortunate to have him as my instructor.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Andrew N. on 8/16/2017

I would take future lessons from AJ in a heartbeat. He is knowledgeable and communicates his knowledge well. He puts his students at ease in an environment where there is alot of knowledge and skill that needs to be acquired in a relatively short period o

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Walter P. on 8/7/2017

Very patient and easy to work with. Explained everything he was trying to accomplish with the crew completely. Pleasure to work with him.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Terri B. on 7/30/2017

AJ was an excellent instructor! He provided just the right amount of coaching at just the right time. As students, we each got appropriate practice with the various aspects of basic sailing which built our confidence fairly quickly.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mark W. on 7/22/2017

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Laura K. on 7/20/2017

Really enjoyed the class. Thank you!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Brent B. on 7/19/2017

Fantastic instruction and depth of knowledge. Stephen was informative and reassuring.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Jessica Kyle B. on 7/19/2017

Stephen was excellent. He was able to clearly articulate the concepts we were reviewing, answer questions with in depth answers, provide practical skills, and demonstrate how to calmly assess and respond to a variety of situations on the water. i would lo

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Cahen
By Mandy H. on 7/15/2017

Darroch is a great teacher: patient and observant. He allows students to learn with lots of hands on experience and giving them the appropriate berth to make mistakes and to learn.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Tom T. on 6/29/2017

well done, thank you!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Cahen
By Keenan B. on 6/25/2017

Darroch was a great instructor! Very knowledgeable and fun to sail with. Really challenged me to put into practice, what I learned via study. Thanks dude....I look forward to sailing with you again!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Cahen
By Juanita B. on 6/25/2017

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Faling
By Rodney H. on 6/22/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By J. Keith B. on 6/14/2017

AJ did a great job, really enjoyed the time with him. He let us learn, had us doing the work, and coached us well. The only suggestion I would have for improvement is to teach more of how to get the boat prepped from the time we walk on the dock. There WE

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Diana H. on 6/8/2017

I had a great time learning to sail with Island Sailing. I feel able to to sail in many situations because the conditions of my learning were difficult. After all was said and done, sailing in other places will be easy. My goal is Crew and I will stick

3.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Brian C. on 6/5/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Ashley H. on 6/2/2017

Stephen is the best instructor I have ever had. His ability to teach to many different levels of learning and ability spoke volumes. When you learn to sail Stephen is the man to teach you.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Cahen
By Darin C. on 5/29/2017

4 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Dale C. on 5/28/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mark W. on 5/23/2017

Stephen's patients and knowledge are exceptional. The manner in which he teaches makes it easy to understand and bulids a solid foundation on which a sailing career can be built. I look forward to sailing with him again in the future. Thank you vety much

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Robert L. on 5/23/2017

It's clear that Stephen has a wealth of sailing knowledge and experience. But he's also very good at teaching to the level of the student. I would recommend him as an instructor to anyone that is interested in sailing!

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Ed A. on 5/23/2017

I came to ISC with no knowledge about sailing but I have extensive knowledge in instructing Law Enforcement in Defensive Tactics. I was impressed by Stephen's ability to patiently teach us Sailor language and still instructing us in a language and cadence

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Rebecca P. on 5/21/2017

He structured the class very well. Couldn't ask for a more knowledgeable and approachable teacher. Even when conditions changed in unexpected ways, he handled every situation with positivity and turned them all into teachable moments.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Debra B. on 5/15/2017

Alan has an amazing amount of sailing experience which he shared freely. I learned a lot, now I just need to get out there! One thing that was difficult, but related to teaching 4 people on a boat, was when one person is given instruction, the others ofte

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Carisa B. on 5/15/2017

Alan, you did a great job teaching us as a group, and I felt like I got a lot of individual instruction, too. Thank you!

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Brian P. on 5/4/2017

Calm, patient with new to sailing crowd, a pleasure to work with

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Caitlin P. on 4/24/2017

Stephen was amazing! He was encouraging, challenging, and very knowledgeable. His way of teaching was easy to understand, and he went out of his way to make sure everyone in the boat understood what we were doing and why. I was also very impressed with ho

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Lynn V. on 4/19/2017

Stephen was great - he quickly and clearly explained concepts before we tried them out. His advice during maneuvers built instant confidence in each student. It was an amazing experience!

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Jim T. on 4/17/2017

Alan is a good instructor who could be great if he paid a bit more attention to clear (non-mistakable words/colloquialisms)commands. He's a great sailing resource and has an infectious joy of the sport.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Kim G. on 4/15/2017

calm and supportive, created a low stress environment

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Julie S. on 4/10/2017

Stephan is a wonderful instructor. He is able to explain concepts in multiple ways which was very helpful to my learning. He really knows boats and the physics of the wind and the effect on the sails. I really enjoyed my weekend in his course and plan to

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By David M. on 4/4/2017

I was a very raw student, with minimal amounts of boat knowledge. He accepted where i started and taught me lots, even taking an extra half day to teach us when the wind just died in class time. I have yet to dive into the net phase but it will happen...I

4 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Jim W. on 4/3/2017

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Jeremiah L. on 4/3/2017

A.J. is an excellent instructor. He taught my friend and I how to sail over a few weekends and we earned a new friend in the process. A.J. all the way!

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Elizabeth H. on 4/3/2017

AJ was fantastic, we had a few hiccups with the vessel (motor died just at the end of the dock) and he was able to quickly act in raising sails to get us a safe distance from the dock all while keeping calm and teaching us in the process. He also maintain

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Rich A. on 4/2/2017

Very enthusiastic and made learning to sail stress-free. Used a combination of anecdotes and structured training to facilitate learning. I left the course feeling that it was two FULL days of sailing - would have liked to have done 3 days.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Jonathon P. on 3/25/2017

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Steven U. on 3/21/2017

The boat on the second day (Olympia) had some issues that Capt. AJ used as an excellent learning experience that we normally would not have received. I'm VERY appreciative of his training and look forward to being able to learn more from him.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Sarah L. on 3/21/2017

Stephen is an excellent teacher and has the skill and knowledge to make it worthwhile to be his student. Five stars on all...except professionalism. And I only rated him less than perfect there, because I think he has a bit of saltiness that is necessary

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Chizuru N. on 3/19/2017

He is an excellent instructor! Clear instruction, be always there to teach, answer all my questions!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Ryan P. on 3/7/2017

Stephen was an excellent instructor. I really appreciated his safety-first perspective, his great practical tips and tricks, and the hard-earned knowledge he was happy to share. I am grateful that I had the chance to spend time on the water with him.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Chris O. on 2/20/2017

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Colin B. on 2/12/2017

The class was fantastic and Nat is an extraordinary instructor. I enjoyed the experience tremendously and I feel like I learned a lot. I thought NauticEd was great, but nothing beats learning while underway. I'm going to join the club and I'll sign up for

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mark K. on 12/22/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Kyle H. on 11/15/2016

Stephen is a fantastic instructor. Never in a hurry, he will take the time necessary to address your questions at a technical level that challenges you to be your very best. His calm, collected demeanor is wonderfully contagious. I learned more about sail

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Sarah N. on 11/10/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Gary D. on 11/8/2016

What an ideal experience with a superb instructor, Stephen Frankland. With an introduction to a large amount of new information we left feeling comfortable and confident of what we learned. Stephen's focus on fun, safety, fun, practical explanations that

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Dorann L. on 10/9/2016

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Karl D. on 10/9/2016

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Philippe T. on 10/6/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Cathy H. on 10/2/2016

Alan was a great teacher.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Carlo N. on 9/28/2016

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By JOHN B. on 9/28/2016

Re teaching ability, I have sailing experience, and didn't have any trouble following his directions. I think my wife, in the same class and without prior experience, found that his instruction sometimes wasn't basic enough, especially in how to handle th

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Carl D. on 9/27/2016

I had a great time and learned a lot. i now feel completely comfortable with taking a boat out, dealing with any potential problems that may arise and getting the boat back to the marina without a scratch.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Matt W. on 9/19/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Laura S. on 9/8/2016

Stephen was an amazing instructor -- so patient with us newbies, very nicely detail-oriented, enthusiastic and passionate about the sport, and diligent about issues of safety and practice. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Traci W. on 9/5/2016

I appreciated that Stephen was calm and receptive throughout our lessons. He is very kind, very knowledgeable and very helpful. You can see where it would be easy to finish the course overwhelmed and completely flabbergasted considering all the material a

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Kyle R. on 8/30/2016

Stephen is a sailor's sailor. He is kind enough to put you at total ease in the learning environment, but he is not a coddling instructor. He will tell you the truth and challenge you no matter what your skill level to step it up a notch. This was a very

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Benjamin H. on 8/29/2016

Stephen seemed slightly intimidating for the first two minutes, but I discovered quickly that he was very friendly. He obviously knew what he was doing, and was confident, calm, and collected in the couple close incidents we had on the water. Stephen is v

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Scott H. on 8/29/2016

Overall one of the best educational experiences of my life. I do not rate things highly very often. I like to think there is always room to improve. In this case, Stephen did such a superb job I cannot in good conscience rate him a 4 star on anything. Ste

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Lesley - Anne M. on 8/22/2016

I really enjoyed my first sailing exposure with AJ. I felt very comfortable asking questions, felt that he engaged the students well, and gave us room to learn on our own. I thought he kept our best interests in mind throughout the learning process, espec

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Ron H. on 8/22/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Jacob R. on 8/15/2016

Stephen was a great instructor. Really knowledgeable and friendly, and made us feel comfortable taking boats out on our own.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Tom F. on 8/9/2016

Stephen is one of the best teachers of any discipline that I've studied. Great guy!!!!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Cory K. on 8/8/2016

4.4 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Sammons
By Jim R. on 8/8/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Emily S. on 8/7/2016

Stefan taught me so much in just two days. The weather varied significantly during the class, and great use was made of both high and low wind times. He is a very professional sailor and imparts attention to detail.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Sammons
By David W. on 8/7/2016

3.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Sammons
By Tasha N. on 8/7/2016

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Brian S. on 7/26/2016

First impressions mean a lot when it comes to something like sailing. Stephen has both a passion and a deep knowledge of sailing, and as a student his enthusiasm was contagious. His class included a great blend of theory and quality hands on learning. I c

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Cahen
By Dennis P. on 7/26/2016

Just wanted to say that Darroch Cohan is an outstanding instructor. 3rd generation sailor, good stories, knowledgeable and fun to learn from. Reignited my interest. Can't say enough about this guy.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By John D. on 7/25/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Robert R. on 7/24/2016

I felt Stephen presented a very professional and very approachable person. I was impressed by is patience and firm guiding process. Clearly he loves sailing and wants others to join the fold. I would both take other classes from him and send my friends to

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Linda W. on 7/19/2016

The two-day course was great fun and I came away wanting to get right back on the water! Thanks!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Ismail P. on 7/19/2016

Nat was an amazing instructor- I was lucky to benefit from his incredible knowledge. He is an amazing asset for Island Sailing. I will recommend him highly.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Marie T. on 7/18/2016

Nat at Island Sailing Club was an excellent instructor. He was very good at adjusting the lesson to the conditions and the learning style of the class members. He used down time to teach knots and other practical skills. I would definitely take another cl

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Dede P. on 7/17/2016

Fantastic!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Christie F. on 6/21/2016

His focus on safety was especially great. I think he taught us many things that others might have glossed over, such as repeated practice on Man Overboard, how to 'heave to', anchoring, taking us out to observe a channel marker.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Jim J. on 6/19/2016

Excellent Sailor and Teacher! Great patience and enthusiasm.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By George C. on 6/16/2016

AJ is a great instructor and very pleasant individual. He takes time as an instructor to ensure the topics taught are understood by the students and that you have plenty of hand on experience to practice what you've learned in theory. Fantastic weekend sa

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Ernesto C. on 6/11/2016

AJ was very skilled and knowledgeable. He was clear, organized and patient. He was on top of the wind forecast and adjusted our class schedule so we could be on the water when the conditions allowed for great sailing. He also had good tips on learning and

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Nick B. on 6/5/2016

Awesome class. I look forward to more of them.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Steven P. on 5/31/2016

Alan Somervell was an excellent instructor that was able to break down difficult concepts for beginners like myself. He was patient and taught us what we needed to learn to be safe on the water. I am confident to go out on my own.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Tony S. on 5/31/2016

Allen was a great instructor. He had patience and was very knowledgeable about the boat the area everything. He is also a brave man being out there with some rookies and he got us all back safe. Thanks island sailing

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Larry S. on 5/30/2016

Couldn't have asked for a better instructor. Provided very constructive lessons without being overly critical. We did not always have ideal wind conditions... so appreciated the extra time and attention given... we were able to cover all of the practical

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Josephine D. on 5/29/2016

Stephen was a great instructor!

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Patrick B. on 5/25/2016

Stephen was a very knowledge, patient and excellent instructor. I recommend him highly.

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Evan F. on 5/20/2016

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Jake A. on 5/19/2016

It was an absolute pleasure learning to sail with Aj! He was very patient and made the whole class feel very comfortable and confident in their ability. I would definitely recommend this course!

4.2 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Krissy P. on 5/13/2016

Had a great time on the water. Thanks AJ!

4.6 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Sherry B. on 5/12/2016

4.4 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By james B. on 5/10/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Alia H. on 5/10/2016

Stephen is an ideal instructor. He taught us all of the basic sailing techniques and encouraged each student to take on increasing responsibility for the vessel. He has a great deal of boating experience that helped us to gain a better understanding of wa

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Elaine G. on 5/8/2016

While taking the lessons Stephen explained the situation and showed the results if done correctly or incorrectly. He encouraged you to work towards being the best that you can be and he didn't get impatient when you didn't quite achieve what he wanted you

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Richard H. on 4/29/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Powning
By Jeff B. on 4/25/2016

Nat is a great instructor!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Brannan
By Idi M. on 4/21/2016

AJ is easy-going with tremendous sailing experience. I had a great time learning sailing. AJ was friendly and set-up the a great learning atmosphere for everyone.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Dylan B. on 4/18/2016

Stephen was enthusiastic, friendly, knowledgeable, encouraging and competent. Nothing but the best things to say about him as a teacher! He has me very excited to get out on the water!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Martha S. on 4/6/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Terri L. on 4/6/2016

Stephen has a true passion for sailing and he's excited to share his knowledge with his students. He is very concerned with the students experience and learning and he goes in depth to explain everything in great detail and add stories and situations for

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Christopher B. on 4/5/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Tom S. on 4/3/2016

An amazing day ..., looking forward to greater proficiency!

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Larry P. on 3/26/2016

A great sailing instructor! Very knowledgeable and knows how to make it understandable. Highly recommended.

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Jonalan P. on 3/18/2016

4.8 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Robin V. on 3/17/2016

Stephen is a fantastic instructor. Very good at explaining and demonstrating the essentials to our group. He clearly has a passion for sailing and is so personable in sharing history and sailing etiquette. I would also add he really has a natural gift of

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Mark A. on 3/16/2016

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Frankland
By Jeanne A. on 3/16/2016

Had a great time, learned a lot, not quite as scared as I was.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Anonymous on 11/25/2015

Just finished the basic keelboat class. Good instructors and equipment. Very thorough training. Some in class had no prior sailing experience and were comfortable at the helm in two days. With Island you can go from landlubber to sailor in a week-end! Clu

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Rochalle R. on 9/9/2015

I had my first sailing lessons here.  I was joining a friend and flying in from LAX and ended up arriving much later than expected.  They gave me a crash course while everyone else was out on the boats which I thought went above and beyond their job dutie

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Carlos on 8/26/2015

What a great weekend I have to thank the 'boys' at Island Sailing Club In Portland... for running a top notch casually fun facility. I learned so much and had so much fun this weekend. Who knows what doors this first step will lead to.

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By Ricky on 8/26/2015

I had a great time in the basic keelboat course. Alan and Paul are excellent instructors, they are both very patient and really enjoyed every aspect of the class. I feel I have been given some very good tools to add to my sailing tool  kit and I'm eager t

5 / 5 rating: Basic Sailing Course with Capt. Somervell
By John H. on 6/29/2015

Alan is an excellent instructor, and very knowledgeable. Training was fun and interesting.