News & Events | Page 8 | Modern Sailing

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.

Tags: 

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.

Tags: 

Pages

  • John Clark

    Every aspect of Modern Sailing - training, syllabus, course materials, quality of the boats, quality of the instructors, and the very friendly and helpful staff - exceeded my expectations. Modern Sailing has a first class sailing program in an environment with challenging winds and currents. I look forward to coming back to charter a boat and certainly plan to continue my sailing training.

  • Jessica Zittere, Member

    The Full Moon Sail with Skipper Bob Gutsgell was Ah-Mayzing!! The group dynamic was lovely and the views spectacular. I can't say enough good things about the experience. Thanks so much for the wonderful Club Sails, they are really great.

  • Emma & George Stubbs, Sausalito

    We just took our ASA 106 at a school in Rhode Island as we prepare for 6 months of cruising in the Caribbean. The class was great, but more than anything it made us really appreciate the quality of teaching and rigor at Modern Sailing. Even though we were the newest to sailing, the group seemed to think that we had the best fundamentals. We felt very well prepared and we see why Modern Sailing has the reputation it does.

  • 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!

  • 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.

Follow us
on Social Media