Club Skipper Clinic

Has it been awhile since you last sailed? Or have you recently taken a sailing course and need more time on the water to solidify your skills? Development Sails include the practice of docking, steering, and sail trim on various points of sail, reefing, crew overboard recovery procedures, heaving-to, and standing turn maneuvers.

Whether your goal is to advance skills learned in ASA 104, build confidence as a bareboat skipper, or prepare for the ASA 105/106 course, this one-day clinic will bring you into the 21st century and prepare you for proficiency on common electronic navigation systems. While ASA courses prepare you for basic navigation, becoming proficient in the electronic navigation tools found on your boat allows you to plan your trip and chart your course with ease. 

Sailing in light wind can be very pleasant and easy but can also be a challenge if you lack the necessary skills. Gain the skills to be a confident light air sailor and continue sailing through those fair winter days when winds tend to be light. Topics covered include sail selection, control lines, halyard settings, and techniques for maximizing your boat's performance on all points of sail. 

Due to strong winds on SF Bay in the summertime, this clinic is only available during late fall through early spring.

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:

Are dreams of long-distance cruising on your horizon? Learn to make the most of light winds on downwind points of sail by learning to fly the asymmetrical spinnaker! 

This clinic prepares the aspiring cruiser to fly a Cruising Asymmetrical Spinnaker (CAS) when passage-making with short-handed crew. Students will learn how to hoist, trim, and jibe this beautiful downwind auxiliary sail. Special handling techniques and emergency procedures are also covered. 

Due to strong winds on SF Bay in the summertime, this clinic is only available during late fall through early spring.

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:

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.

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.