America's most experienced and renowned sailing instructor has put down in this volume all he knows about his subject. And he has done it in a way that reflects years of searching for and finding the best way to teach sailing. The result is an incomparable book for anyone who wants to become an expert sailor.

The learn-to-sail book for when you are in a hurry to gain your sea legs

At the Offshore Sailing School, the Colgates have taught more than 100,000 adults how to sail. Now they are making their proven instructional methods available to you so you can fulfill your sailing dreams in little time. Though designed around three days of intensive instruction, the book adapts easily to any learning pace. You can master the fundamentals in three days--or over a summer of leisurely sailing.

From a racing master, all the knowledge you need to make your boat go faster and safer in any condition

In "Performance Sailing and Racing," Steve Colgate explains how to improve your sailing and push your boat to higher but safer speeds. He shows you how get your boat to perform as it was designed--with grace and an ease of motion--and to sail at a fast speed that can get you out of situations more quickly and arrive at your destination sooner.

Used as one of the text books at the many branches of the Colgate Sailing School, "Performance Sailing and Racing" will help you get started in racing and improve as you learn. Even veteran sailors will pick up some new tips and tricks to becoming a successful racer. End-of-chapter quizzes reinforce what you learn so you can use your knowledge confidently on the water.

Sail faster and smarter: Get the picture with clear, colorful photos and graphics Master vital topics relating to boat speed--sail trim, sheet lead angles, steering differences in light and heavy air Learn even those daunting topics, including using a spinnaker and understanding polar diagrams

With this master teacher's wisdom on all the factors that make your boat sail better, you'll win the next race or just blow past the other boats in the outer harbor.

Learn how to handle a cruising sailboat in as little as seven dayseven if youve never sailed before!.

Who says you have to be an experienced daysailor before you can think about cruising? Steve and Doris Colgate know that most of us dont have that kind of time. At the Offshore Sailing School, the Colgates have helped more than 100,000 adultsthree-quarters of whom started as beginning sailors or complete newcomers--take the helm of a midsize cruising sailboat. Now "Fast Track to Cruising" offers these proven instructional methods to "all" aspiring sailors with big dreams and little time. .

This is the very first guide that teaches sailing and cruising together, taking you from your first sail to independent cruising in one leap. You can make that leap in as little as seven daysas in the Colgates Fast Track to Cruising courseor you can get there at a more leisurely pace. Either way, no other book will take you from your first tacking or docking maneuver to a mastery of navigation and diesel engines as efficiently as this one..

"America's most experienced sailing instructors present a thorough and easy to understand look at cruising. Leisure time is precious. Safety is paramount. The Colgates will help you maximize your time on the water."--Gary Jobson, ESPN's lead sailing analyst and editor at large for "Cruising World" and "Sailing World,"

Doris and Steve Colgate understand that people want to reach their sailing goals as quickly as possible and they've built the excellent Fast Track program to accomplish it.--Bernadette Bernon, former editorial director of "Cruising World" magazine.

"Together Steve and Doris Colgate have been teaching beginners to sail for over half acentury. In "Fast Track to Cruising" they have included every concept and procedure you need to get yourself from a want-to-be sailor to one who is knowledgeable and competent to take the helm--with confidence and a smile."--Charles Mason, Executive Editor, "SAIL" magazine.

Steve Colgate founded the Offshore Sailing School in 1964. He has participated in two America's Cup trials, seventeen NewportBermuda races, seven Fastnet Races, the Pan American Games, the Olympics, and six transatlantic races. Doris Colgate is president of the Offshore Sailing School and founder of the National Women's Sailing Association. In 2003, US SAILING awarded the Colgates the Timothea Larr Trophy in recognition of their outstanding leadership and excellence in sailing education..