Niceville Sailing Courses

Discover if sailing is for you!. If you loved learning to drive a manual transmission, this is the choice for you! We offer a 2 1/2 hour private sailing experience to get your feet wet (figuratively!) with a technical sailing session in a responsive, fast boat. We will walk you through boating basics, then take you out on the water for hands-on time with one of our boats. This course is designed to build confidence in a low-pressure situation.

Duration: 2 1/2 hours

Boat: J80

Up to 4 students - $230 total

Learn more about our boats

Experience Cruising

Discover if cruising sailing is for you!

If the yachting life is what you’re after, this will be right up your alley. We offer a 2 1/2 hour private sailing experience on a comfortable, stable cruising boat that offers a low-impact introduction to sailing skills. We will walk you through boating basics, then take you out on the water for hands-on time with one of our boats. This course is designed to build confidence in a low-pressure situation.

Duration: 2 1/2 hours

Boat: Beneteau 331 or Catalina 310

Up to 6 students - $265 total

Learn more about our boats

Basic Keelboat 1

ASA 101 (3 Students maximum)

Learn to skipper a 20' - 27' sloop-rigged keelboat by day, in light to moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn basic sailing terminology, parts and functions, helm commands, basic sail trim, points of sail, buoyage, seamanship and safety including basic navigation rules to avoid collisions and hazards.

Pre-requisites: None

Duration: 2 days

Boat:  26' J-80

One Student - $630

Two Students - $1155 (when booked together)

Three Students - $1525 (when booked together)

Basic Keelboat 2

ASA 102 (3 Students maximum)

Learn to skipper and crew aboard a sloop-rigged keelboat of approximately 20 to 30 feet in length by day in winds up to 20 knots. Depart, sail, and return with control demonstrating teamwork. This is not a prerequisite for the ASA 103/104 classes, but this is a great class for fine tuning sail trim and learning a little more about racing.

Pre-requisites: ASA 101

Duration: 2 days

Boat:  26' J-80/30’ J92

One Student - $630

Two Students - $1155 (when booked together)

Three Students - $1525 (when booked together)

Basic Coastal Cruising

ASA 103 (3 Students maximum)

Learn to skipper a sloop-rigged auxiliary powered 25'-35' keelboat by day in moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn cruising sailboat terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather, safety and seamanship.

Pre-requisites: ASA 101

Duration: 2 1/2 days

Boat:  33' Beneteau 331/Hunter 340

One Student - $795

Two Students - $1470 (when booked together)

Three Students - $1890 (when booked together)

Bareboat Cruising

ASA 104 (3 Students maximum)

Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Cruising

ASA 103/104 Combo (3 Students maximum)

Military Discount

We offer a $50 discount to Military Veterans for the ASA classes.

To register for the program, go to www.asa.com/veterans.

Learn to Sail with MidBay Sailing in Niceville

Do you love being out on the water? Does the sound of the bay or gulf waters bring your stress level down? If you have always wanted to learn to sail, you can do that right here in your own backyard. MidBay Sailing is a sailing school in Niceville dedicated to increasing your knowledge of sailing and giving you the ability to enjoy the beautiful waters of the Emerald Coast.

Discover if sailing life is for you! If you've ever been aboard a sailboat and watched all that is going on, it may seem quite overwhelming, even downright unfamiliar. Midbay Sailing offers a wide variety of American Sailing Association (ASA) courses to fit all levels of sailors.

Our classes are designed with busy people like you in mind. Our instructors have years of experience with sailing and instruction that will help you to learn to sail safely and successfully. Their love of sailing has seen them through not just the waters of the Emerald Coast but as far away as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. 

With such experienced instructors to guide you, you will learn the art and science of sailing, and at the same time you will experience sailing as a lifestyle. Learning to sail in Niceville is low stress, and once you have completed a few basic courses you will be able to charter your own boat and really understand the joy and excitement of sailing. 

Our Niceville Sailing Courses and What They Can Do for You

Basic Keelboat Course – ASA 101

Learn to skipper a 20' – 27' sloop-rigged keelboat during the day. Here you will learn basic sailing terminology, parts, and functions of the keelboat, helm commands, basic sail trim, points of sail, buoyage, seamanship, and safety to avoid collisions and water hazards. There is a 3-student maximum. 

Basic Coastal Cruising – ASA 103

Learn to navigate a sloop-rigged auxiliary powered 25' to 35' keelboat by day. Learn all the basics of sailboat terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather, safety, and seamanship—three students maximum. 

Bareboat Cruising – ASA 104

Our Niceville sailing school offers this course which allows you to sail a sloop-rigged, auxiliary powered 30' – 45' sailboat during a multi-day cruise. You will experience moderate/heavy winds and sea conditions. Learn about provisioning, auxiliary engines, boat systems, advanced sail trim, coastal navigation, anchoring/mooring, docking, emergency operations, weather, and more. There is a 3-student maximum. 

Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Cruising – ASA 103 / 104 Combo 

When you combine ASA 103 and 104, you can skipper a sloop-rigged auxiliary powered 25' – 35' keelboat by day in moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn sailing terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather, and safety. 

Here you get the opportunity to learn to sail a sloop-rigged, auxiliary-powered 30' – 45' sailboat during a multi-day cruise that takes you along inland / coastal waters in moderate/heavy winds and sea conditions. You learn about provisioning, auxiliary engines, boat systems, advanced sail trim, coastal navigation, anchoring/mooring, docking, emergency operations, weather, and much more. This is a 3-student maximum class. 

Coastal Navigation ASA – 105

ASA courses also include this advanced class, where you learn to apply navigational theory and practices for the safe navigation of a sailing vessel in coastal and inland waters. 

Cruising Catamaran ASA – 114

Learn how to skipper an auxiliary powered sailing cruising catamaran approximately 30 to 45 feet. You will sail in inland or coastal waters, with moderate to heavy winds and sea conditions. Here you will learn about catamaran structure, components and features, performance under sail and power, boat systems, seamanship and safety, heavy weather operation, and emergency response. 

Think Sailing Is for You?

Even if you are still deciding about American Sailing certifications, you can discover if sailing is for you. We have the Experience Cruising and Catamaran Sailing course, which will open up the sailing world to you. This is a two and a half hour private sailing experience, which offers you a low-stress introduction to learning to sail. These are hands-on classes.  

Areas Served

Niceville Sailing Classes
Bluewater Bay Sailing Classes
Destin Sailing Classes
Freeport Sailing Classes