The Minneapolis Sailing Center has an extensive adult sailing program:  

  • Classes are taught in either the smaller and more responsive 420 sailboat or the more stable and larger Ensign Keelboat.

  • Successful completion of each class automatically grants a wind rating for our Membership Program.

  • Adult Intermediate 420 and Keelboat classes build on skills learned as a Beginner and help you gain confidence.

  • The Intro to Lasers class will teach you to rig and sail our Laser sailboats in a small class setting.

  • We offer a Women’s Beginning Keelboat Class taught by women!

adult BEGINNING KEELBOAT

This two-week beginning sailing course makes use of our 23-foot Ensign keelboats. Each boat is sailed with 3-4 students and an instructor, although accommodations can be made for up to five students in the boat if a larger group or family wishes to learn together.

Sailors will learn how to rig the boat, land at a dock or buoy, and the basic boat handling needed to sail independently in light winds. By the end of the 12-hour course, students will be light wind certified to use our boats as a part of the membership program.

WOMEN’S BEGINNING KEELBOAT

The Women’s Beginning Keelboat class empowers women and non-binary people with confidence on and off the water. Enrollment in this course is reserved for womxn (cis, trans, and other female-identifying people) and non-binary people, and instruction is provided by women. 

In this two-week course, participants will learn sailing basics on our 23-foot Ensign keelboats. Sailors will learn to rig a boat, land at a dock or buoy, and basic boat handling. After this 12-hour course, students will be certified to sail independently in light winds. 

ADULT INTERMEDIATE KEELBOAT

Our two-week Intermediate Keelboat class builds on the skills learned in the Beginning Keelboat Class. The curriculum will focus on preparing you to be confident sailing the Ensign Keelboat in medium and heavy air.

Students will learn more advanced on-the-water boat handling, sail theory, and an introduction to racing.

adult Beginning 420

The beginning 420 sailing course includes 12 hours of instruction over two weeks. The 420 sailboat is a fast and responsive boat ideal for learning to sail. We provide instructors onshore and on the water to make learning to sail fun and easy.

Students will learn everything they need to skipper the boat and crew the boat including sail theory, boat parts, landing at a dock or buoy, and open-water sailing.

The 420 sailboat is a boat that requires some athleticism and participants will need to squat/crouch for extended periods and to step down from a dock to enter the boat.

ADULT INTERMEDIATE 420

For sailors who want to expand their understanding of sailing, the two-week Intermediate 420 class builds on the skills learned in the Beginning 420 Class. The curriculum will focus on preparing you to be confident sailing the 420 in medium and heavy wind.

Students will learn more boat handling techniques, sail theory, rules, and an introduction to racing.

adult INTRO TO LASERS

Do you already know the basics of sailing and want to learn how to sail a Laser? These dynamic and challenging solo boats are a blast (once you learn how to rig them). This class is designed to get you comfortable sailing solo on one of the most popular boats in the world. This small group setting is ideal for individualized attention and instruction.

The Laser sailboat requires athleticism and participants will need to squat/crouch for extended periods and be able to pull themselves into a boat from the water during capsize recovery.