Basic Keelboat Study Companion
Independent U.S. knowledge preparation for beginning keelboat sailors, using American terminology, USATONS/IALA Region B, and federal safety context.
$299 modules
View companion Independent study · no certification. Independent study. Not an official course or certification. Details
Compass Revision is independent and is not affiliated with, approved by, or endorsed by American Sailing, US Sailing, the USCG, NOAA, or NWS. It does not award certification.
Compass USA
Your next chapter on American waters.
Independent U.S. sailing study companions for keelboat sailing, coastal navigation and confident cruising preparation.
Independent preparation. No qualification or certificate awarded.
- U.S. rules and USATONS
- NOAA navigation sources
- USD-priced companions
Study scope and sources
Original, independent study companions in U.S. English for American sailing terminology, USATONS and IALA Region B, International and U.S. Inland Rules, federal safety context, NOAA and NWS navigation and weather sources, systems, and cruising decisions. USD products and entitlements.
Original content is reviewed against published standards and current U.S. government sources. State, local, vessel-specific, and operator requirements must be checked separately.
Try the learning experience
A small lesson. A clearer next step.
Explore a real sample from Basic Keelboat Study Companion. Learn the idea, practise a decision, then check your understanding. No account needed for this sample.
Progress in this sample stays in the sample. It does not change your course record or award a qualification.
Explore this companionLearn · teaching first
Orient Yourself Before Naming the Boat
From Boat Language and Keelboat Parts
What you will learn
Use the boat itself as the reference frame for bow, stern, port, starboard, forward and aft, regardless of where a crew member is facing.
Explanation
Boat language removes the ambiguity created by a person’s changing viewpoint. Start with the bow, then name the vessel’s sides and directions from that fixed reference.
Bow and stern name the forward and after ends of the vessel. Forward or fore means toward the bow; aft means toward the stern. Port is the vessel’s left side and starboard its right side when looking forward. Those sides remain attached to the boat: a crew member who turns to face aft does not make port become starboard.
Ahead and astern describe positions or movement beyond the bow and stern. Abeam means roughly at right angles to the vessel’s fore-and-aft line. Windward and leeward use the wind as their reference, so they can change when the wind or the boat changes; port and starboard do not.
Translate a call without using the crew member’s viewpoint
The helm is facing forward. A crew member beside the mast is facing aft. The helm calls, ‘Take the port jib sheet forward and keep it clear of the hatch.’
Sense check: The crew member’s chest is facing the stern, but the port side of the boat has not moved.
Common mistake
Left and right follow the observer; port and starboard remain fixed to the vessel.
Recap
- Bow and stern are the ends; fore or forward and aft describe direction along the boat.
- Port and starboard stay fixed to the boat.
- Windward and leeward can change with the wind or the vessel’s heading.
More ways to revise
Flashcards, audio and interactive tools remain optional support inside the module; they do not replace the Learn → Practise → Test route.
Four-course route
Choose the knowledge companion that matches your next course
Basic Coastal Cruising Study Companion
Independent U.S. coastal-cruising knowledge preparation for larger auxiliary-powered sailboats, systems, anchoring, docking, weather, navigation, and emergencies.
$3910 modules
View companion Bareboat Cruising Study Companion
Independent U.S. bareboat-cruising knowledge preparation for multi-day charter planning, leadership, systems, navigation, weather, and contingencies.
$4910 modules
View companion U.S. Coastal Navigation Study Companion
Independent U.S. coastal-navigation preparation using NOAA sources, original plotting problems, and explicit certification boundaries.
$5910 modules
View companion The four-course pathway includes Coastal Navigation at $129 once. Existing owners of the retired three-course bundle receive the added course through the release entitlement migration.
Readiness check
A private 12-question knowledge sample with end-only feedback.
IALA B quiz
Practice U.S. lateral aids and shared buoyage families.
ASA versus RYA
Compare route structure without claiming equivalence.
For sailing schools
Join the deliberately narrow readiness-resource pilot.
How we protect the brand
Independent, sourced, and explicit about limits
Original content is reviewed against published standards and current U.S. government sources. State, local, vessel-specific, and operator requirements must be checked separately. We use published certification standards only to map coverage. We do not use American Sailing logos, reproduce textbooks or exam questions, or describe Compass products as official courses.