The best place to learn sailing windsurfing in the Bay area. Great people great spot very cheap just perfect in every way

unbelievable.. Good place to learn to windsurf, sail, boats, the price is like !20/ 3 months,, includes boats and lessons and paddle boards and kayaks, in the Summer there are Fast tracks lots of helpful teachers, volunteers, read more

I've been a member off an on over the years and this club was the only way I got into sailing! It's great, not elitest and offers a chance to truly practice because once you finish training you can lend out stuff from their fleet. For women this is one of the few places full of younger, child free men so there's less chance of a desperate divorced dad or "older gentlemen" thinking they have a chance with you. There are also way more cool independent women as well! read more

Don't bother learning anywhere else. ASA and US Sailing courses are a joke. CSC will set you up for life. This is the place. read more

This sailing club is very inexpensive, but it's not for luxury or high-end socializing. It's just to get kids out perhaps. It's $300 a year or $99 3 months. That's a good price. And they have windsurfing. But they make you volunteer. I don't know if I would bother getting out to Berkeley from SF that much. My friend said he would take me out as a guest, but he said "You MAY get wet and soaked. Bring a change of clothes." UMMM personally I really hate when I am on a sailboat and get wet. That is something I avoid. Maybe I am spoiled. But any boat situation where you get splashed too much is just not cool to me. So I'll just have to shop around again for good sailing. read more

Things you can get for $69: - a month and a half of match.com - 27 cups of Peet's or 19 of Blue Bottle - 9 boilermakers at Missouri Lounge - 7/8 of a meal at Chez Panisse - 35 pounds of Satsumas in season .... OR .... Three months of good ol' fashioned fun at CSC! This volunteer run club provides all the necessary equipage for sailing and windsurfing adventures provided you volunteer two hours to show other folks the ropes. Instruction is casually taught in this way, though proper licenses are needed to take passengers. Whether it be a skipper, windsurf board or kayak, rentals are free for members. I visited for a free intro lesson, which for most ended up being a family-friendly ride, hosted once a month or so. Prepare for a queue, and bring a change of pants afterwards. The community is welcoming and patient, always ready with a sturdy hand. Head out with smiling Mike on a little skipper for some slosh-happy adventuring. Now go take off into the wind! read more

Cal Sailing Club - Boating Near Me - Berkeley, California

Disclaimer: I'm on the executive committee. My review is not about our facilities, which are of course excellent and very cheap ;-) but about the vegan and beer aspects. CSC hasn't always been entirely vegan friendly, but the cooks in the last year have made real efforts. Of course a good deal of our food comes from Grocery Outlet, which is very cheap, but not always ideal. And the meals we cook for lunch are often not served until middle of the afternoon. So my advice for vegans is to take your own food (and you can safely forget about the bait shop across the road), and also make your dietary preferences clear to the cooks - or better yet, help out and make sure there's vegan options. (And get your volunteer hours). As for beer, there's no doubt it's a beer club with a sailing problem. The bait shop again has just stopped selling beer, so bring your own. Grocery Outlet has an OK selection, but you're better off going to your local store first before you come. And bring it to share of course! read more

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CSC gets TWO thumbs up from me! The boyfriend and I decided on a whim that we wanted to do something fun in Berkeley, and funcheapSF told us about CSC's monthly Open House where they offer a sailboat ride for free. FOR FREE? I know what you're thinking...."What's the catch?" You can trust me when I say there truly is no catch (there's a pun in here somewhere, I just know it) We pulled into a lot, signed a standard waiver and were promptly given life jackets. I was pleasantly surprised that no sign-ups were needed online or in advance. Then they divided us into two different groups--one for a ride in dinghies and one for bigger, more stable keelboats. We opted for a dinghy because the line was shorter and the ride turned out to be very stable. Our guide was friendly and even let us take control of the steering. The fact that the weather was very nice and the Blue Angels happened to be up in the sky didn't hurt either :) Since my experience with them was so positive, I would definitely consider joining the club as a member in the future when I have some more free time! SUMMARY: Go to the monthly open house for a free ride, FREE PARKING, & to try something new! read more

Didn't work out so well for me. You get what you pay for. I guess I could have tried harder and spent more time down there, but I wasn't getting much out of it so I didn't. Some nice people, some who were not so great. For the most part, it was fun being out on the water. read more

We went on one of their free open house boat rides (select Sundays) and had a nice sail on the water. Our sailor didn't teach us much, but we had fun out on the water. We would recommend going on the early side to avoid long lines. read more

Great CSC Open House last Sunday! We could not have asked for better weather, though there was little wind for the addicted Windsurfers! I thought the salsa and chips were excellent! Hope more folks come out for the next one, May 16th and get a free windsurfing lesson from Jonny Lolipop! read more

For the price, this is hands down the best place to learn to sail, windsurf, and generally have a good time. There isn't always a lot of structure, so the club can often be what you make of it. But if you put in the time, you're guaranteed to have a wonderful experience. read more

Cal Sailing Club - Boating Near Me - Berkeley, California

This might be one of the Bay Area's best kept secrets. I think the reason it's not better known is that the name implies an affiliation with UC Berkeley; people tend to assume that it's for students. But no! ANYONE can sail here, and for a very affordable price (considering what you get). This is a great place to learn to sail or windsurf, improve your existing skills, and have fun on the water. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. They have classes, day trips, events, and you learn how to maintain the equipment too. I took classes there about ten years ago, but I have a few pieces of advice for them about how to improve things. The class I took was represented as free. Students were then asked to sign up for a night to bring food for everyone. At the time, I didn't have the means to purchase that quantity of food, or a place to prepare food. It was hard to communicate that to the leadership. They were really nice, but it was hard to get across that it was a financial and logistical issue. Everything worked out OK. I brought some vegetables, another student brought more filling food the same night, and everyone had a good time. I just think they should be up-front about the hidden cost and suggest options for those who can't afford it (maybe we could do extra work cleaning boats or something). It would also be nice if they had more off-the-water activities, like an afternoon knot class, sailing strategy discussion, rules for racing, etc. It could be really informal and easy to organize - just meet in the club house and learn about sailing. Maybe they have more of that kind of thing now; it's been a while. But that brings me to one of the best things about Cal Sailing. It's a place to network with the broader sailing community. People who own boats and compete in races recruit crew there. And the Bay is one of the top racing spots in the world. Think about that. For an extremely reasonable membership fee and some time on the water proving your skills, you can quickly become a crew member in one of the most fun and challenging places to race. You can gain experience on all kinds of boats, have an amazing time, and maybe get invited to crew on longer trips too. So if you want to sail, give this place a shot. Stop by and talk to them and hop in a dinghy. Everyone is so nice. You can't possibly have a bad time. read more

When I told my friends I was studying sailing, I can honestly say that they looked me as if I had said, "I want to step on kittens" or "i want to become an investment banker" or "I want to illegally enslave people and make them work in coal mines" or "I want to create oil spills for fun!" I don't know why sailing has such a strange association, because while it can be expensive, it really doesn't have to be. Um, I'm not sure why the yacht club thing came about, and I'm sure there are places for everything on this earth, but there's just no real reason for sailing to be an exclusive and expensive experience. I know there are all sorts of class issues, but come on, this is California. Which is why I'm so grateful a group of rebellious Berkeley students freaked out their administration and started the California sailing club. It's the same spirit of people with dirty hair and jeans who gave the middle finger to certain big companies and started the Silicon Valley entrepreneurial thing. And then they became wildly successful, but everyone forgets that they were the crazy people nobody would listen to in the beginning. It's that spirit that gives you three months of membership, unlimited sailing lessons and after you get a license use of the boats for $69. it really is what you make of it. If you want to pitch in volunteer and learn stuff, you will, and if you just want to coast along you will, and if you want to complain a lot, you can, but I mean, we really need these low-cost points of entry so that people who really want to do stuff can actually do it. The people are so wacky. Some of those old Berkeley women and men had such crazy stories to tell about their youth, and it's weirder still to think that such wild people eventually became lawyers and financial analysts but still have some bit of wildness going on. They really put all the young folks today to shame, who go to college majoring in stuff as if life were some kind of crossword puzzle. I still can't sail very well but it was a way to at least get an understanding of what sailing was all about. It really motivated me to learn a lot of other stuff, and man, I got some really wonderful views of the bay, especially during one fourth of july under the fireworks... It's really cool that people who really want to don't have to be born into wealthy families whose kids don't really appreciate sailing because they're forced into it. It's cool that younger people can learn from these older people, and that sailing can be demystified and revealed to be this really fun, cool thing. All the other stuff, like the overpriced designer clothing lines (which you can't actually practically sail in), that's just the cherry on top. I also had no idea that sailing could be so violent and wild during high winds, but then one of my managers told me that the Bay Area is considered one of those challenging sailing ports in the world. So at least I know that I can handle anything after going through -that- trial by fire! The only vaguely negative thing I have to say is that I have a permanent tendency towards sailboards instead of motorboats, which is really keeping me from getting into wakeboarding. Once you learn sailing you become a sailboat person, and it's hard to not see motorboats as graceless. Other than that, the Cal Sailing Club is a wonderful experience if you decide to put your heart into it, and even though I'm not this amazing sailor, I have a greater appreciation for the sailing arts. It's tricky stuff! It's also pretty neat how a boat of 6 or 7 strangers can somehow work together even when winds are high and the boat's about to tip over. that's cool! read more

One giant all caps word sums it up: OUTSTANDING! The existence of the Cal Sailing Club is truly a blessing for all those in the area who want a convenient, low-cost way to get out on the water. Anyone who sails or windsurfs with their own gear knows how much of a pain in the ass it is to haul all your own stuff around. Rocking a nice arsenal of windsurfing gear, a bunch of Bahia sailboats, a couple kayaks, and great people, you could show up naked and have everything you need to get wet and have fun. read more

$99 membership for three months! It's probably the best deal out there for sailing/wind surfing. All the staff are quite friendly and everyone is really chill. The website sucks though, and there isn't a number you can call. Apparently the most used discussion forum is on Yahoo. A lot of the gear can be banged up but still totally usable! You'd need to go through their certification to rent out gear on your own and to go out farther than the novice level. They provide everything from the board and sail to lifejackets sunscreen wetsuits and instruction! read more

Disclaimer: I'm dating someone on the Executive Committee. With that being said, the CSC is one of those hidden Bay Area things that is accessible to everyone. We have a glorious bay in front of us, yet it's hard enough to fund housing let alone equipment for the water. CSC is accessible to everyone and at a very affordable price. It's possible to learn how to wind surf and sail and you don't have to invest in the upfront clothing that you will NEED on most days in the water. It gets really cold especially if you land in the water, but it's REALLY fun! Great sense of camaraderie at the Club too. Community meals are generally offered on the weekends. (Act fast when you hear the bell). Show up with an impressive 6 pack to share and you see guaranteed to make some friends. read more

***Review for Open House Event Only*** Free sailing rides around the Berkeley Marina for all age 5+ Perfect for families, couples, and thrill-seeking individuals Check the website for the select Sundays and don't forget your sunscreen! (: Tired, exhausted, and feeling completely brain-dead, the girls and I had been cooped up studying for days. My wonderful friend Jeanie F. discovered Cal Sailing Club's open house event through sf.funcheap.com (online bulletin for free/cheap local sf events) and suggested we go out for a spontaneous getaway. An afternoon's worth of sun wouldn't hurt right?? It was such a thrill! The club event was from 1-4pm on a sunny Sunday afternoon. You sign a waver, put on a life-jacket, and you're set to sail with experienced CSC volunteers. The boarding line moved really fast and boats were coming in and out of the port relatively quickly. No long, boring waits! The rides were either on the smaller dinghy (which they said was a more wobbly experience) or the large keelboats. We got lucky and had a whole keelboat to the three of us + our 2 CSC volunteer sailors. The volunteers were super friendly and taught us a lot about sailing. The experience? One word -- AWESOME! Great view, refreshing experience, and what an amazing stress relief! The whole ride was about 30 minutes for us and I enjoyed every minute of it with the cool breeze. It was no just-sit-through-it kind of ride either. I got to learn how to steer the keelboat for a bit and learned some cool sailing lingo! Every minute of it was action packed. My friends and I had a lot of fun (: read more

The place has no structured program for learning to sail, yet its probably the best and cheapest way to learn sailing. You start off with getting lessons on Club's fleet of 14 footer Precisions or Lido dinghys and as you rise up the skill levels, you need to pass written/sailing test (plus 2 hours of volunteer work/quarter) to get the junior-skipper rating allowing you to use the club boats on your own. I got the novice skipper level (because winds weren't strong in the winter), after 2 months of lessons (every saturday). Its so much fun sailing fast on these boat. Club occasionally organizes Open Houses (usually once a month weather permitting). Where we offer free rides to the public. These rides are on both our bigger keelboats (27 footer commander and 25 footer Ensign) and smaller dinghys. Open house day includes a bbq hosted by the club, and trust me, we got some top-notch pork-ribs, and excellent avocado rich guacamole from Costco with plenty of other food and drinks. But I'm digressing. If you want to learn how to sail and go on fun bay cruises skippered by experienced clubmembers then, I think its a good idea that you join the club, its only $60 for 3 friggin months! How much cheaper can it get? And yes, on your way to Sailing club, dont forget to stop by the Sea Breeze Market and Deli, right next to the entrance for I-80, its a great little shop with yummy seafood, soups, sandwiches and other food, and excellent selection of baked goods/juices etc. It helps out big time to cure my hang-over from friday night while on my way to sailing in the bay. read more

* First star: The club teaches and facilitates sailing (keelboat and small craft) and windsurfing. * Second star: Cal Sailing Club provides all the equipment needed. * Third star: It's a do-gooder coop, open to all! As a community and civic resource, the club improves water safety and reaches out to any and all would-be sailors in the area. * Fourth star: It's cheap, highly functional, open year-round, accessible, imminently flexible and accommodating (as long as the member is proactive). * Fifth star: It's exciting, enriching, and educational, and how else is a person going to find out how to sail, and meet and sail with experienced sailors who will share their knowledge and give priceless advice and mentoring? All that said, come to Cal-Sailing Club but leave home any desire to be pampered. Sailing can be exhilarating and wonderful. It can also be a ton of work, wet, cold, and nerve-wracking. Learning to sail is not going to necessarily put the learner in a good light. The learner is going to seem like someone who doesn't know the ropes yet, which is inevitable for learning almost anything. Or, a new sailor's natural timidity comes out and he/she looks like an ineffectual wimp, or takes stupid risks and come across as reckless and destructive. Arrogance, snobbery, or other community-wrecking tendencies are quickly sniffed out and will very likely be not-so-gently squashed. Keep in mind that club equipment is maintained and repaired by the very same volunteer members who may or may not be on shore watching as someone wrecks something... In a nutshell, the way to learn to sail quickly and for practically no money is to join Cal-Sailing Club, come often and talk with people, check the weather and tide conditions in advance, take care of yourself, and pitch in whenever you see an opportunity; because the community of the club is the real asset, and people appreciate a willingness to contribute. read more

Cal Sailing Club is what you make of it. It's a volunteer organization where students become teachers. An unfortunate result is that there are some people who are decent teachers and others who are great. It's a very flexible organization and you can set up times to sail with those who can already go out on their own, so what you gain in terms of experience and education is directly correlated to how much effort you want to put in yourself. No one is going to push you to learn anything. For $60/quarter, this place is a steal. You'll pay ten times as much if you go to a professional place and it would probably only last half as long. Most people at the club are very nice, friendly and open to questions, so once again, you get what you put in. The only thing I would caution people about is that because "non-professionals" teach you, you might pick up wrong information, so take what they tell you with a grain of salt. For anyone who is interested, go to the Berkeley Marina - go to the shack across from the crab place and Benni Hannas - sign up - put on a life jacket - wait for your name to be called to go on a boat - enjoy read more

If you have more time than money, this is the place to learn how to sail. The club is probably the cheapest way to learn how to sail or windsurf on the west coast, but there's a reason. None of the people teaching or running the operation get paid, and there is no structure to the teaching program. It's all based on hoping that instructors show up and that the boats are not broken. Most of the time, it just works out. Of course, there are times when it doesn't, so think twice about joining if you live 60 miles away or have your days tightly scheduled. OK, that's the downside. The upside is that the club has some very knowledgable sailors and costs $60/ three months. Once you pass the tests, you can take out the small boats in the area near I-80 between the Berkeley Marina and Emeryville. Take more tests and you can take the bigger boats out and go other places. The $60 includes everything, so no rental fees, etc. Check out other options for learning to sail or renting sailboats and you'll find that it costs 100s to 1000s to learn and a couple hundred a day for a rental (then again, if pay $1000, it's a sure bet your teacher will show up). The club has an open house w/ free sailboat rides monthly, which is a good time to check out the vibe and see if you want in. read more

I've only been for two lessons and I already love this place. The people there are all volunteers, who do what they do for the love of sailing and the desire to teach others. I went out for my second lesson, and was charmed by the fusion of handling of the sail, the tiller, and the body movement of my instructor. I am looking forward to having that unity of movement some day! read more

Went during an open house and it was definitely something to experience at least once, if I lived closer I would definitely join their club. Enjoyed the smaller dingy much more than the bigger one. They let you go out on the water with a skipper, would definitely recommend as nice cheap date idea. Get there early on open house days or you will be waiting in line. ^_^ read more

***** After further experience with the Cal Sailing Club, I just have to add another STAR. Definitely.....there are a lot of cool, friendly and knowledgeable sailors here. The learning opportunities to sail, on both dinghys and keelboats, is unparalleled....especially at this price for novices. Moreover, in assessing the total situation with the CSC membership, there are only a very few Asses in this club.......and actually the vast, vast majority of the folks there are welcoming, warm and upbeat.......although it does take some time to break through the ice. So.....there you have it: This is a very rare, cost-effective opportunity to join the international sailing fraternity......just in time for the America's Cup, the most elite sailing competition in the world, which our SF Bay waters are privileged to host in coming years. Trust me.....it will soon be even more fashionable and cool to be a sailor. Don't......Miss.......Out! read more

This is the club that will teach you how to sail the seven seas (within the confines of the marina), to talk like a sailor (without swearing), to take a boat out and venture into an unchartered island (if angel island wasn't already on the map). They have sailing lessons every Sat morning, from 9:30am onwards, and they race their sailboats every Sunday morning. It's a really good deal- $70 for three months, and the club itself is close-knit& almost like a family. They also have wetsuits, boat-shoes, life-jackets, and windbreakers to lend you- you don't really need much at all to get started. But if you want to be a great sailor, it's definitely a commitment. You'll be a strangler you don't put in the time to wake up& learn on cold sat mornings (after a looong friday night) &network with the people in the club. After three months, and maybe 6 or so lessons, I can proudly say that I can somewhat control a sailboat. But it'll probably take another few months before I'm ready for my first test- yes they make you take tests if you want to rise up the ranks matie. read more

10 stars. This place changed my life. Once upon a time, I spent my summers in the Bay Area bummed out about the wind and fog, longing for the hot and humid east coast. Then my now-husband took me to Cal Sailing Club, and before you know it, I was suiting up in a wetsuit, flying across the bay on a dinghy, and looking forward to the fierce summer winds that previously only made me shiver. (Ok, I still don't like the wind when I'm not sailing, but I try to go sailing often!) I've been a member now since 2011, and plan to stay with the club as long as I live in the Bay Area. Cal Sailing is a really affordable way to learn to sail - at the moment, it's $99/month (I think $75 for students - check the website), or $299/year (again, less for students). You can take as many or as few lessons as you want, and if you're a slow learner, there's no need to rush. You may have to wait to take a lesson in the busy summer months, but just get there early, be patient, and have fun chatting with the other members. There are also numerous social events, and I've met a lot of new friends here. The club also does Open Houses at least once a month throughout the summer, giving free sailing rides to the public. My only regret is that I never discovered Cal Sailing, or sailing in general, sooner. What was I doing all my years living in Berkeley and not taking advantage of the bay? read more

This club is a total gem! Went to an open house, all by myself, on a whim. Learning to sail is definitely on my bucket list - so this "open house" seemed like a great opportunity to get my feet wet (so-to-speak - yarrharrharr!). Parked in the gravel lot, donned my boat shoes & life jacket - and walked to the clubhouse. I saw the line of folks waiting to go out for a sail & hopped on in. After signing a release, I was sent on a dinghy with a trusty volunteer skipper & another fellow who was their to get his feet wet, too. We really didn't have any wind - but I still had a blast & learned a lot. It was VERY non threatening - a great way to get to learn a bit about sailing. I actually had a chance to go out again, on a JY15 with a different trusty skipper (and a bit more wind). BOTH skippers were fabulous - but I loved Yuri's enthusiasm & style of instruction! I am definitely considering joining this club for 3 months to learn more. I highly recommend this place if you're interested in sailing - but just not ready to plunk down tons of money into a fancy school. Or even if you're just CURIOUS about sailing - go to an open house & check it out. They have life jackets to borrow. Everyone is so welcoming & "down to earth." Really glad I went! read more

I had known about Cal Sailing Club for years - in fact, I used to spend a lot of time there as a small child and next door at the world's best playground, Adventure Playground - but it wasn't until slightly after my 30th birthday that I decided it was time to spend more time getting exercise outdoors. I joined CSC to achieve this goal. I have had multiple sailing lessons and a windsurfing lesson so far. I plan on pursuing both, although people warn me that most people end up sticking with one or the other sport. I just bought myself my own wetsuit (there are club wetsuits but the idea kinda creeps me out) so I might end up windsurfing more than sailing. You can't beat the awesome deal here - $75 plus two hours' volunteer work around the club gets you three months of lessons, access to gear and equipment, hanging out on "the bench," and spontaneous BBQs. Donate a few more hours every quarter, and your membership dues drop to $0. This is the best deal this side of the Pacific. read more

Great sailing club. Provides quality equipment and run by passionate people. Joined for only $99 for 3 months and 2 hours of volunteering (gave windsurfing lessons to novice), which was actually a great experience. Highly recommend to anyone who would like to learn sailing or windsurfing, and also people more expert who just want to enjoy sailing in this part of the bay read more

CSC is such a delightful place. One membership fee and a brief safety training and you and yourself in your little wetsuit are out floating (er, surfing) on the bay. I've lived in the East Bay almost my entire life and there was nothing like being ON the bay for the first time. CSC is also a nice cooperative community full of people who are thrilled to help newbies learn the skills to get on the water. On weekends you can always find people lounging in the sun outside and often people have BBQs or other events. Definitely the way to go if you want to learn to sail or windsurf and you've got some time on your hands to commit to the art! read more

This is an outstanding, low-cost club, which will teach you how to sail or windsurf. The club is well-organized, with tiers of volunteers helping out. As the instructors are not professional, instruction may not be as fast or linear as with other instruction programs, but I found that to not be a problem - instead, I got lots of time on the tiller, and took what I needed. Kids will be better served with the sister-club, Cal Adventures, next door. Super-friendly club, highly recommended! read more

I love how the club is mix of old timers and newbies so high on sailing that it's all you want. Good people, good times, good parties, good resources, good teachers, excellent times! read more

What a great deal, only $25 per month! Except it gets better: if you teach 10 hours of lessons every three months, it's free. Forever. Many members have only paid once and sailed for years. It's a great place to sail, socialize, sit in the sun, or play with one of the dogs that's usually hanging out. read more

Stopped in a week ago for the open house event and found a wonderful sailing club hidden in plain sight. Gorgeous views of SF can be seen from the marina. Membership is $99 for 3 months and all the people we met there were really friendly and laidback. Definitely recommend stopping in at one of their monthly open house events and checking the place out. read more

BEEEEST PLACE TO GO SAILING!!!!!!!!! Come to the next open house, you will be sold. Not only is it the most affordable sailing club I have ever been a member of, but it is also filled with lots and lots and LOTS of incredibly nice people. You will feel like you have become part of a community and you will definitely end up making great friends. The sailing classes are on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays, and are really good. You can also practice/learn windsurfing with greatly skilled teachers. Do not hesitate for a minute and be sure to come by to see for yourself. read more

Not the best but certainly the cheapest way to experience sailing or attempt to learn how to sail. You'll learn by doing. Granted the fleet isn't high tech or fancy but if you want the basics and fundamentals of sailing, CSC is THE place! It's a fun sailing club. I've vowed to come back when the timing is right... It's also a good excuse to visit Top Dogg on the Berkeley campus (see: http://www.yelp.com/biz/qHmamQPCAKkia9X0uryA8g ) =P #246 read more

God help me, I'm gonna be a sailor... I've known about the Cal Sailing Club for a while and filed it in the back of my mind under "things you must do or you are a lame sack of human excrement." Well, I'm happy to say that I checked out one of their periodic open houses and had a great time. I'm going to join- apparently the membership fee lets you use their equipment and learn to sail or windsurf for $60 for three months (you also have to do at least 2 hours of volunteer work during that time). That's less than what you'd spend on COFFEE during that period, for Neptune's sake! Fifteen lessons is usually enough for you to be able to get a "junior sailor's license", after which you can take out a small boat on certain lines and teach other people. After about a year and passing a test, you may be able to take one of the bigger boats out. Yes! I'd always thought of sailing as reserved for the Chet and Muffy set, but now I see that it's attainable if you want it. This is great, because I've always been attracted to it from the salty old sailor/wizened tar/corncob pipe smokin'-tale tale tellin'/craft and history angle. Just the vocabulary of sailing has so much resonance and carries over into our everyday speech "jib" "boom", "tack", whatever- hold overs from the days when sailing was the only way you got from one continent to another short of a long, long hike or a lucky land-bridge. I'm joining as soon as I can. I know it's going to be great. read more

The best community of sailors in the Bay Area. Great parties, amazing Bay Area cruises, and large fleet to choose from.

Ahoy ye salty dogs and get thee to the Berkeley Marina! Love the cut of CSC's jib. Affordable sailing for swash-buckling scalawags of all skill levels. read more