The rating ladder.
Nobody skips the skills check before taking a sailboat out as skipper. That's what lets us hand people the keys to the fleet without a chaperone, and it keeps the boats in the water instead of the shop. Paddle craft and bikes need no rating, just a first-time orientation. Sailboats are gated by the ladder below. Each rung requires demonstrating the listed skills to an instructor; most dinghy checkouts take under an hour, while keelboat checkouts take longer.
Already know how to sail?
Book a checkout.
Checkouts are free for members and run on demand — book one like any other reservation and an instructor meets you at the dock. If you don't pass, you leave with a specific list of what to practice and priority rebooking. Most people pass the second try; the lake keeps the score, not us.