Interactive sailing simulator

A learning simulator for skipper decisions. It is not a perfect boat model, but it forces the ASA 101 habits: brief the mission, know the wind, identify point of sail and tack side, call the next helm and trim action, tack through a course, use instructor mode gate exams, run a traffic watch lab, handle underway incident injects, generate custom standard-style challenges, run short graded maneuver reps, read live sail-force feedback, review a replay timeline after each run, reef early, crab for current, track moving traffic contacts, keep clear with early course changes, protect the return window, adjust conditions in the sandbox, keep the boat moving with auto-sail, answer rule/safety questions while moving, and turn the debrief into targeted drills.

Mission

Choose a scenario

Heading

Point

Trim

Briefing

Score

Time

Wind

Current

Load

Telltales

VMG

Leeway

Gates

Traffic

Skipper skill passport

Six simulator areas cover the beginner skipper loop: wind/trim, rules, safety, docking, night return, and route/current decisions. Ready means a completed mission, 80+ best score, all latest gates, and no latest unsafe traffic penalty.

Instructor mode

Turn each numbered course gate into an examiner checkpoint. The boat pauses at gates for trim, rules, safety, docking, lights, or current questions, then saves proof under instructorRuns.

Instructor runs0

Best exam0%

Weak gates0

Skipper call sprint

A fast low-stakes quiz tied to the active simulator mission. It mixes underway decision cards with gate-exam calls, saves weak topics, and turns misses into drill-library repairs.

Call sprints0

Best sprint0%

Weak calls0

Wind rose helm coach

A visual point-of-sail game. Read the wind arrow and boat heading, then call point of sail, tack side, next helm move, and trim action before running the full simulator mission.

Coach runs0

Best coach0%

Weak cues0

Tack ladder route game

A layline decision game for getting to a windward or downwind mark. Read wind, heading, mark angle, and risk, then choose the skipper action, target point of sail, and trap to avoid.

Route games0

Best route0%

Weak routes0

Sim maneuver reps

Short deliberate reps inside the simulator. Pick one skill, sail a few minutes, grade the run, then queue the weak habit into the drill library.

Maneuver reps0

Best rep0%

Weak reps0

Choose rep

Traffic watch lab

Examiner-style lookout practice while the simulator is moving. Call relative bearing, CPA risk, stand-on/give-way context, and the early action before a close pass becomes a penalty.

Watch runs0

Best watch0%

Weak calls0

Underway incident injects

A four-call scenario game layered on the active mission. Handle fog, fuel smell, cooling-water loss, gusts, lines, ferry traffic, return windows, and lee-shore pressure before small problems stack.

Incident runs0

Best inject0%

Weak calls0

Custom challenge builder

Generate a standard-style simulator challenge for a closed course, obstacles, traffic, squall recovery, close quarters, night lookout, or current set. Each completed challenge saves criteria, weak focus, drill handoff, and logbook-ready evidence.

Challenge reps0

Best challenge0%

Weak focus0

Focus Level

Sandbox controls

Change the active mission's wind, gusts, and current to test trim, leeway, laylines, and conservative decisions.

Wind direction Wind strength Current set Current speed

Debrief

Complete or time out a mission to generate a debrief.

Run replay coach

After each mission, review the helm, trim, reefing, gate, traffic, and briefing events that mattered. Weak habits save under replayWeak and can be queued as targeted drills.

Replay saves0

Best replay0%

Weak habits0

Mission knowledge check

Complete a mission to unlock a three-question debrief quiz.

Mission transfer check

Complete a mission, then explain the risk, skipper action, margin, and next drill you would carry into a different real-world scenario.

Transfer checks0

Best transfer0%

Weak transfer0

Decision review

Wrong skipper calls are saved by topic. Review them as a separate deck until the habit is automatic.

How the simulator scores you

Boat speed: best on reaches, slower close-hauled, slow on a run, stopped in the no-go zone.
Trim: match boom angle to point of sail. Over-trim stalls; under-trim luffs. Use the telltale readout like a beginner cockpit habit.
Sail-forces coach: read the drive, trim fit, VMG, and control-margin meters to see why a sail/helm choice helped or hurt.
Reefing: when gusts build, reef before the penalty hits.
Wind and current: wind shifts change the no-go zone; current set pushes the boat sideways and rewards early margin.
Sandbox: adjust wind, gusts, and current during a run, then watch your route trail to see whether trim, VMG, and leeway improved.
Auto-sail: let the mission advance continuously while you steer, trim, reef, and pause for decision cards.
Mission briefing: check the objective, risks, pass criteria, and likely follow-up drills before the first minute of sailing.
Skipper call sprint: run a quick mission-based quiz for rules, trim, gates, traffic, weather, docking, and route calls, then queue any weak calls as drills.
Wind rose helm coach: read a mini wind diagram, identify point of sail and tack side, call the next helm move, and choose trim before converting misses into targeted drills.
Tack ladder route game: read a mini chart, wind arrow, layline, traffic/current cue, and mark position, then choose whether to hold, tack, bear away, jibe, or open room before queueing missed route calls as drills.
Custom challenge builder: generate a focused standard-style run for closed-course boat handling, traffic lookout, squall recovery, close-quarters setup, night return, or route/current planning.
Sim maneuver reps: run short graded reps for tacking ladders, trim fit, reef-and-recovery control, traffic margin, and close-quarters setup before doing a full mission.
Course gates: pass the numbered gates in order to practice tacking ladders, harbor approaches, reefing routes, close-quarters setup, and night-return sequencing.
Moving traffic: watch the closest-point readout, open distance early, cross astern when required, and avoid unsafe close passes.
Traffic watch lab: turn moving contacts into examiner-style lookout calls: relative bearing, CPA trend, stand-on/give-way context, and early action.
Underway incident injects: answer four surprise skipper calls for fog, fuel smell, cooling-water loss, gusts, lines, ferry traffic, return windows, or lee-shore pressure; weak calls save to the repair queue.
Rules: decision cards are part of the mission. Wrong answers cost score, explain the rule, and save the weak topic for review.
Mission knowledge check: each completed run unlocks a short debrief quiz so you prove the rule, risk, and next action before moving on.
Mission transfer check: turn the latest run into an explained risk/action/margin call and one next drill so the simulator habit transfers to a different sailing situation.
Run replay coach: every finished mission saves a compact helm, trim, reef, gate, traffic, and briefing timeline, scores the habits, and queues weak replay habits into the drill library.
Debrief drills: each run recommends linked practice modules and can queue matching drills into the on-water drill library.
Assessment: run all six missions in sequence, then use the debrief to decide what to drill next.

Sources and scope

Take a full practice test Review maneuvers