Laura Parent | Modern Sailing

Laura Parent

Instructor, Race Coach

Growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Laura was influenced at an early age by the ocean, boats and waterways of her hometown as well by as her father’s career as a Port Everglades Pilot.

After earning her degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University, Laura followed her dream and the call of the sea. Achieving her 100-ton USCG master's license at age 23, she logged 20,000 nautical miles over 9 years working as crew, watch officer, or captain on a variety of vessels: traditional sailing schooners, tourism boats, racing yachts, megayachts, and expedition ships. Laura has lived in Boston, MA and Newport, RI where she began racing on J24s, worked on 12-meter sloops, and spent a season racing throughout the Caribbean.

During the last three years of that time, Laura landed a position as Third Mate then became Second Mate for Lindblad Expeditions in Southeast Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and Baja’s Sea of Cortez standing watch and driving zodiacs on National Geographic small-ship expeditions. Deciding to take a break from the merchant mariner’s life, she dropped anchor in the SF Bay Area to begin working in the travel industry in which she became an expert in Latin America adventure travel and Polar expeditions.

Laura has been teaching clients and friends about sailing for many years informally, but since the pandemic, she began her instructor certification process with the American Sailing Association. She loves teaching new sailors, especially women, and instilling in them the confidence to be the captain of their own ship!

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  • Ray Arceneaux

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

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • 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!

  • Steve Hood, Basic Coastal Cruising

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

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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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