The Sailing Academy, Tracys Landing

Begun as a sailing club founded by cruising sailors, The Sailing Academy harnesses the wind to explore new destinations. The academy's seasoned instructors use an on-water coaching method because they know that the best way for students to learn how to sail is by doing it. They teach sailing basics for beginners and offer other courses to sharpen and increase your skill set, such as coastal navigation, coastal cruising, and bareboat chartering. Courses take place aboard their fleet's vessels, which include Catalinas, Jeanneaus and Beneteaus. Their location on the Chesapeake Bay south of Annapolis enables captains and students to sail free from the confines of crowded city harbors and maneuver more freely. Students can charter a boat for a day to gain more sail time or become a club member and earn regular vessel access throughout the sailing season. The location has close access to Washington, DC and Northern Virginia. It is 20 minutes from the DC beltway.