Going Back to Cali

[TheBadLT]

Howdy,

I have been living in a place that is all beach and no ocean for the past year (Iraq) and will be moving to California soon and figured it would be a good time, and place, to take up sailing. I am putting together a 10 year plan to be homeless, and living on a catamaran. First, I have to learn to sail. Then save enough for the boat. Next, get rid of all my junk. Finally, sail away and live happily ever after.

It should be easy money, right?

Are there any good sailing schools near Monterey or the Bay area? I am specifically interested in catamaran sailing courses.

I am willing to barter for sailing lessons. I will trade war stories and beer for sailing lessons. Anyone Interested?

TheBadLT

[David M]

First, thanks for serving our country.

Although more costly, I think you will learn more from professional sailing instructors at a sailing school than from an individual who although they know how to sail, probably does not know how to teach sailing very well. I had an entire course from ASA on how to teach people sailing and there are teaching techniques including a little psychology that must be learned. Please, nobody construe what I said that I am saying an untrained instructor is incapable of teaching sailing.

The Bay Area has a number of sailing schools. Its an easy Google search. I don't know about Monterrey.

[Bill_E]

There is another advantage to taking classes from either ASA or US Sailing...they will get you in a bit better position for insurance, should you decide that you want it.

Boatloads of sailing in the Bay. That's where I learned!
Bill

[starbolin]

For finding sailing schools just go to the ASA site at
Find a Sailing School - American Sailing Association and enter your city. I have sailed with Spinnaker Sailing School Home Page out of Redwood City and found them to be a very knowledgeable and very professional group with good facilities and excellent boats but I bet you would find the same for any of the ASA schools.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Bad,
Welcome aboard and thanks for serving. As others have said there are lots of sailing schools in the Bay area. There might even be some that will honor the GI bill? Just a thought. I never tried it after I got out but it might be worth looking into.
Just this summer I had my first sailing experiences in the Bay and also Monterey Bay. Santa Cruz, Moss Landing and Monterey look like great places to learn sailing.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[TheBadLT]

There are a couple of schools in monterey that I will probably do the basic sailing courses (101,103,104). I will probably head up to the bay area for catamaran sailing lessons. Can anyone explain why there are such huge differences in prices of sailing classes? I am not exactly on a budget, but the more money I save on classes the more money I can spend on Beer.

My offer of Beer and war stories still stands, for anyone who wants to share sailing experience.

TheBadLT

Living in Montery Bay, I can tell you there is not really much here in official lessons, so Redwood City would be my first choice. That said, there are three very active yacht clubs in the Monterey Bay. All have weekend and sometimes weeknight races. If you show up, and offer to crew, you will likely get many opportunities to learn. Moss Landing (Elkhorn Yacht Club) will be the most casual, and will be a good opportunity to learn the basics. Santa Cruz is hard core racing. Harder to get on as rail meat, but when you do, you will get a good idea of how to make a boat go fast. Monterey I have not had much experience with, so I really can not comment.

[TheBadLT]

Kai Nui,

Thanks for the info. That is exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for. I will definitely check into those yacht clubs.

TheBadLT