Sailing Clinics | Page 2 | Modern Sailing

Sailing Clinics

Mastering Asymmetrical Spinnaker for Cruisers

Are dreams of long-distance cruising on your horizon? Learn to make the most of light winds on downwind points of sail by learning to fly the asymmetrical spinnaker! 

This clinic prepares the aspiring cruiser to fly a Cruising Asymmetrical Spinnaker (CAS) when passage-making with short-handed crew. Students will learn how to hoist, trim, and jibe this beautiful downwind auxiliary sail. Special handling techniques and emergency procedures are also covered. 

Due to strong winds on SF Bay in the summertime, this clinic is only available during late fall through early spring.

Electronic Piloting and Radar Clinic

One Day, 9am - 3:30pm
- Sausalito

Whether your goal is to advance skills learned in ASA 104, build confidence as a bareboat skipper, or prepare for the ASA 105/106 course, this one-day clinic will bring you into the 21st century and prepare you for proficiency on common electronic navigation systems. While ASA courses prepare you for basic navigation, becoming proficient in the electronic navigation tools found on your boat allows you to plan your trip and chart your course with ease. 

Angel Island Mooring Clinic

Sausalito

Treat your friends and family to a premier bay adventure with a sail to Angel Island and an overnight stay moored at Ayala Cove -- but first, prepare yourself for the fore and aft mooring, shallow waters, and tidal currents that can make mooring at Ayala Cove a unique challenge.

Our Angel Island Mooring Clinic prepares you to successfully conduct a bow-and-stern mooring as required by the California State Park Angel Island Harbor Master. Additionally, you will become proficient at utilizing one or two buoys for overnight mooring situations in many worldwide cruising locations.

Advanced Sail Trim Clinic

One Day, 9am - 3:30pm
- All Locations

Learning how to control the shape of your sails will greatly enhance your sailing experience. Whether you are a competitive racer or an efficiency-minded cruiser, this course will teach you the skills to maximize speed and balance on every point of sail within a variety of conditions. After a short discussion about the art and science of sail trim, you will receive hands-on practice and learn when and how to adjust sheets, traveler position, jib lead, halyard tension, cunningham, outhaul, vang, and backstay to optimize your boat's performance under sail.

Heavy Weather Sailing Clinic

One Day, 9am - 3:30pm
- Sausalito

The more you sail in winter or make long passages, the more likely it becomes that you’ll eventually encounter foul weather. This one-day clinic will introduce you to heavy weather sailing equipment, preparation, and techniques. Taught aboard our Spencer 44 Coho II, your instructor will cover topics such as personal safety equipment, high wind line handling techniques, setting up storm sails and running rigging, types of drogues and sea anchors, and steering in large following seas.

Development Sails

One Day, 9am - 3:30pm
- All Locations

Has it been awhile since you last sailed? Or have you recently taken a sailing course and need more time on the water to solidify your skills? Development Sails include the practice of docking, steering, and sail trim on various points of sail, reefing, crew overboard recovery procedures, heaving-to, and standing turn maneuvers.

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  • Lisa Butzer Wilde

    Thumbs up to (Club Skipper) Geoff (Love) and his wife Laura. I went on my first Club Sail on Sunday, January 18, 2026. They were terrific!

  • Trudy Flores

    Captain Jeff Cathers is really cool. I had such a great time on the Farallones Day Trip. It was actually my very best day of 2020. Thank you so much for coordinating the trip.

  • John Kratochvil, Oregon

    I would like to compliment Stan Lander for his coaching, counseling and teaching Heavy Weather Offshore Sailing. Stan was very accommodating to all of the student's interests and shared his many years of insight on handling the boat in heavy seas. I would certainly recommend Stan and this course to sheltered waters sailors. My confidence in handling a boat of this size was certainly enhanced by the experience.

  • Steve Hood, Basic Coastal Cruising

    I would definitely recommend Modern Sailing to anyone who is interested in learning to sail the right way.

  • Ray Arceneaux

    The vessel was clean and in fine condition - very nice boat for training, well-equipped.

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Modern Sailing School & Club

Modern Sailing Sausalito – Marina Plaza Harbor
2310 Marinship Way, Sausalito

Modern Sailing Sausalito – Clipper Yacht Harbor
400 Harbor Drive, Ste. D, Sausalito

Modern Sailing Berkeley – Berkeley Marina
1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley

(415) 331-8250
(800) 995-1668

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