The Nautilus Blog
Author: Ben Martin, So what experience is needed to sail in Croatia? What requirements are charter companies looking for? Ben lays out all the information you need to know from weather in the area, routes and cruising areas and what makes Croatia such a special sailing destination.
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Author: Ben Martin The path from complete beginner to bareboat charter skipper runs through four certifications: ASA 101 (Basic Keelboat Sailing), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising), and — if a catamaran is the goal — ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran). Each one builds on the last, both in the skills it certifies […]
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Estimated Read Time: 7–9 minutes Author: Ben Martin, Nautilus Instructor Your path depends on where you want sailing to take you. If you intend to sail recreationally on small boats or crew in protected waters, you may find that formal certification is not your immediate priority. However, if your goal is to take responsibility for […]
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By: Tim Geisler It is not a small decision to choose a sailing school. It is the foundation of everything that follows – every anchorage you’ll pick, every passage you’ll plan, every moment of confidence you’ll feel with your hand on the helm in weather you didn’t expect. Get the foundation right, and the rest […]
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SELF ASSESSMENT SAILING CHECKLIST Building toward your first bareboat charter requires that you recognize a critical distinction: certification is not necessarily the same as being “ready to book.” Charter companies assess both, and understanding their perspective before you submit a résumé saves you significant stress later. This sailing checklist breaks down the primary factors charter […]
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Author: Ben Martin 17 August 2026 Finishing the ASA 104 – Bareboat Cruising certification is a real milestone. You’ve gone from basic keelboat handling to being able to plan and run a multi-day cruise on a 30-to-45-foot boat, in conditions that would have felt out of reach a year or two earlier. If a catamaran […]
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Written by: Tim Geisler Anyone researching how to start sailing runs into the same wall almost immediately: an alphabet soup of certifying bodies, course numbers, and acronyms. ASA. RYA. IYT. Bareboat. Coastal cruising. Competent crew. It is a lot to sort through before you have even left the dock. So let’s simplify the question. If […]
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Quick Answer Neither ASA nor RYA is universally better. Both certification systems produce capable sailors when taught well. For most recreational sailors, the quality of instruction, the amount of hands-on experience, and the level of responsibility given during training matter more than the certification system itself. Generally speaking: ASA is often a strong fit for: […]
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Every year, the American Sailing Association (ASA) combs through thousands of student surveys to find the instructors who stand out above the rest. This year, we’re thrilled to share that three of our own — Tim Jenne (TJ), Lindsay Moore, and Doug Acker — have been named 2025 ASA Outstanding Instructors. For a school that […]
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One of the most common questions people ask us before setting out to learn how to sail is: “CAN ANYONE LEARN HOW TO SAIL?” Our short answer is: Almost anyone can learn how to sail. Our better answer is: Almost anyone can become a competent sailor if they are willing to learn, participate, and practice. Contrary […]
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Most people who ask this question are really asking something more specific: Is it so hard that I might fail? It is a reasonable answer to seek before investing a week of your life and several thousand dollars in a liveaboard sailing course. It deserves a straight answer. Here it is: sailing is genuinely challenging […]
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When sailors dream of tropical cruising, they usually picture a sailing flotilla in the Caribbean or French Polynesia. Rarely does Brazil make the list. And that’s exactly what makes it so special. In June 2026, the Nautilus Alumni community set sail from the colonial town of Paraty to explore one of the world’s most overlooked […]
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No. That is the complete answer to the literal question. You do not need prior sailing experience to begin learning to sail. Every sailing course lists “none” as the prerequisite for its entry-level certification, and quality sailing schools accept complete beginners as a matter of course. This is exactly why sailing classes for adults are […]
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This guide will give you a roadmap of how to confidently embark on your own sailing journey and covers:
What is takes to learn to sail
The fastest path to competent
The mistakes most beginners make
How to choose the right course and sailing school
Imagine yourself onboard a luxurious catamaran, the warm sun kissing your skin, and the gentle sound of waves lapping against the hull. This blog post is your passport to learning the art of catamaran sailing in the stunning Abacos.
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Catamaran sailing is very similar to sailing a monohull in most aspects. If you learn to sail on a monohull, most of the skills are easily transferable. However, there are a couple of subtle differences that one has to be aware of: Most aspects of Catamaran sailing are very similar to a monohull, so making […]
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