Uanoa Nelson | Modern Sailing

Uanoa Nelson

Instructor

Uanoa began sailing at age five on San Francisco Bay aboard his family’s Beneteau First 235 learning to read currents, tides, and afternoon winds while sailing to Angel Island and along the city front.  

As a teenager, Uanoa completed offshore deliveries between Long Beach and San Francisco, raced FJs for Campolindo High School, earned his US Sailing Level 1 Instructor certification, and taught youth sailors in Hawaii and adult sailors at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center while completing his degree. 

Since joining Modern Sailing in 2023 as a Customer Service/Sales Representative, Uanoa has inspired both new and experienced sailors on their individual journeys while serving as Modern Sailing’s Race Program Lead. 

Today, Uanoa holds his OUPV Captain’s License and is proud to serve on the Modern Sailing teaching staff, continuing the same passion he developed as a kid on the Bay: helping others discover the freedom, confidence, and joy that come from sailing.

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  • 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.

  • Ray Arceneaux

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

  • 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.

  • Steve Hood, Basic Coastal Cruising

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

  • 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. 

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