Find Your Place On the Water

Exceptional instruction. Real community. A lifelong passion for sailing.

Most people come to us to learn to sail. What they find is something they didn’t know they were looking for. As a US Sailing Accredited School, the CGSC Instructional Center holds every course to the highest national standards for safety, instruction, and seamanship. Our instructors are US Sailing certified, and they teach with the patience and care of people who remember their own first day at the helm. But the skills are only part of the story. The Coconut Grove Sailing Club has been a place where a love of the water brings people together, across every age and demographic. You’ll arrive to learn something. You’ll stay because you’ve found your place in a community of sailors that has anchored Coconut Grove for eighty years and will for decades to come.

Register for our Keelboat, Cruising & Navigation Courses!

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BEGINNER / NOVICE SAILORS

Basic Keelboat Course

Get started with the national gold standard in sailing instruction. Taught on a 23’ Ensign keelboat, this immersive weekend course introduces core sailing skills and safety procedures.

What You’ll Learn:
Sailing terminology, rigging, points of sail, knots, charts, emergency recovery, navigation rules, anchoring, and more.

  • Goal: Foundation for US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification
  • Format: Classroom + On-the-water
  • Schedule: 2nd or 3rd weekend of each month | 9 am – 4 pm (Sat & Sun)
  • Cost: $715 Members | $815 Non-members

Contact: Rosa Lamela – adultsailing@cgsc.org | 305.747.2600

Flying Scot Beginner Lessons

Learn to sail on the nimble and stable 19′ Flying Scot — perfect for two students and an instructor. A great intro to sailing in a hands-on, supportive setting.

  • Goal: Learn steering, tacking, and basic sailing theory
  • Format: 3-hour classroom + water sessions (12–24 hours to solo-ready)
  • Cost: $310 per 3-hr session
  • Schedule: On request
  • Course Registration: Register and pay on site

Contact: Bud Price – flyingscot@cgsc.org

Learn to Windsurf or Wingfoil

Experience the thrill of windsurfing — where balance, wind, and water come together for an unforgettable ride. This beginner-friendly course is the perfect introduction to one of the most dynamic and rewarding watersports.

We also welcome returning windsurfers who haven’t sailed in a while and are looking to brush up their skills in a supportive environment.

  • Prerequisite: A willingness to try something new; no previous experience needed.
  • Format: On-land instruction followed by on-the-water practice
  • Schedule: By request only | Saturdays from  9a – 12p
  • Cost: $250 Members | $290 Non-members
  • Course Registration: Register and pay onsite

Contact: Rosa Lamela – adultsailing@cgsc.org | 305.747.2600

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL COURSES & CLINICS

Basic Keelboat Certification & Coaching

Take your next step toward certification. Two to five private lessons prepare you for the exam, which includes a written exam and on-the-water skills test.

  • Private Coaching: $80/hr for first person, $40/hr each additional student
  • Certification Exam: $335
  • Challengers Welcome: Experienced sailors may test without lessons
  • Certification Registration and Payment: Done on site on day of exam

1-Day Sunfish Course

A dynamic course for students ready to transition to single-handed dinghy sailing.

  • Goal: Prepare for Sunfish Racing Clinics
  • Format: Land drills, rigging, sailing, capsize practice, full-day format
  • Prerequisites: Basic Keelboat course or equivalent sailing experience
    • This is NOT a learn to sail class
  • Schedule: 1st Saturday of each month | 9a – 4p
  • Cost: $350 Members | $390 Non-members
  • Registration: Online

 

CRUISING & NAVIGATION COURSES

Basic Cruising Course + Certification

Build on your keelboat skills with three days of cruising-focused instruction covering topics such as boat systems, weather awareness, safety preparations, chart reading, navigation and more.

  • Prerequisite: US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification
  • Schedule:  September: TBD | November 13 – 15
  • Cost: $1275 Members | $1375 Non-members

Bareboat Cruising Certification

A 4-day in-depth course covering planning and provisioning for extended cruising, emergency procedures, anchoring overnight, advanced sail trim and other key topics.

  • Prerequisite: Basic Cruising Certification
  • Schedule: September 18 – 21 | December 11 – 14
  • Cost: $1520 Members | $1620 Non-members

Coastal Navigation

Navigate with confidence — without electronics. Learn traditional skills using paper charts, bearings, dead reckoning plotting, and more.

  • Format: 4-evening classroom course | Mon & Thu, 5:30 – 9pm
  • Dates: August 10, 12, 17, 19
  • Class Size: Max 4 students
  • Cost: $825 Members | $925 Non-members

Celestial Navigation

Master the timeless art of navigating by the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

  • Prerequisite: US Sailing Coastal Navigation
  • Format: 6 classroom sessions | Mon & Thu, 5:30 – 9pm
  • Dates: October 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, and 28th
  • Cost: $1190 Members | $1290 Non-members

Contact: Rosa Lamela – adultsailing@cgsc.org | 305.747.2600

Join Our Clinics & Keep Your Skills Sharp Throughout The Year!

No matter what time of year it is, we offer weekend clinics to help you level up and fine tune your boat handling and racing skills.

Flying Scot Clinics: Every other Saturday, 10a – 1pm | Year-round
Contact Bud Price: Flyingscot@cgsc.org

Sunfish Clinics: Sundays, 3p – 6p | Year-round
Contact Manu Francia: ecf76italy@hotmail.com

Windsurf Clinics: Saturdays,1p – 4p | September – May
Contact: Norlem Garcia: garcianorlem@gmail.com

Laser Clinics: Saturdays 9a – 11:30a | May – August
Contact: Rosa Lamela: adultsailing@cgsc.org

Cost: $90 Members | $100 Non Members

Registration and payment for all clinics is done on site at the club.