New to boating community - Santa Barbara, CA

[bbauhaus]

Hi there,

I'm new to Santa Barbara and FINALLY live close enough to a harbor to get my feet wet, so to speak The ocean is my heart and my home, and I'm interested in eventually purchasing a cabin cruiser and renting out a slip in the harbor. However, I have much to learn about boating and I welcome any and all advice, tips, tricks, boating knowledge from you lovely folks! I'm happy to assist with crew. Know a good boating course I could take? Willing to help me learn to captain? I'm up for all thoughts and suggestions.

Many thanks!
Brittany

[dwmCA]

Welcome to Santa Barbara... We live in the SF Bay Area, but took sailing classes at Santa Barbara Sailing Center. Nice people. Open everyday. Good place to start and learn about the water, weather, navigation, etc.

[bbauhaus]

Good idea, dwmCA! I'll look into the sailing center.

[Diesel Bill]

U.S. Power Squadron or U.S.C.G. Auxiliary offer basic boating safety classes, and proof of taking some type of safety course is now becoming mandatory in California.

[Don C L]

Hi Brittany, welcome aboard here! I am just down the coast from you a bit, but I spent a good deal of my youth in and around the SB harbor with 10 years living off and on my little boat there 25 years ago! As you may know, to get a slip in SB it will cost you. Ordinarily the value of the slip is attached to the cost of the boat in it for sale. So it will behoove you to search the boats for sale in the harbor that come with the slip. These folks (and others) can help you understand the process, especially if you buy a boat through them!:
Harbor Boat Slips - Chandlery Yacht Sales Santa Barbara
If you can afford it though, Santa Barbara is a great harbor for many reasons as I am sure you know already. You can always come down to Ventura and Channel Islands harbors if you can't make it work up there. I think Ventura has some available slips and I know Channel Islands has quite a few. But really, wouldn't we all rather be in SB? ... yeah.
Good luck in your adventures and I hope you can find a great boat in a great slip there!
Feel free to PM me about anything about the area and boating here too!

[bbauhaus]

Originally Posted by Diesel Bill

U.S. Power Squadron or U.S.C.G. Auxiliary offer basic boating safety classes, and proof of taking some type of safety course is now becoming mandatory in California.

Thanks Diesel Bill! I'll look into these courses, too. I'm already taking a course from boat-ed.com but would love to get some hands on experience.

[bbauhaus]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Hi Brittany, welcome aboard here! I am just down the coast from you a bit, but I spent a good deal of my youth in and around the SB harbor with 10 years living off and on my little boat there 25 years ago! As you may know, to get a slip in SB it will cost you. Ordinarily the value of the slip is attached to the cost of the boat in it for sale. So it will behoove you to search the boats for sale in the harbor that come with the slip. These folks (and others) can help you understand the process, especially if you buy a boat through them!:
Harbor Boat Slips - Chandlery Yacht Sales Santa Barbara
If you can afford it though, Santa Barbara is a great harbor for many reasons as I am sure you know already. You can always come down to Ventura and Channel Islands harbors if you can't make it work up there. I think Ventura has some available slips and I know Channel Islands has quite a few. But really, wouldn't we all rather be in SB? ... yeah.
Good luck in your adventures and I hope you can find a great boat in a great slip there!
Feel free to PM me about anything about the area and boating here too!

Thank you, Don! I'll get in touch with Chandlery. I can possibly do the SB slip/boat thing if financing is available. I'm also good with docking in Ventura Harbor. I lived there for a long time and loved that place! SB harbor is just much closer to me now I'm most interested in gaining hands-on piloting experience, so if you have any suggestions for me, please do let me know!

[Training Wheels]

You could always give Dr. Laura a call and ask her if she needs crew. [emoji15][emoji23]