This is a list of resources for you if you want to learn to sail, to rent a boat, to buy a boat or (it happens) repair a boat in the Phoenix area. The people who run these businesses are all members of the Arizona Yacht Club and we appreciate their support.
Learn to Sail
If you want to learn to sail, we naturally recommend that you start with the Learn to Sail class from the nonprofit Arizona Sailing Foundation, taught by US Sailing certified instructors and coaches from AYC. The class includes the Little Red Book that leads to small boat certification from US Sailing.
Certification Classes
The following for-profit schools will certify you through the American Sailing Association (ASA), which is a cruising-oriented certification. When charter companies require sailing certification (and it happens only sometimes), they will accept certification from US Sailing, ASA, NauticEd, or IYT when accompanied by a qualifying resume of experience.
The Sailboat Shop has served Arizona sailors for three decades. Owner, Tom Errickson operates from the Scorpion Bay Marina at Lake Pleasant and offers several ASA-certified sailing courses. Tom and many of his instructors are AYC members.
Southwest Sailing partners with ASA affiliates for offering ASA 101 certifications at Lake Pleasant and more advanced ASA courses in Southern California. Captain Emory Heisler is also certified to administer the NauticEd practical exams for their online courses. Emory is an AYC member.
Boat Sharing and IYT Classes
The Sailboat Shop operates from Scorpion Bay Marina at Lake Pleasant and rents various sailboats. They also sell and repairs boats. Contact owner and AYC member Tom Errickson.
Tumbleweed Sailing offers a shared-ownership option on Catalina 25 fin keelboats. Bruce Andress is an AYC member.
Tiller and Kites is an International Yacht Training (IYT) sailing school based at Lake Pleasant with a diverse fleet of boats, including Laser, Coronado 15, Santana 20, J/24, Nacra catamarans, and Catalina 25. International Yacht Training, is an organization more known in Europe than in the U.S.
We also count on two companies to take care of the AYC and ASF powerboat fleet, four boats that absolutely must run properly. They’re Glendale Marine with Steve Nahkala and Valley Marine with Gene Walentiny.