Jeff Cathers | Modern Sailing

Jeff Cathers

ASA Master Instructor

When Jeff Cathers was 17 years old, a classmate told him that he and his father were going to sail to Hawaii for his summer vacation. Jeff was awestruck at the notion and couldn’t imagine how it was possible to cross a giant ocean in a small sailboat. Captivated by the idea, Jeff asked his classmate a million questions and soon knew that he wanted to learn everything about sailing, the sea, the explorers and their ships.

Since then, Jeff learned to sail and went on to skipper several bareboat charters in British Virgin Islands, La Paz, Key West, Tahiti, and on the California coast, including two "Baja Ha-Ha" cruiser rallies. Still fascinated with sailing and lifelong learning of the sport, Jeff now loves to share his passion for sailing with others by teaching the skills, lessons, and destinations that he has personally experienced. He has taught sailing lessons in Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay, the British Virgin Islands, and now here in the Bay Area with Modern Sailing as an ASA Master Instructor Evaluator leading other sailors to become instructors themselves.

As an explorer and tour guide at heart, Jeff enjoys demonstrating the best approaches to sailing the San Francisco Bay, cruising in exotic places, and adventuring with friends and family. He is always thirsty to discover what lies over the next horizon and to share what he finds with others.

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  • Salesforce (Ashley H.)

    Our team at Salesforce did the Corporate Regatta Team Buidling activity (August 2026). What a blast!! HIghly recommend for your next team activity. It's fun to be out on the water, but the skippers also did a great job of teaching us all the sailing basics. The race is set up well so that we all had a chance to try out different roles. We did it with 11 people across two boats but having more boats is also doable and would lead to even more competition.

  • 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.

  • 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. 

  • 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.

  • John Clark

    Every aspect of Modern Sailing - training, syllabus, course materials, quality of the boats, quality of the instructors, and the very friendly and helpful staff - exceeded my expectations. Modern Sailing has a first class sailing program in an environment with challenging winds and currents. I look forward to coming back to charter a boat and certainly plan to continue my sailing training.

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