New to San Diego

[Mach1Rider]

Hello all. I am in the process of getting my move to San Diego from Virginia. I have been talking with my wife about the both of us learning how to sail. Now I am in no way new to ocean life being as I am in the Navy but will be out of my true element trying to utilize the wind as the main method of moving a boat in the water. I am going to start out small and learn. I am not here to figure on buying a 50' boat. haha. Yes I have been reading for a while. My plan though is to learn as much as I can while still in the Navy, and once I retire from the Navy, in about 6 years, to keep practicing with short 1-2 week rides. I will own a boat soon like withing the next year. Still not sure which one but I am sure once I meet her I will keep her. Once all of our children are out of the house we will move aboard for more drastic and longer journeys. I have already been around the entire world on water and realize I do like it alot and want to share it with my wife and she surprised me and said it was an awesome idea and I was glad that she was so excited about it.(and not faking) lol Well I am in the process of finding good courses to take for free or for a far reduced price and enjoying life.

[tbodine88]

You should be able to get free sailing lessons on Base. That's where I got mine. The base was the Naval Training center now closed. A good club is the Naval Yacht Club on Coronado. I went sailing with them once after I was out had a good time.

[Roy M]

Come over to Shelter Island and stop by Southwestern Yacht Club. Send me a private message and I'll set you up. Welcome to San Diego, you will love it.

[The Vortex]

Just a couple quick thoughts...don't feel that your kids need to be grown and gone to live this lifestyle...they will grow to be more rounded humans as citizens of the world. Also, my wife had a great experience with the Mission Bay Aquatic Center for sailing lessons last year. She was able to learn more and better from a disinterested third party than from me.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Mach1Rider.

[nes]

For low priced courses, check out the US power squadrons they have a variety of locations nationwide, and over safety courses, basic navigation courses, more advanced navigation course etc. Typically the only cost is the materials. This also allows you to meet some other sailors and perhaps get some sailing time in.

[Gudgeon]

Below is a link to the MWR web site. One you get your card from MWR you can rent boats from any Navy MWR sailing facility. Not sure what boats MWR has in San Diego. San Diego has some great sailing. Plenty of places to rent a sail boat for a day. J World had a year round facility there they do both cruising and racing. I have taken courses from them in the past and I can go to the school and get a ride on one of there boats for the races normally.
Enjoy San Diego


Marinas | San Diego Navy Community Support Programs

[foolishsailor]

Born and raised in San Dieig. My dad was an Officer in the navy and we moved around quite a bit. Luckily we moved back to San Diego and I got to top up my sailing lessons there when I was a kid.

I am back in San Diego every year now and my folks still live in Coronado and I was just back with the wife and kids last year and we took a ride down the Strand to see Fiddlers Cove, that is where I went from sailing dinks to learning navigation and small keel boats as a 10 year old, and it is still there.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed learning and sailing from this place. As a Navy brat this place was so cheap I could with my own money and my parents permission sail every weekend. I used to pack a lunch, ride my bike down and rent a Coronado 22 and sail out past Point Loma - when I was 10. Dodging military ships, ferris, dealing with current etc.

It is a wonderful very very easy place to sail and learn to sail. As a navy family if you are stationed at North Island I can't recommend Fiddlers Cove enough. I don't know about the quality of instruction as it has been many decades, but it is a great place and great prices to rent sail boats from.

Any questions about San Diego PM me

[zeehag]

there are fellas in fiddlers cove who like sailing with others---i dont know name of the boat--joe baker has a newport 30 he likes to day sail on sd bay. he is retired army.

[Sailtexas]

Hi Mach1rider! You'll love San Diego! What's the significance or your user name? I ask because I rode a Mach1 Kawasaki motorcycle as a kid. Enjoy SoCal!

[Mach1Rider]

Thank you everyone. Mach1 is actually my ford mustang I have. I do not feel the need to wait till my kids are gone but I am going to wait to go out for extended times months at a time until they are gone.
I loved San Diego the first time I was there and did contact the fiddlers cove marina and spoke with them and they are very cheap for instruction and I M excited to get back there.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by foolishsailor

Born and raised in San Dieig. My dad was an Officer in the navy and we moved around quite a bit. Luckily we moved back to San Diego and I got to top up my sailing lessons there when I was a kid.

I am back in San Diego every year now and my folks still live in Coronado and I was just back with the wife and kids last year and we took a ride down the Strand to see Fiddlers Cove, that is where I went from sailing dinks to learning navigation and small keel boats as a 10 year old, and it is still there.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed learning and sailing from this place. As a Navy brat this place was so cheap I could with my own money and my parents permission sail every weekend. I used to pack a lunch, ride my bike down and rent a Coronado 22 and sail out past Point Loma - when I was 10. Dodging military ships, ferris, dealing with current etc.

It is a wonderful very very easy place to sail and learn to sail. As a navy family if you are stationed at North Island I can't recommend Fiddlers Cove enough. I don't know about the quality of instruction as it has been many decades, but it is a great place and great prices to rent sail boats from.

Any questions about San Diego PM me

I'll second that!

I learned to sail via MWR in Germany, then sailed in Memphis, TN via MWR, then got stationed at the AMPHIBASE Coronado and sailed there at Fiddler's Cove every weekend for many years. Got qualified on Lidos, Capris, Rebels, Catalina 22s, Knockabout 26s, Catalina 27s and Luders 44 yawls. And, I taught there too. Great experience but I don't know how much of the old training area is still there. It's worth a drive down the Strand to find out.

Welcome aboard and thanks for your service.

kind regards,