NASHVILLE SAILING FIELD GUIDE
Two Days to Dinghy Confidence: Learn to Sail a Catalina 12.5 on Nashville’s Waters
A small-group ASA 110 course that combines evening and morning Zoom classrooms with two days of hands-on instruction at Hamilton Creek Marina — this guide explains what to expect and how to prepare.
Two Days to Dinghy Confidence: Learn to Sail a Catalina 12.5 on Nashville’s Waters.
Set on the inland waters serviced from Hamilton Creek Marina in Nashville, the ASA 110 Basic Small Boat Sailing Group Class compresses core dinghy skills into a focused, small-group curriculum that moves from classroom concepts to on-the-water practice aboard Catalina 12.5s.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Hands-on learning aboard the Catalina 12.5
Instruction and on-water practice take place on Catalina 12.5 dinghies, the course platform for learning rigging, sail trim, tacking, jibing and capsizing drills.
A hybrid of Zoom classrooms and on-the-water sessions
The curriculum blends evening and morning Zoom lessons with two full days of in-person practice, letting you learn rules, knots and maneuvering before you step into the boat.
Become a self-sufficient dinghy sailor in under three days
In just two and a half days you’ll work through textbook chapters, practical drills and an exam to move toward independent dinghy sailing competence.
What the day feels like
What the weekend feels like
The course unfolds as a tight loop of focused classroom sessions by Zoom and concentrated on-water practice: evenings and a Saturday morning are spent in virtual classroom chapters, then Saturday afternoon and Sunday are devoted to rigging, capsizing and recovery drills, sailing maneuvers, docking practice and a concluding exam.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this course suits — and who should reconsider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Friday 6:00–9:00pm (Zoom); Saturday 8:00am–11:00am (Zoom) and 1:00pm–5:00pm (on-water); Sunday 9:00am–5:00pm (on-water and exam).
On-water sessions meet at Hamilton Creek Marina (2901 Bell Road, Nashville, TN); the course is operated by Sail Nashville.
This is a hybrid program with both Zoom and in-person elements; confirm specific gear recommendations and safety requirements with the operator before class.
Students complete classroom chapters, practical drills and take the course exam on Sunday morning as part of the curriculum.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
What is the minimum age to take this course?
Students must be at least 13 years old to train on the Catalina 12.5s.
How is the course structured between online and in-person instruction?
The program uses evening and morning Zoom classroom sessions followed by two days of on-water instruction and practice.
Where are the in-person sessions held?
On-water instruction takes place at Hamilton Creek Marina, located at 2901 Bell Road, Nashville, TN.
What boat will I sail during the course?
Instruction and practice are conducted on Catalina 12.5 dinghies.
When is the course exam given?
The exam is administered on Sunday morning as part of the final day’s schedule.