Phil Johnson was a fantastic AS101 instructor--calm, patient, and so clear in his explanations that everything just clicked. He was confident and relaxed on the boat, and he always gave us plenty of room to try things on our own and really learn how to handle the boat. His experience and genuine enthusiasm made me even more curious about sailing, and I left every class feeling excited to keep going. Can't wait to take AS103 with Phil again very soon. read more

I did my ASA 101-104 with Seattle Sailing Club and had fantastic instructors the whole time. Graham did a great job during my 103 at explaining subjects in more detail building from the basics I got in 101, making it a comfortable class as I got my sea legs started. He was super chill, knowledgeable, and patient with us. Ruddy was my 104 instructor and really help drive the importance of what to do as captain of your own charter, how to make it successful and work through troubleshooting as issues occur. He has a wealth of knowledge about sailing many vessel types and engines, and could answer everything we wanted more information on. We all came away with new information and we all identified our gap areas to continue working on by the end. I am already planning to book a private course to continue driving in some of those learnings. I have really enjoyed working with SSC. read more

We have done asa 101 103 and 104 there and are members. The classes were great and gave us a very good foundation. Their store has good prices on sailing equipment, the staff is friendly and for a reasonable price monthly you can take boats out whenever you want. Highly recommended if you want to get into sailing and don't own a boat. read more

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Took the 2-day ASA 101 basic keelboat sailing class. Excellent experience. Chip was an excellent instructor. He explained things in a very understandable way. Out boat was in very nice condition. Once we were on the boat, he was extremely patient, which is a very underrated trait for an instructor. Particularly when one of us would make the same mistake over and over. He was also very willing on day 2 to let us find our our way to a degree and learn from our mistakes, but also to make suggestions when we needed it to keep up on track. Looking forward to 103. read more

I've been a member in SSC for about a year. I took the ASA 103 and 104 courses with them. The courses are well run and I learned a ton. What I love the most is that everyone is super chill - in the courses and in the club, no one gets worked up or yells if you do something wrong. I see joining the club as a great alternative to buying a boat. It's cheaper, and you don't have to worry about moorage, maintenance, gas, etc. The only disadvantage is you don't have a boat whenever / wherever you want, so you need to plan ahead a bit more, but that balances out with the lower expense and hassle I think. There are lots of club events you can get involved in if you want, like race series and club flotillas, so that delivers even more value to the membership. I can't believe it took me so long to realize Seattle is a great place to sail - beautiful mountain vistas, long daylight hours in the summer, and proximity to the San Juans and other scenic areas. I've seen sea porpoises, seals, and a whale while sailing in the Puget Sound. It's fair to say I'm hooked. read more

Seattle Sailing Club - Fast Tango heading for downtown Seattle on a Friday flotilla! - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I took the ASA 101 basic keelboat certification class keeping an open mind. I have minimal experience in water, outside of ferries. Phil was the assigned instructor and skipper of the boat. Right from the outset, I knew I was going to have fun because Phil explained he likes to be on the dock on a boat teaching us rather than a classroom. I'm a very visual person, and that tactic really helped me gain the fundamental concepts quickly. We spent most of the 2 days on the Puget Sound, enjoying the weather, learning to tack and jibe, tiller control, docking, and especially for me, patience and a keen sense of observation. I enjoyed my time on the boat with Phil and the other students. Phil's a great teacher. I had some difficulties with certain concepts and he navigated (pun intended!) those murky waters effectively for me. The front office is very helpful, and the people are friendly. I strongly recommend Seattle Sailing and I am looking forward to completing ASA103/104 soon. read more

Coat. Ludo is the best! I took the 101 class with him. Learned a ton and had a great time. He was a perfect teacher - super informative, caring, and comprehensive. He is obviously incredibly knowledgeable and adjusted the syllabus a bit to match our sailing knowledge and provide as much value as possible. These classes are definitely expensive and I went into it a bit skeptical. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount I learned. This class was seriously worth every penny. I can not recommend Ludo enough! read more

When the first sailing school cancelled all of their program including 3 we had signed up for we found that Seattle Sailing was doing some of the programs we wanted in an outside/limited student program so my wife and I signed up. What a great decision. While farther than the previous school located in Tacoma, this school exudes professionalism. My first class, ASA 118,, was taught by a great instructor and their office/location was located in a professional setting with the entire crew positive and accommodating. read more

I've taken ASA 101 and ASA 103, as well as a private lesson at Seattle Sailing Club. All 3 instructors were simply fantastic and really took their role to do two things: 1) teach you skills and 2) give you confidence. For a beginner, I would recommend learning here, in order to rapidly progress. I came into 101 thinking that if I don't learn in this class, I'm not going sailing ever again, as I've done beginner classes elsewhere that made me feel like, "what's wrong with me, how come I don't get it?". My 101 class gave me a renewed confidence and interest in sailing, and I've been progressing since then. The only thing I would change about the club is its distance to my house! read more

After concluding a year sailing membership with the Seattle Sailing Club, I wanted to update my review. ALL of the staff were friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and accommodating. We took one of their boats up to the San Juan Islands for a long weekend and the trip was amazing. Without the Seattle Sailing Club, it is unlikely we would've been able to do something like that (as we do not want the burden of owning our own boat). Through the entirety of our membership we felt like they took great care of us. If you are considering learning to sail or joining a sailing club, I highly recommend the Seattle Sailing Club! read more

The Seattle Sailing Club is a godsend for the casual sailor. Anyone who's ever owned a boat (sailing or otherwise) knows that they are ungodly receptacles for free time and money. If you do the math on the time you spend fiddling with the broken bits of your boat, the time you spend cleaning your boat, and the money you spend on boat parts, it's easy to get discouraged about the hobby of sailing. If you're one of those people who enjoys the hobby of noodling with boats, I suggest that you buy one. If you DON'T (like me!), and really enjoy sailing, the Seattle Sailing Club is a great bet. They maintain a fleet of keelboats (from 22 feet up to about 38 feet) that you pay to have access to. It's first come, first serve-- so you DON'T have the luxury of going on a moments notice (unless you choose to go on a weekday)... But you can certainly make reservations. The quality of the boats is around what you'd expect-- they are not taken care of in the same loving way you might expect if it was a privately owned boat. They certainly aren't of the quality that you might have gotten used if you've raced boats (I have). But, it isn't about going fast, and you don't need to have a perfectly maintained boat to enjoy the sport of sailing. The cost is pennies compared to owning a boat of your own-- membership starts at $190/month (which gets you access to the boats that are 25' or smaller). There's a hefty startup fee ($395) and the membership is year-round, so don't go getting any clever ideas about signing up for the 4 or 5 warm months. The club seems full of casual and friendly folks-- certainly not the snooty sailing set that I recall from the east coast. read more

Did a sunset sailboat cruise to Bainbridge which was beautiful. Bring your own snacks and wine and something to sit on. You're really just camped out on the deck, so might not be comfortable for elderly relatives. Other than that it was great. Did it when my brother visited and then bought a gift certificate for my Dad for when he comes next. read more

The club is awesome. I just took my ASA 101 & 103 classes. The instructors were very knowledgeable, professional, and fun. I just took my first charter out to Port Madison today and had a great experience. read more

I have been a member for two years. My overall impression - it's better than I thought it would be. I have a basic membership and pay $40 per month. For that price I get to go out with them every Friday night for a group sail. Two weeks ago the group sail was to Blake Island for an overnight stay, and I went there on a C&C 30 with two other people. Renting a sailboat is so much better than owning that I don't know if I'll ever take the plunge. Everyone I know who owns a sailboat is constantly fixing it or pouring money into it. The other day I was on a club boat and a cam cleat broke. I just reported it when I checked the boat in and they fixed it. Just like Old Milwaukee, it doesn't get any better than this. In contrast to this club, I also go out with the OCSC in Berkleley, CA. Everything at the OCSC is twice the price or more. The employees I've met at the SSC are all very nice, and they give me the impression that they care about whether I'm having a good time. They have also helped me improve my sailing skills tremendously. read more

Seattle Sail Club is some of the best stuff Seattle has to offer. I arrived a novice sailor with only childhood summer camp experience. Within my first year I gained 4 ASA sailing certs, started racing weekly all summer, and circumnavigated Bainbridge Island as my own skipper. SSC gave me the tools, confidence, and support to achieve some amazing accomplishments. Now 4 years later I continue to learn and enjoy new things every time I visit. The staff is knowledgeable and extremely friendly. Plenty of fun racing, cruising, flotillas, Sailfest celebrations in August, and last but certainly not least summer access to boats kept in Anacortes providing speedy access to the glorious San Juan Islands. There is so much always going on I am sure I missed even more of the activities they offer. I firmly believe that I get the value of my membership dues and I would highly suggest SSC to sailors of all skill levels. read more

Awesome club and great group of people. So much fun to do some light hearted racing and who doesn't like hot dogs and beer after??

Had a wonderful time on the water. Great instruction from Gordy. I always felt comfortable and in good hands. I feel I could sail just about any boat after one full weekend. Thank you Rob read more

This is a great place. From the condition of the boats to the quality of the instructors, you can not get a better deal for your money. I received my ASA 101 to 105 certifications while I was a member there and I took advantage single handed sailing their boats as much as possible. I always received great assistance when docking and there was somebody always around to answer my questions. I eventually got my own sailboat and I'm no longer a member. But, the experience that I received there was invaluable. If you want to learn how to sail, you can not pick a better place. read more

I just took the 103 class and was very impressed by both instructors that I had. Andy did the 3-hour Friday night class-room and even though there was a lot to go over, he covered it. Another hour of class-time would have made it a bit less stressful for all of us. Nice job nonetheless. Saturday and Sunday's eight hours on the water was awesome all on account of our instructor, Justin. At ease on the boats and at ease with his students, he gave us all the time and support to become comfortable with a long list of sailboat tasks. I can't say enough about coming away from the on-water part of this class feeling like I had (re)gained the skills to take a boat out on my own. I think everyone on our boat felt the same. Thanks, Justin! Great job! I am re-learning all the sailing I knew 30 years ago. This puts me in a strange position of being an experienced sailor and a newbie all at the same time. Sometimes, I had the answer to a string of instructor quizzes in a row, and while I wasn't shouting "I know! I know!" I felt comfortable with letting my answers being accepted by the class without being shut down by the instructor. Strange but I think it went well. My partner and I are certainly going to take advantage of the perks of a club membership. It is a great way to be able to afford boating. I can gain experience from talking and boating with other club members, achieve competency, and be able to cruise and race without the expense of owning a boat. a frightfully expensive undertaking. My time at SSC, both for the 101 class and the 103 class has been so nice. I plan on more courses as I go along to become an accomplished sailor. Off into the blue! read more

This place is incredible. The staff are great and knowledgeable with well organized lessons and a clear path to become a better sailor. An ASA certified location this place has been wonderful to me to increase my knowledge and spend more time on the water. The office staff are all nice, the pro shop has great stuff, and the community is truly special. Five stars. Highly recommended. read more

Unacceptable and unprofessional performance The Boats The dock staff is disorganized, and the boats are more often than not ill prepared for rentals when I have taken them out. One was actively leaking when I took it on an over night cuise. The last overnight cruise I took, the staff left the holding tanks full of, well, what holding tanks hold. The smell was stunning as it for some reason backed up into the head. This has happened multiple times: perhaps 50% of the time. The last time I took one of their smaller j-boats out, they hadn't rigged the reefing lines so when my 80-year-old father and I got into heavier winds, it scared dad considerably despite a life of sailing. They advertise the ability to sail out of Anacortes. They have either one or two boats up there for hundreds of members during high summer months only. It's an absolute goat rodeo trying to get a reservation. Not worth the trouble and there's no staff up there so I hear the boats are left in woeful condition. In a word: absurd. Sailing Classes I took an advanced Sailing Class in April and as of now, November they have not processed my paperwork with the American Sailing Association. I've called and gone in many times, each time with less patience than the last. Each time, the conversation starts anew - they have no idea what's going on and appear to have no idea how to process the paperwork for classes that cost hundreds of dollars. I still don't have the requisite documentation for taking this advanced course. Despite my having documents with the signature of the instructor proving I've taken & passed the course, they will not process the paperwork. The last time I've communicated with them, they claim I haven't paid. Ridiculous. One pays in advance for such expensive courses, certainly not on credit AND they require having my credit card on file to charge anything they care to. Calling the ASA, I'm told it's up to the School/Club to process official course documents. It doesn't happen no matter what I say or with what energy I say it. I have no idea what could cause this level of customer service, but the level of frustration dealing with this company on any & every level is remarkable. I've never experience anything like it in a professional setting. I'd recommend going elsewhere. Despite loads of charm, smiles & consistent apologies, they just don't seem to be up to it. I don't think it's safe to sail with Seattle Sailing. read more

I took my first class through the Seattle Sailing School and it was also the first time I actually crewed on a sailboat. I was pretty scared about learning how to do it. The instructor was great, not only during the classroom instruction, but also during the "hands-on" sailing. In fact, he was exceptional. He made me feel much more at ease and helped every step of the way and exhibited, I'm sure, a vast amount of patience. It was a wonderful experience and I ended up loving it. I learned a lot, passed the test AND had so much fun. Very highly recommend this training! read more

Seattle Sailing Club - Sailing Class - Boating Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Awesome club. I did my sailing 103 with Ludo and was extremely happy with the class and instructor. Ludo was super knowledgable, straight forward, and a lot of fun to learn from. I'll be back for my 104 and I am looking forward to it! read more

Just did the ASA 118 with Captain Lloyd! Highly recommend it if you own your own boat. Lloyd pointed out things that were plain to see but often overlooked. Also, he was able to arrange us time on three different size boats to show us that differences between them. Plus, Lloyd is just an easy going good natured person, so learning was fun! Highly recommend Lloyd! Highly recommend the course! Kevin Brock read more

Truly a very challenging event designed to test the limits of your knowledge.. I'm reminded of the saying that anything worth doing is not going to be easy.. therefore this must've been really worth doing ... we were blessed to have two expert sailors Steve and Doug to guide us in our journey .. combined they left no stone unturned in instruction .. In particular I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn and watch Steve play the sailboat like a finely tuned violin. I should only hope to learn half as much of what they tried to impress on us. And hat a beautiful setting in the Northern Puget sound sailing arena just doesn't get any better. read more

The price is right. The staff is really friendly and layed back. Sometimes not too organized, but do seem to be getting better. The big boats are well maintained, but the 24 foot boats well worn. The $190 unlimited day sailing plan is just right for us, we go out sailing once a week when we can. read more

Moving up from Texas, I had never even been on a sailboat before beginning classes at SSC. Now, I am fully certified for boats up to 50ft, have been a member for almost a year now, and absolutely love it. The people that run SSC are very friendly and seem genuinely concerned about the members. If you have any questions about anything they are more than happy to help out. The instructors are top notch and the class costs are reasonable. For the price, SSC cannot be beat. We pay a flat monthly rate and get to do as many day-sails as we want. If we want an overnight, we get a serious discount from normal chartering rates. While other clubs may have newer boats, the boats in SSC are still nice and perfectly fine for sailing around the Puget Sound or cruising in the Sound or the San Juans. Needless to say, we have been sailing a lot... :-) read more

Came for the 101 sailing lessons. Our instructor Denise was amazing. He was able to use simple analogies to explain complex sailing terms and theory. As we sailed he was constantly adding in tidbits knowledge that slowly built us up to the point where we could tack, gybe, rescue overboard sailors, etc. read more

I don't do many or any reviews but I just completed ASA103/104 Cruise & Learn. It was great instruction and really learning how to sail by sailing. Not from a book. Our instructor (nickname: Butters) would leave us alone in the cockpit while monitoring us from below. We had to perform our own tacks and evade other water traffic. Best class and made great friends from it. read more

I took the 101 class with the Seattle Sailing club and had a blast! I had zero experience sailing, but the instructor put me at ease right away and the really small class size provided lots of hands on experience. I would highly recommend them to first time sailors. Can't wait to take the 103 course! read more

My wife and I took the 101 basic keel class. It was really excellent! The boats are great and in great condition and the instructors are really friendly. The sound is really a spectacular place to sail and the backdrops are stunning. read more

I took their ASA 103 class this past weekend. It's a 3 day course-- Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday night was in the classroom. I thought that part was rushed and maybe it could have been done better (ASA just updated their book and the page numbers on the PowerPoint slides did not match, but the syllabus page numbers did). Saturday and Sunday were great though. Lloyd, our instructor, was very knowledgeable and did a great job explaining how to trim the sails efficiently. I've had great experiences with both the instructors that I've had so far (TC and Lloyd) and I've definitely learned a lot. read more

Posing as a "secret shopper", a seasoned racer and instructor, I found this group to be very excellent. The instructors really know how to sail a boat. They can step on a big boat or very small boat and sail it like a pro. They are patient, knowledgeable and respectful. Most importantly, they are fun. And that is what sailing should be all about. I found the management to be very friendly and responsible. He may also know where to get a good sub sandwich. They are conscientious about safety and know the Puget Sound area like the palm of their hand. I highly recommend this club. read more

I am reviewing the sailing classes as well as the staff, I am not a member of the club (yet) so I can't speak to the rental boat side of things. The instructors were very knowledgeable and were able to teach the class in a variety of learning modalities which is vital. Our class ended up with several different instructors which I though was actually a real plus as we were able to get several different perspectives that all fit into the ASA curriculum. I took the class more as a lark, but after completing it I am definitely excited and interested in taking the next level or two of classes so that I can actually go out and rent a boat for a day and have some fun on the wind and waves. read more

Knowledgable staff, great equipment, great place to get out on the water for a decent price. With boat ownership too expensive, the SSC offers a great alternative. read more

Love the Seattle Sailing Club. They have the BEST staff. So welcoming, personable, helpful, & all around good people. Have taken both ASA 101 and 103 and have almost been a Northwest Member for a year. DEFINITELY recommend. read more

Price is right, club equipment is boats are new and in great condition. I am not a member but just finished the sailing 101 class and was very impressed with the instructor (Captain Howard) knowledge and teaching skills. It was a very informative and fun experience. Looking forward to completing other levels. read more

New member of SSC. I find the staff eager to provide an excellent service. Recently enrolled and passed a Docking Class taught by Harold Edson, who is highly qualified with an extensive CV. With his vast sailing knowledge, he was able to instruct and develop confidence in our docking skills. I look forward to more instruction with him and other services provided by SSC. Gary R. read more

Took ASA 101 with Captain Somerset, even with light winds we had a great time. The course is straight forward and informative. This was a great first step toward learning to sail, can't wait to take 103 & 104 so we can rent sailboats around the world! read more

Toke both ASA 101 and ASA103 with them. The instructors are fun and knowledgeable.I am confident to take out a small boat with a couple of friends and be a crew on a bigger one. Looking forward for some more sailing and ASA 104 read more