scheduling & signing up

Price matching policy for our Start Sailing course: full details.

We’ll match any Tri-State area school’s price for a 3-day learn-to-sail course, and split the difference for 2-day programs.  You can ask for price matching when you enroll, or for up to one week afterward (in which case we credit any difference owed you).

BEWARE of misleading descriptions of how long a course is.  Schools do it; daily deal sites do it.  Be sure you’re clear about the following when comparing programs:

• how many hours are considered a ‘day’
• whether those hours are sailing or in a classroom
• whether sailing hours are with an instructor or practicing without one

What do we give you?

• 3 full days with an instructor, mostly on-water (approx 5 hours classroom and 18 sailing)
  
• 3 students maximum per boat (almost all other schools do 4 per boat)
• 2 half day practice sessions, supervised by an instructor, but you sail without one

So, you see, we are a better value BEFORE  price matching.  Having said that, here are the terms for this policy…

• School must be an ASA or US Sailing Certification facility.
• A yacht club is a private, non-profit membership club.
• Each ‘day’ must be mostly sailing time with an instructor.  A ‘3-day’ course that only gives you two days with an instructor on board is a 2-day course.  For two-day courses, if part of that time is practice sailing without an instructor, or taking and exam, etc, we will give you 25% of the price difference instead of 50%.  (Remember, we include two half-day practice sessions after our entire 3-day course, and don’t use course time to administer tests.)
• Their price must be all-inclusive, or we’ll add on the extras – course materials, certification, etc – before matching the price or splitting the difference.
• Price matching applies regardless of whether either course is on sale.
• If their course is offered through a ‘daily deal’ site such as Groupon, Living Social, etc, we will still do price matching unless there are extra restrictions imposed on the purchaser through the offer as compared to that school’s posted terms & conditions.  In that case, we’ll split the difference for 3-day courses and offer 25% of the difference for 2-day courses.

Questions about this, or anything else?  Ask us.

Here’s a list of the most common courses with links back to their pages for more info…

• Start Sailing: Learn-to-sail / Basic Keelboat (ASA 101).  $795, with Price Matching (details after this list).  Discounts: $50 off each when 2 enroll for same schedule;  $100 off each for 3 or more!  Can’t combine with price match.

• Start Cruising: Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA 103).  $595.  Discounts: $50 off each when 2 or more enroll for same schedule.

• Start Bareboating: Bareboat Cruising (ASA 104).  $695.  Discounts: $50 off each when 2 or more enroll for same schedule.

• Start Navigating: Coastal Navigation (ASA 105).  $395.  Discounts: $50 off each when 2 or more enroll for same schedule.

Terms and conditions of enrollment

We’re pretty reasonable and flexible, and this is a fun business.  Having said that, it’s still a business so to be business-like about it, here’s what we expect from you and what you should expect of us as you take this journey.

All enrollments are subject to availability and to the terms and conditions below, and by enrolling, regardless of the method used, you affirm that you have read and agree to them.

DEPOSITS & CONFIRMATION: Final confirmation and relevant materials will be sent upon receipt of full balance, which must be received 3 weeks prior to start date. If choosing a schedule less than 3 weeks prior to its start date, full payment must be made with the reservation – if there is insufficient time to send confirmation and materials, they will be held for you at our office. All reservations are subject to availability.  Payments and deposits are non-refundable except as outlined below.  If you send payment with an enrollment form, and the course or schedule you choose is not available, we will not charge your card or cash your check until we confirm an alternate schedule with you.

RESCHEDULING:  In the rare event that there is insufficient enrollment for a particular schedule you‘re confirmed for, we will inform you as far in advance as possible and you may either reschedule or cancel.  If you choose to cancel, you will receive a refund minus a $45 materials and handling deposit, which is refunded upon return of all course materials in new condition (we don’t charge this deposit if no materials were sent).

CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS:   If you cancel for other reasons 2 weeks or more in advance of a course’s start date, you may either reschedule or request a refund (in both cases, minus a $50 administration fee).  If you cancel within 2 weeks of the start date, no refunds will be given.  If you cancel within 2 weeks of the course, and we cannot fill your spot, funds are subject to being forfeited* except in the case of your serious injury, illness or emergency, and solely at our discretion.  If we can fill your spot (which is usually the case), you may reschedule within one calendar year for a $50 administration fee.  We do not give refunds for any package deals for multiple courses such as buy 4/get 1 year free in sailing club.  (*This provision is contemplated only as a last resort to protect us from frivolous cancellations, and while we bend over backwards to avoid it, on rare occasions we have had to enforce it.  We can count those on one hand, but if you have any questions about this, just ask us.)

NO-SHOWS/MAKEGOODS: If you do not show up for one or more sessions, we’ll try without obligation to reschedule you within 2015 at our mutual convenience for a comparable session in another schedule.  Makegood fees are $50 per session or $100 per course; this is due to the administrative effort involved (and as a disincentive to disrupt your own sailing education!).

WEATHER:  Rain or shine – we go out whenever it’s safe and productive for teaching, so dress or pack appropriately.  Your confirmation email contains some suggestions on what to get and where to get it, and you can call or e-mail us with questions.  If we lose a significant amount of time during the course that cannot be made up on the scheduled days, we will schedule one or more free makegoods as soon as possible at our mutual convenience.  No refunds will be given for weather delays, even if the entire course has to be rescheduled.

BREAKDOWNS:  On very rare occasions, gear failure can occur that can delay sailing.  We strive to prevent this from happening through routine maintenance and inspection.  If time is lost to a breakdown that cannot be made up on the scheduled days of your course, we will arrange a free makegood of the time.  No refunds will be given for breakdown delays.

START SAILING^SM GUARANTEE:  If you aren’t satisfied with the quality of your Start Sailing course, tell us before you leave and you can take the course over again once for free.  To be eligible, you must attend and participate in all sessions of your first course, and let us know why you’re not satisfied (so that we may better serve you and others in the future).  All standard terms & conditions apply to your scheduling of the free course.  Nb: No one has ever asked to invoke this guarantee!  On rare occasions, people ask if they can pay for another session to get more training.  The answer they always get?  NO.  You cannot do that.  But you can come for free! The course and training are not over until you’re ready to co skipper with other students in the supervised practice sails.  Sometimes, after the practice sails, students ask for a third to further build confidence or practice certain skills under our observation before renting or skippering in our Sailing Club.  Sometimes we just recommend this based on our observations.  Either way, no one pays.

QUESTIONS? Get in touch for answers by contacting us.