US SAILING BASIC KEELBOAT CERTIFICATION

US Sailing sets the standard for quality instruction in the sailing industry nationwide. After achieving your US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification, US Sailing provides a clear pathway towards continuing your sailing education, both here in Seattle and beyond. Our program stands out in offering bite-sized lesson blocks that work with your calendar. No experience or prerequisites required: join to learn for the first time or brush up and become US Sailing certified!

For the 2025 Holiday Season, CWB is offering an “All You NEED to Get Sailing” special for only $1250*.

This special includes your registration for the US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification classes as well as a CWB membership ($75) AND a Die Hard pass ($925) upon your completion of the Basic keelboat certification. This special is good for our January, February and March sessions and provide an average savings of $450. You can take advantage of these savings when you go to register for your class. Sign up online below.

*With sales tax, cost is $1379.38

AGES: 18+

DATES: Year-round

TIMES: Weekends year-round; Weekends and Evenings March - September

CLASS SIZE: Maximum 3 students per instructor

MEMBER PRICE: $650 - $800 (Varies by season).

NON-MEMBER PRICE: $800 - $950 (Varies by season) Purchase a CWB Membership here.

Washington State sales tax (10.35%) will be added at checkout.

INSTRUCTORS: US Sailing Basic Keelboat Instructors.

LOCATION: South Lake Union.

PREREQUISITE: None

For a complete set of the topical knowledge and practical skills this course covers, visit the US Sailing Basic Keelboat page. The learning elements for the CWB version of this course are listed below:

  • CWB’S Signature Shore School: This 2-hour class introduces the basics of sailing. Topics include terminology for parts of a boat, points of sail, and basic sailing theory.

  • US Sailing Basic Keelboat Textbook: Available in advance of scheduled practical on-the-water coaching. Watch for an email when your materials are ready for pickup.

  • 22 HOURS OF ON THE WATER AND CLASSROOM LEARNING: This instruction time is distributed across five 4-hour on-the-water session slots aligning with students’ schedules. Our course offers a student/instructor ratio of 3-to-1 while out on the water. We will be using keelboats in the 20 – 26 foot range for this class.  There will also be discussions of topics including aids to navigation, anchoring, weather, and much more. The US Sailing Basic Keelboat written examination can be scheduled with the office to take at your convenience.

    To ensure proficiency, we would really like to have you finish the course in the month you registered for. However, we realize life happens. If you need to schedule classes outside the month you registered for contact us at adultsailing@cwb.org. This course must be completed within three months of starting. Upon successful completion, you’ll be eligible for the US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification, recognized nationwide as a standard of sailing proficiency.

Course fee includes:

  • US Sailing Basic Keelboat Textbook

  • US Sailing Student Logbook and Certification

  • US Sailing 1 year membership ($79 value)

  • CWB Bonus: Certification to rent sailboats at our Lake Union Campus year round!

*NOTE: Candidates who do not pass the practical evaluation may schedule a make-up evaluations for the price of a Rental Checkout. US Sailing standards require a 80% passing score on the written evaluation. Make ups may be scheduled for a $100 fee.

Sign Up Online!

Session 1: January 3 - February 7, 2026

Session 2: February 7- March 7, 2026

Session 3: March 7 - April 4, 2026

Session 4: April 4 - May 2, 2026 - Coming soon!

Session 5: May 2 - June 6, 2026 - Coming soon!

Session 6: June 6 - July 4, 2026 - Coming soon!

Session 7: July 4 - August 1, 2026 - Coming soon!

Session 8: August 1 - September 5, 2026 -Coming soon!

Session 9: September 5 - October 3, 2026 - Coming soon!

Session 10: October 3 - November 7, 2026 - Coming soon!

Session 11: November 7 - December 5, 2026 -- Coming soon!

Join the Waitlist - You can add your name to our waitlist. If a spot opens up, we’ll reach out to you.

Cancellation Policy: 

  • Cancellation more than 30 days in advance: refund less a 10% administrative fee. 

  • Cancellation 30-15 days in advance: 50% refund of the course fee. 

  • Cancellation 14 or fewer days in advance of the course: No refund.

Cancellation requests must be submitted via email to: adultsailing@cwb.org.

Please Note: CWB reserves the right to cancel any course due to emergency or lack of enrollment. In such case, we will refund tuition in full. If traveling from out of area, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance in the event we must cancel this class.

Next Steps:

Small Boat Navigation: Learn navigation and piloting skills for small boats. This class is ideal for small boat cruisers, kayakers and others who want to roam closer to nature.

Small Boat Cruising Clinic: Small boat cruising is a fantastic way to discover our local waters and provides to opportunity to explore countless lakes and waterways all over North America.

Performance Sailing: This course will help you learn to analyze, adjust, and shape your sails for maximum performance.

Safe Powerboat Handling: Coming in March