Sailing Clinics | Modern Sailing

Sailing Clinics

Fleet Rating Checkout Clinic

All Locations

All new, returning, or current members who wish to charter Modern Sailing vessels or upgrade an existing Fleet Rating are required to successfully complete a skills checkout with a Modern Sailing instructor aboard one of our vessels. Prior to scheduling a checkout, an office team member will review your sailing resume to match you with the vessel size for your checkout that most closely resembles your recent experience.

Berkeley Catamaran Orientation

Berkeley

Meet Folie à Deux, the newest boat in Modern Sailing’s expanding fleet, and a beautiful cruising catamaran. As with many popular French-built catamarans, she offers a few motoring and sailing characteristics that differ from monohull sailboats. This 3.5-hour clinic will prepare you to skipper Folie à Deux, with specific tips for docking, undocking, and entering and exiting the Berkeley Marina.

The clinic curriculum includes:

Racing and Spinnaker Clinics

All Locations

Do you want to join professionally coached yacht club races with a Modern Sailing team? Our Racing Clinic and Asymmetrical Spinnaker Clinic will prepare you to be a solid crew member on any Modern race boat. 

With locations in Berkeley and Sausalito, Modern Sailing is able to offer the widest range of opportunities to learn and experience the excitement of yacht club racing on San Francisco Bay.

Upgrade to Sportboat Fleet Clinic

Berkeley

Did you learn to sail on a wheel-steered boat, but have always wanted to sail the smaller, sportier tiller-steered boats? Then this clinic is for you!

Our Upgrade to Sportboat Fleet Clinic is geared for sailors who have had the majority of their sailing experience on larger cruising boats (30'+) with inboard engines, and want to gain the skills needed to charter our exciting sportboats.

The focus of the course will be on-the-water practice including steering with the tiller (while also working the mainsheet) and docking and departing using an outboard motor.

Sausalito or Berkeley Site Orientation Sails

All Locations

The Site Orientation Sail is an opportunity for members who were certified to charter at one location to get oriented with the unique aspects of sailing out of the other location.

In Sausalito, sailors will learn and practice crosswind docking in a single slip including crew using the lassoing technique with dock lines.

In Berkeley, you’ll learn how to do downwind dockings in a double slip as well as become familiar with the hazards and unique aspects of navigating in and out of the Berkeley Marina.

Upgrade to Silver Fleet Clinic

2 days, 9:00am - 3:30pm
- Berkeley

Were you trained on our J/24s in Berkeley? Interested in upgrading to charter our Catalina 30s? The Upgrade to Silver Fleet Clinic will teach you the ins and outs of driving and sailing a wheel-steered boat with inboard diesel propulsion. This 2-day clinic has a heavy focus on gaining confidence with docking and departures and a short sailing segment each day. Participants will be evaluated for eligibility to charter our Silver Fleet boats at the end of Day 2.

Platinum Fleet Docking & Maneuvering Clinic

Sausalito

The winds and tidal currents of San Francisco Bay can be challenging to sailors not only when sailing out on the bay, but especially when maneuvering larger boats in and out of dock slips and narrow fairways. Join us for this one-day clinic in which you will learn strategies and techniques to safely and efficiently dock a 36’ – 41’ auxiliary-powered sailboat in a variety of conditions. You’ll increase your overall boat handling confidence by acquiring knowledge of basic auxiliary power theory, engine and steering controls, proper use of dock lines, crew communication, and safety.

Club Skipper Clinic

Sausalito

Are you a Platinum or Catamaran Fleet Rated club member and ready to take the lead on Club Sails? This clinic will prepare you to be the best Club Sail skipper you can be. Your instructor on board will review charter best practices and boat systems. The clinic will include practice docking, reefing, and more.

The benefits of being a Club Skipper include:

Night Sailing Clinic

All Locations

Night sailing can be an enchanting experience. The many lights and reflections sparkling on the water are beautiful but can disorient sailors inexperienced with piloting a boat in the dark. Learn to safely enjoy the beauty of sailing at night by joining our Night Sailing Clinic!

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  • Alisa Driscoll, Dual Site Member

    Here are some snaps of Our Saturday, August 20, 2022 Modern Sailing Expedition with Captain Robert Bivin, who was outstanding. Please convey photos and thanks to him. He is an outstanding individual, leader and sailing instructor. His knowledge and experience made us all feel safe and our Farallones Day Trip educational and just amazing. 

  • 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.

  • Warren Leiden, Member

    I try to get out on the water every week: out the Gate, around Angel, up Raccoon - I love it all. After 18 years as a member of OCSC in Berkeley, I learned to sail the bigger boats at Modern by taking ASA 103 and 104. My ASA 104 instructor Dave Russell was terrific. Also, Captain Bill Moreland has been very generous in giving informal advice whenever I’ve asked him. Thanks to Bill, I no longer have any anxiety about docking!

  • 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.

  • Sara Jane G.

    I've taken two classes at MSS&C and was very happy with the program. This is also a great club with lots of opportunities for camaraderie and practice on the water. The boats in the fleet are fantastic and kept in tip-top shape. I highly recommend for all sailors and would-be sailors!

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Modern Sailing School & Club

Sausalito Location
2310 Marinship Way, Sausalito
(415) 331-8250
(800) 995-1668

Berkeley Location
1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley
(415) 331-8250
(800) 995-1668

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