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News & Events

First Impressions of the J/24 Sportboat - by Spinnaker Sailing Instructor Dave Goeke

Dave Goeke, a seasoned sailor with over 40 years of experience on the Bay, recently had his first encounter with the J/24 sportboat model. Despite his extensive sailing background, Dave had primarily sailed the Merit 25, which he has used as an ASA 101 teaching vessel for nearly two decades. The introduction of the new ASA 102, Performance Sailing course, led Dave to Modern Sailing in Berkeley, where he spent a day "learning the ropes" of the J/24 under the guidance of Senior Instructor Eric Wittig. This article captures Dave's insights and comparisons between the J/24 and the Merit 25, highlighting the distinct characteristics and performance differences that make each boat unique.

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Reuven Trabin's Lifelong Passion for Small Boat Sailing

Reuven Trabin’s journey into the world of sailing began in the late 1970s aboard simple sailboats on the warm waters of Israel, where the thrill of harnessing the wind ignited an enduring passion for the sport. Over the decades, particularly after relocating to the Bay Area, Reuven navigated the challenges and opportunities of career and fatherhood, eventually formalizing his skills, and deepening his interest in sportboat sailing.

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  • Mike, Santa Rosa, California

    All of the courses and my instructors (JT and Stan) were extremely professional and full of knowledge and experience. I found I was able to learn from their experiences beyond the scope of the courses, and look forward to future opportunities to do so. I would highly recommend Modern Sailing to anyone.

  • John Kipping

    The meeting room was quite adequate and the location most convenient, but the course outline and instruction were outstanding. Modern Sailing is fortunate to have such a well organized instructor in Mr. Stan Lander who teaches very well from a rich professional background. Mr. Lander was generous with his time and patiently in helping students who needed more attention or time in understanding various aspects of the curriculum.

  • 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!

  • Danny Collins

    The office staff was very accommodating in meeting my availability.

  • Andrew Goble, San Francisco

    It has been wonderful sailing with MSC over the years. Please extend my thanks to the owners, management, and staff for unrequited professionalism and high standards in a charter fleet. I have sailed with several in my years and none nearly hold a candle to the quality of business and staff at Modern Sailing.

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