Sailing Opportunities
The Club offers many opportunities for members to go sailing, using either a Club-owned boat or the member's own boat. Members are welcome to sail on the Club's fleets of boats. We love to see our boats get used, and the more members having fun out on the water, the better. There are regularly scheduled times when skippers will take out boats, and members can join them for a sail, or when properly checked out, members can take boats out themselves.
If the member owns a small boat that is stored in our boatyard, he or she is welcome to tie up short-term at the Club's dock for sailing around the harbor (the Club does not offer any long-term mooring). If the boat is under 25 feet in length, the member may apply for storage space in the Club's boatyard, for a small annual fee (subject to availability), and beach-launch at the Club for sailing.
Sunday and Wednesday Sailing
Come sail with us! Through the spring, summer, and fall, the Club offers Sunday afternoon sailing around the harbor in Cal 20's, led by some of the Club’s best skippers. Activities get underway around 1400. Non-members who are considering joining the Club are also welcome to come along. Whether looking for some casual time on the water or skill-building under the supervision of an instructor skipper, Sunday afternoons are a wonderful opportunity.
Also, starting at around 1800 on Wednesdays, members come together to sail. These sails are more informal, and there might not be a skipper available to take someone out. But most likely there will be several Cal 20's out on any Wednesday when the weather is nice, so give it a try.
Sunday C-15 Sailing
Every other Sunday during the sailing season, the C-15 fleet can be found practicing in the harbor. These sails will give members a chance to hone their dinghy sailing skills under the tutelage of some of the best C-15 sailors on the west coast. Members sail on their own C-15's, or if they don't own one, they are welcome to take out one of the Club's boats.
Skipper Checkout
Before a member hoists the sails and sail off the dock, we want to be sure he or she is able to sail safely, and bring the boat back in one piece, with all the same people on board as left the dock. So the Club has developed a skipper checkout process, a way for a member to demonstrate the knowledge and skills to safely command a Club boat.
The process includes a written test of sailing knowledge and an on-the-water demonstration of skills with one or more of our Examiners. The written test is common to all fleets. The on-the-water demonstration is specific to each fleet, of course. After all, knowing how to sail a Laser doesn’t mean one is ready to command a Cal 20. Or vice versa!
Once checked out, a member is welcome to take out Club-owned boats as much as he or she wants, at no additional cost over the normal membership dues.
Winter Sailing
Due to winter storms, we do not leave boats in the water tied up to the docks in winter. However, that does not mean that members can't sail during the winter. We can have lovely weather days in the winter, so why would you not want to go sailing? We pull most of our fleet of Cal 20's out of the water during the winter, but typically leave two in the inner harbor where they are protected. These boats are available to any checked-out skipper.
For more information on sailing opportunities, contact the Club.