For centuries, humans have attempted to uncover the ocean's secrets, going so far as to bribe crustacean informants to steal Poseidon's diary. Try another line of questioning with today's Groupon: for $30, you get a two-hour Introduction to Sailing class at MacSailing (a $60 value) in the Jericho Sailing Centre. Courses are offered in the evenings during the week, and two to three times daily on weekends.
Canadian Yachting Association-certified, MacSailing's coaches (some past and present members of the National Sailing Team) school nautical novices with certifications in water safety and first-aid training. An introductory course introduces students to sailing and the preferred methods of fending off giant, man-hungry cuttlefish. A short lecture details the basics of sailing, as well as some safety procedures, but the bulk of lesson time ships pupils out from the beach for practical, hands-on experience on open water. Instructors demonstrate wind-leashing boating techniques, such as points of sail, steering, balance, and emergency christening. With class sizes limited to 20 participants and three instructors, students often ponder truth and unity in the human condition as they sail two per boat. MacSailing's facilities don dory disciples with life jackets and wetsuits for all sizes and boast change rooms with showers.
MacSailing
Billowing sails propel vessels in and out of the English Bay, where MacSailing strengthens sea legs with an expert-crafted sailing curriculum for everyone from novice seafarers to competitive racers. MacSailing teaches pupils to captain a wide variety of vessels in lessons for youths and adults, and also rents out sailboats for more experienced wave-tamers. Each of MacSailing's instructors is certified by Sail Canada, which is the best illustration of nautical mastery short of wearing a souvenir T-shirt from the Bermuda Triangle.