Learn to sail on Lake Travis.
You do not need to know anything when you show up. In two hours you will steer the boat, trim the sail, and tack it yourself.
Book your first sailTwo hours · Lake Travis · All gear provided · Free reschedule for weather
- Safety brief every time
- Life jacket every time
- Free reschedule for weather
- Anyone can say STOP
- No experience needed
What you will experience
Your first two hours
These are sailing lessons in Austin built around one idea: you do the sailing.
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You will find the wind.
Before anything else, you will learn to feel where the wind is coming from. Everything in sailing follows from that.
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You will take the helm.
Within the first half hour the tiller is in your hand. The boat answers you. That moment is why people come back.
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You will trim the sheets.
The sheets are the lines that control the sails. Let one out until the sail flutters, pull it in until it fills. You will do it ten times and then you will just know.
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You will tack.
Turn the front of the boat through the wind, duck the boom, sit on the new high side. Your first one is a big deal and we treat it that way.
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You will dock with a job to do.
Nobody watches from the back. You bring her in with us.
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You will tie the one knot that matters.
One knot holds a boat to a dock. You will tie it, untie it, and tie it again. It is called a cleat hitch, and it is the knot you will use for the rest of your sailing life.
The plan
Three steps. That is the whole plan.
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Pick a date
Choose Discover Sailing on the booking page. Two minutes, pay once, done.
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Show up in shoes that can get wet
We send everything else: where to park, what to wear, the weather plan. No prep, no gear.
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Sail the boat yourself
Steer, trim, tack. Leave with a card that says what you did and what comes next.
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Years of sailing
40+
Lake Travis to open ocean passages
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Teaching since
2001
USCG Master Captain, Auxiliary Sail
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Students on the boat
3 max
One boat, one instructor, your hands on the tiller
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Hours to your first tack
2
Steer, trim, and tack it yourself
Lessons
Pick the lesson that fits you
Never sailed? Discover Sailing. Want a full day with the captain to yourself? Private Lesson. Learning with your partner? Couple Sailing.
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Discover Sailing
Your first two hours on a sailboat. No experience needed.
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Private Lesson
A full day on the water, one student, one captain.
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Couple Sailing
Learn to sail as a crew. You pick four, five or six hours.
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Gift Hours
Give hours on the water. They choose what to learn with them.
Gift
Prices and gift hours are in the questions below. Every lesson is paid in full at booking.
Your guide
Meet Master Captain Scott Walsh
Forty years of sailing, from Lake Travis to open ocean passages. Teaching since 2001. A USCG-licensed Master Captain with the auxiliary sail endorsement, which is the Coast Guard's way of saying he is trusted to carry passengers under sail. A stickler for the rules, because the rules are what let a beginner relax. Also, students will tell you, a lot of fun.
His job is to get the tiller into your hands as early as it is safe, and then to talk less.
Master Captain Scott Walsh · USCG-licensed Master, Auxiliary Sail · ASA-certified instructor · Lake Travis, Austin
Everyone starts here. Most of my students have never been on a sailboat. You can say STOP at any time and I will not be disappointed.
What changes
Most people wait years. You don't have to.
Before
Someone who has never sailed and is a little intimidated by people who have.
After
Someone who can sail a small boat and is calm about learning the rest.
You will leave more sure of yourself than you arrived.
Book your first sailTwo hours · Lake Travis · All gear provided · Free reschedule for weather
FAQ
Questions people ask before they book
Before you book
Do I need any experience?
No. Most of our students have never been on a sailboat. If you have, we go faster.
Do I need to know how to swim?
You will wear a life jacket the whole time, so no. Tell us if you are not a confident swimmer so we can look after you.
Is it safe?
Safety brief every time. Life jacket every time. Scott makes the weather call early, and safety beats the calendar.
Can I say stop?
Yes. Anyone can say STOP at any time and we slow down or head in. Nobody will be disappointed.
How many people can come?
Up to three students on the boat with the captain. Discover Sailing takes 1 to 3 people, Couple Sailing is for two, and the Private Lesson is one-on-one.
Can kids come?
Yes, from age 10 with a parent aboard, and teens 14 and up with a signed parent consent. Everyone under 18 wears a life jacket the whole time. A parent or guardian signs the minor waiver before we board.
How much does it cost?
Discover Sailing is $275 per person for two hours. A six-hour Private Lesson is $595 per person. Couple Sailing is $795 per couple, four to six hours, your choice. Gift Hours are $125 an hour with a two-hour minimum. You pay in full at booking, and a lesson is never more than the price on the card.
Is this an ASA school?
Scott is a USCG-licensed Master Captain with the auxiliary sail endorsement and an ASA-certified instructor.
On the day
Where do we meet?
Lake Travis. Your confirmation has the map pin, parking, and gate instructions.
What should I wear?
Closed-toe shoes that can get wet, a hat, sunglasses with a strap, sunscreen, light layers. Think windy beach walk. Flip-flops and bare feet are not allowed on the boat.
Will I get wet?
Maybe a little spray. You will not be swimming unless you choose to. Bring a change of clothes just in case.
When should I arrive?
Please arrive 15 minutes before your start time at the meet-up spot in your confirmation. The gate and the walk to the dock take a few minutes, and we use the time to fit life jackets and go over safety. Your lesson starts on time whether or not everyone is there.
What if I am running late?
Text us if you are running behind. We hold the boat for 15 minutes. After that we may need to shorten your lesson so the next student starts on time. More than 30 minutes late with no word counts as a no-show.
What happens in the two hours?
About thirty minutes on the dock for the safety brief, life jackets and how the wind works, then ninety minutes on the water. You steer, trim the sail, tack, and help bring her in.
Do I need to sign anything?
Everyone who steps on the boat signs a waiver first, including parents who come along. You will get a link in your confirmation and it takes about two minutes on your phone. No signed waiver, no boarding.
What about alcohol?
None before or during your lesson, for anyone aboard. If someone appears impaired, they will not board and the lesson is treated as a no-show. This is a safety rule and we do not make exceptions.
Who decides whether we sail?
On the boat, Scott is the skipper. He decides whether we sail, where we go, what we practice, and when we head in. He may end a lesson at any time for safety or for behavior that puts anyone at risk.
Weather and changes
What if the weather is bad?
Scott makes the call and makes it early. You will hear from us the evening before and again about two hours before your start. If we cancel for weather you choose a free new date or a full refund. A cloudy day is often a great sailing day; lightning and high wind are not.
What if we have to come in early?
If we come in early for weather with less than half the lesson done, we reschedule the rest for free.
Can I move my date?
Move your lesson for free any time up to 48 hours before, using the link in your confirmation. Your payment stays with your booking. Inside 48 hours we will give you one courtesy move. After that, a late change costs 50 percent of the lesson price, or the deposit if you paid one.
Can I cancel?
Cancel 48 hours or more before your lesson for a full refund. Inside 48 hours, the late fee above applies. No-shows are not refunded. For the certification course, the $500 deposit is refunded in full if we cannot agree on dates during your call; once dates are set, the deposit is refundable up to 14 days before Day 1.
How do refunds work?
Refunds go back to the card you paid with, usually within five business days. If a lesson did not go the way it should have, tell Scott. We would rather fix it with a free tune-up than argue about it.
Lessons and gifts
Which lesson should I pick?
Never sailed? Discover Sailing. Want a whole day with the captain to yourself? Private Lesson. Learning with your partner? Couple Sailing. Not sure what they would like? Gift Hours, and they choose.
Do I pay a deposit?
No. Every lesson is paid in full at booking, so there is no balance to remember.
Do you sell gift certificates?
Yes. We sell Gift Hours at $125 an hour, two hours minimum. The person you give them to chooses what to learn with the hours, from a first sail to a day of coaching. They never expire and cannot be exchanged for cash. The weather and cancellation policies apply once a date is booked. Gift hours.
What is the card I leave with?
A card that says, in plain words, what you did today and the next step that fits you, if you want one.
Book
Pick a date. We will handle the rest.
Pick a day that works, then the lesson. Pay at booking. Scott texts the weather plan the evening before.
Loading dates
Days with an open slot are marked. Times are Central.
Not ready to book?
Leave your name and we will answer any question, no pressure:
Online booking opens soon. Leave your name below or text Scott at (737) 864-0420 and he will set up your first sail.