Steve Matles | Modern Sailing

Steve Matles

Instructor

Steve began sailing as a summer camper at age ten. At 15 he had a 19-foot Flying Scot sailboat on the reservoirs of Oklahoma. In 1981 he moved to Reno, NV and began his teaching career at Lake Tahoe, then working for Modern Sailing while on a job assignment in San Rafael. Steve holds a US Coast Guard 100 Ton license with Sailing endorsement.  As an ASA instructor, he is qualified to teach almost all courses up to ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising. Additionally, Steve holds a Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster-Offshore certificate. His log has passages on Lake Superior, Gulf of Mexico, California Coast, Caribbean, Scotland and England. He recently crossed the English Channel.   Steve is a retired Healthcare Safety Officer and Disaster Manager. “I might be slightly risk-adverse,” he tells his students as he emphasizes the need for safety in all aspects of sailing. However, “I want to create a safe-space for students to allow them to make mistakes so they can learn first-hand. Direct experience is a great teacher.” 

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  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Steve Hood, Basic Coastal Cruising

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

  • 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.

  • 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!

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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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