Basic Sailing Skills is a perfect manual to help anyone starting out in learning to sail. The original Basic Sailing Skills was written in 1974 by Don Giffin, an active instructor, Albacore racing competitor and dedicated volunteer. Over the next seventeen years it was used extensively by over 30,000 sailors as they were introduced to the jargon and theory of sailing. In 1990 the Learn to Sail Committee of the Canadian Yachting Association decided to have Basic Sailing Skills rewritten to reflect changes which had taken place with national sail training standards over time. Sven Donaldson, a Vancouver based sailing writer, was commissioned by the Canadian Yachting Association to write this next version of Basic Sailing Skills. Sven has two other sailing books to his credit (A Sailors Guide to Sails and the New Sail Theory) as well as many articles in Pacific Yachting Magazine, Sail, and Cruising World. In Basic Sailing Skills, Sven has simplified terminology so the reader gets a hands on appreciation of the enjoyment of sailing. Cedric Burgers, formerly a CYA senior sailing instructor and University of British Columbia architecture student from Vancouver drew the illustrations. The illustrations provide a level of detail rarely shown in other sailing instructional books. The sequence of drawings for the step progression of skills should make it easier for anyone learning to tack or gybe.

Sailing Made Easy is the first step in a voyage that will last you the rest of your life. It is a gift from a group of dedicated sailing professionals who have committed their lives to sharing their art, their skill, and their passion for this wonderful activity. This book, which Sailing Magazine called "best in class" upon its release in 2010, is the most comprehensive education and boating safety learn-to-sail guide to date. It is also the official textbook for the ASA Basic Keelboat Standard (ASA 101). Incorporated in the textbook are useful illustrations and exceptional photographs of complex sailing concepts. The text’s most distinguishing feature is its user friendly "spreads" in which instructional topics are self-contained on opposing pages throughout the book. There are also chapter end quizzes and a glossary to help those new to sailing to navigate their way through the extensive nautical terminology.

The official learn-to-sail manual of the American Sailing Association and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, with over 150 line drawings and photographs. Written by America’s foremost instructional authority, the new edition of Sailing Fundamentals combines the training programs of the American Sailing Association and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. The official learn-to-sail manual of the American Sailing Association, it is also used in the programs of many yacht clubs, colleges, and sailing groups. Unlike most introductory sailing books, which reflect the biases and idiosyncrasies of their authors, Sailing Fundamentals has been extensively pretested by ASA professional instructors to ensure that it offers the fastest, easiest, most systematic way to learn basic sailing and basic coastal cruising. This book covers every aspect of beginning sailing—from hoisting sail to docking and anchoring—and specifically prepares the learner to qualify for sailing certification according to international standards. Widely acclaimed author Gary Jobson has won several major races, including the 1977 America’s Cup victory as tactician aboard Courageous. He was head sailing coach at the US Naval Academy, and has conducted sailing clinics across the country.

Learn how to handle a cruising sailboat in as little as seven days—even if you’ve never sailed before! Who says you have to be an experienced daysailor before you can think about cruising? Steve and Doris Colgate know that most of us don’t have that kind of time. At the Offshore Sailing School, the Colgates have helped more than 100,000 adults—three-quarters of whom started as beginning sailors or complete newcomers--take the helm of a midsize cruising sailboat. Now Fast Track to Cruising offers these proven instructional methods to all aspiring sailors with big dreams and little time. This is the very first guide that teaches sailing and cruising together, taking you from your first sail to independent cruising in one leap. You can make that leap in as little as seven days—as in the Colgates’ “Fast Track to Cruising” course—or you can get there at a more leisurely pace. Either way, no other book will take you from your first tacking or docking maneuver to a mastery of navigation and diesel engines as efficiently as this one. "America's most experienced sailing instructors present a thorough and easy to understand look at cruising. Leisure time is precious. Safety is paramount. The Colgates will help you maximize your time on the water."--Gary Jobson, ESPN's lead sailing analyst and editor at large for Cruising World and Sailing World “Doris and Steve Colgate understand that people want to reach their sailing goals as quickly as possible and they've built the excellent Fast Track program to accomplish it.”--Bernadette Bernon, former editorial director of Cruising World magazine "Together Steve and Doris Colgate have been teaching beginners to sail for over half a century. In Fast Track to Cruising they have included every concept and procedure you need to get yourself from a want-to-be sailor to one who is knowledgeable and competent to take the helm--with confidence and a smile."--Charles Mason, Executive Editor, SAIL magazine