The Goa Yacht Association conducts the Level 1 course under the very experienced sailor Derek Menezes in Dona Paula, Goa. Derek himself has represented India at various sailing competitions and is a National Windsurfing Champion, who has been sailing probably before he could walk. He is not just an instructor, he is also a trainer which means he teaches others who want to become instructors, so you know you are in expert hands.
You could do a two-hour fun lesson or the the 10-hour course, which is equivalent to Level 1 as mandated by the global sailing body RYA. And since this a not-for profit body looking at solely promoting sailing, it costs just INR 10,000, which we think is a steal. They will cover a lot of essentials of sailing such as how to jibe and tack, or sail the boat in any angle of the wind, to moor the boat to a jetty or any other mooring as well as safety drills like what to do if there is a man overboard. By the end of this course, you will be fully capable of taking a boat out on the water by yourself, sailing it irrespective of which direction the wind is coming from and bringing it back. And it is a great stepping stone to seriously take up sailing, that is if this gets your juices pumping.
Additionally, they have the Laser single hand dinghies or the Seabird sailboats to learn on. If you are the young, energetic type who wants extra challenges then the Laser dinghy might be a better choice, but if like us you would like to learn sailing at a more relaxed pace then we definitely recommend the Seabird type boat to learn on. You can call Derek on +91 9822124457 or +91 7972479389 or even check the GYA page here for booking and more details.