About learntosail

learntosail is a free, open-source educational resource dedicated to making professional-quality sailing instruction available to everyone, regardless of geography or financial means. We believe that understanding how to navigate a vessel safely should not require expensive courses or proprietary software.

What we offer

Our curriculum spans the full spectrum of recreational sailing qualifications, from the beginner-level RYA Competent Crew through Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper, Yachtmaster Offshore, and Yachtmaster Ocean. Every lesson includes detailed instructional content, interactive quizzes, drag-and-drop exercises, and fill-in-the-blank assessments drawn directly from real instructor notes.

Beyond structured courses, we provide practical tools including a tide calculator, animated knot guide, COLREGS reference, sail trim calculator, passage planner, and a comprehensive nautical glossary. Written lesson manuals expand each topic into full narrative form suitable for pre-course study or post-course revision.

Standards alignment

Content is aligned with Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and American Sailing Association (ASA) syllabi. Lessons are written and reviewed by experienced sailing instructors who have taught thousands of students across multiple continents. While completing our material builds strong theoretical foundations, practical RYA or ASA certification still requires assessment aboard a vessel with a qualified examiner.

How it stays free

There are no paid tiers, premium features, advertisements, or user data sold to third parties. The platform is built and maintained by open-source contributors who volunteer their time. Source code is publicly available, and anyone can contribute improvements, translations, or new content. Progress tracking uses local browser storage exclusively—nothing leaves your device unless you choose to export it.

Open source

This project is developed in the open. We welcome contributions from sailors, developers, designers, and educators. Whether you want to fix a typo, add a lesson, improve accessibility, or translate content into another language, every contribution makes maritime education more accessible.