Steve Matles | Modern Sailing

Steve Matles

Instructor

You’ve got to really love sailing when you launch your first boat in the “mud puddles” of Oklahoma reservoirs. It was a 19-foot Flying Scot, a daysailer that followed him from Tulsa, to Galveston, and finally to Lake Tahoe where he turned it in for a 28-foot Lancer. Steve currently owns Moon Dance, a Bavaria 42 Cruiser in the Berkeley Platinum Fleet.

At 10, Steve got the sailing bug as a summer camper on one of the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota. His log book shows passages which included Lake Superior the British Virgin Islands, Dry Tortugas, Galveston Bay and Scotland. More recently, he sailed Moon Dance down from Seattle, and Coho II up from the LA area.

In 1981 Steve moved to Reno where he began sailing Lake Tahoe. In 2016, while on assignment at a hospital in the Bay Area, Steve began teaching for Modern Sailing on weekends, though his home base remained in Reno.

Steve is an ASA instructor for Basic Keelboat, Costal, Bareboat, and Advanced Coastal Cruising classes, as well as Coastal Navigation. He holds a Coast Guard 50-ton license (with Sailing Endorsement) and is also a Royal Yachting Association Coastal Yachtmaster.

Steve recently retired as a Healthcare Safety Officer and Disaster Manager. “I might be slightly risk-adverse,” Steve tells his students as he emphasizes the need for safety in all aspects of sailing. He and his wife, Marty, have two grown children, in all in Reno. 

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  • 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.

  • 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.

  • David Dolenc, Member

    I love sailing in the San Francisco Bay and greatly appreciate everything that MSC has to offer, the classes, clinics, club sails, racing and charters. I enjoy our supportive sailing community and use every opportunity to spend time on the water. After obtaining the certifications from MSC I did my first charter in Croatia in 2022 with my family. It was amazing and we’re looking forward to returning soon!

  • John Boynton

    The class was terrific. I know you must get many compliments about your sailing instructors...But I must tell you that Robert is outstanding. Having taught SCUBA, I really appreciate the way he is so sensitive to all on board, dealing with each so well, knowing quickly their strengths and weaknesses making each feel special and cared for.

  • Danny Collins

    The office staff was very accommodating in meeting my availability.

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Modern Sailing School & Club

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

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1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley
(415) 331-8250
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