The Blue Pacific Yachting Marina del Rey sailing school offers a variety of classes for all ages and experience levels. The school also offers full-service boat charters and rentals.

Professional Instructors

The best way to learn how to sail is by taking an introductory course with a professional instructor. The instructors at Blue Pacific Yachting have decades of experience sailing in Southern California and around the world. They are all certified USCG licensed captains who have been working in the industry for years. They can teach you everything from basic sailing terminology and techniques to advanced techniques, advanced navigation skills, and anchoring during their time at Blue Pacific Yachting.

The courses 

The courses will last about three hours and include a tour of the marina’s facilities. You’ll also get a chance to try out some of the boats on offer, including catamarans and monohulls, that are great for both beginners and experienced sailors alike. They offer both private and group lessons. The sailing classes are perfect for beginners and experienced sailors alike because they offer classes that range from one-day seminars to week-long courses. 

If you’re going to be in Marina Del Rey for an extended period, you might want to consider renting one of their boats for an entire day or longer. This way, you’ll get plenty of practice time while enjoying the beautiful scenery along the coast of California!

 Courses offered at Blue Pacific Yachting include: 

•  Beginning Sailing – ASA 101

Beginning Sailing – ASA 101

Beginning sailing class 101 starts with basic terminology and concepts, the building blocks of solid, nautical knowledge and skills. You and your crew will use what you’ve learned to sail the 25-foot boat with little supervision. You and your fellow novices will take control of the sailboat and sail it efficiently and safely from one location to another. 

By the end of the 14-hour sailing course, you’ll get the novice label. If you make it, you will be awarded with an ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing Certification by the instructor. This prestigious achievement will demonstrate to the world that you have earned the right to call yourself a sailor. 

• Beginning/Intermediate Sailing (ASA) 101/103

Beginning/Intermediate Sailing-ASA 101/103

You will gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to sail a modern, mid-sized cruising yacht. Learn to sail in a supportive and safe atmosphere under the skilled guidance of our experienced instructors.

• 0 to Hero ASA 101-104 Classes

0 to Hero ASA 101-104

Learn to sail on one of our Merit 25 keelboats, then progress to our Catalina 27 and finally to our Jeanneau 44. The price includes 5 nights on a new Jeanneau 440, a linen package (new bedding and towels), a high-quality experience, 4 days of provisioning, and ASA 101-104 certificates. 2 confidence sails (one for a 25-foot sailboat and one for a 36-foot vessel) plus a complimentary extended on-the-water check-in prior to the first multi-day charter (confidence sails and extended checkout must be redeemed within 90-days).

• Intermediate Sailing 103

Intermediate Sailing-ASA 103

In Intermediate Sailing, you will continue your knowledge of terms and technologies. You must now know the parts of the boat on which you rely for food, water, and shelter, in addition to protection.

You’ll learn about weather and navigation, as well as how to apply what you’ve learned to trip planning. Beginning Sailing was a day-long class. Intermediate Sailing students begin to learn about night sailing. Prevention and response to onboard emergencies become increasingly vital as you progress on a sailboat.

ASA 103’s ultimate purpose is to teach students how to live on a sailboat. You will most likely start by staying on the yacht for a weekend or a week. You’ll soon discover that the amount of time you spend sailing and the destinations you visit are only limited if you want them to be. ASA 103 is certainly a doorway to a new world.

• Catalina Island Sailing ASA 104

Catalina Island Sailing-ASA 104

Gain confidence by provisioning the boat; calculating compass courses; using electronics (GPS, chart plotter, depth sounder, knot meter, Autopilot) to navigate to your destination; steering the boat; trimming the sails; learning to use and care for the roller furling genoa; standing watch; setting an anchor, picking up a mooring, towing and using the dinghy and outboard; and troubleshooting the boat systems. Your instructor will talk about night sailing, strong weather, and emergencies at sea, and will try to pass on years of local cruising experience to you. 

• Catalina Island & Catamaran Sailing ASA 104/114

Catalina Island & Catamaran Sailing-ASA 114

This one-day course provides students with the knowledge and practical experience required to sail catamarans. Students are taught close-quarters maneuvering, anchoring, and docking methods specific to multi-hull sailing yachts.

• Docking Certification ASA 118

Docking Certification-ASA 118

The many forms of docking in these full-day sailing lessons will go over by the instructor. You will learn how to handle the breeze and currents, as well as the many ways to land safely on a mid-sized cruise boat.

You’ll have plenty of practice pulling into a slip, landing on a lengthy dock, and approaching a mooring from all angles and conditions.

Our team is passionate

There is nothing like sailing to get you out of your shell! At Blue Pacific Yachting Marina del Rey our team is passionate about providing a safe and fun environment for people from all around the world to learn how to sail in a variety of sailing classes.

Blue Pacific Yachting

Proud to be LA’s premier boating destination in Marina Del Rey for over 30 years — Charter a Yacht, ASA Sailing / Powerboat School, Boating Club. Charter Sailboats, Rent a Powerboat, Learn to Sail, Learn Powerboating — or sail to Catalina with us.

Join the Club

BPY does reciprocity with other sailing clubs! It’s like a buddy/sister club system where if you’re a member at another sailing club, you might get membership discounts at BPY too. Talk to Ruth in the office — she’s very nice and helpful if you have any questions. If you have a story to share about Blue Pacific Yachting, please click a review platform icon below to tell your story —  or if you have something newsworthy for our blog, please feel free to reach out to us here.

What is sailing?

Sailing is a recreational activity that entails navigating a boat on water. It is possible to do so with powerboats, sailing vessels, or windsurfing and catamaran charter. It is a wonderful hobby, but it can seem like quite a daunting experience to someone looking at it from the outside. There are so many things that you need to know and to get comfortable with, so this blog is here to provide everything you need in order to enjoy your sailing experience and be as competent as possible.

Types of Sailing

There are several different types of sailing, including yachting, dinghy racing, keelboat racing, and the non-competitive sailing of cruising, chartering, and fishing.

The basics of sailing

Sailing is basically using wind power to move boats over water. It can be as simple as using a long stick with a sail attached to it or as complex as a yacht that uses modern technology to move its sails automatically.

The different types of boats

During the 1896 Olympics, the most common type of boat that was used was a catamaran charter boat (soft-hulled vessels), usually made of fiberglass or other synthetic materials for strength and weight savings. Much larger ocean boats are called yachts.

Dinghies

Dinghies are small boats that usually have just one sail, and they are used mainly for racing purposes or for recreational activities such as fishing or kayaking. They are usually made out of fiberglass or aluminum, so they weigh less than other types of boats, but they still need at least one person on board to operate effectively.

 Keelboats

 Keelboats are larger than dinghies but not nearly as large as yachts, so they can hold more weight without sinking into the water too deeply when there is extra cargo on board, such as passengers or equipment like fishing gear and life jackets.

Yachts

Yachts are usually used for hunting or chasing fish. Yachts are also often used for racing purposes, and as such, are designed to be fast and maneuverable. A yacht can also be used as a private cabin cruiser or a private pleasure boat. However, most people use their yachts for leisurely activities such as fishing, swimming (swimming platforms), diving (diving platforms), or just sailing around the world!

These are some parts of the boat you need to know about.

Rudder

The rudder is the most vital component of the boat. It has a large surface area and exerts a lot of force on the water, making it able to turn the boat in any direction.

Kneel

The keel is also an important part of a sailboat. Its function is twofold: firstly, it keeps the center of gravity low, which makes the boat more stable; secondly, it helps with steering by providing resistance against the movement in one direction or another.

Mast

The mast is an upright spar (pole) that holds up the sails. In order for it to stand up straight, there are several wires that run through it called shrouds and stays. Most masts are made out of aluminum or fiberglass, but some older boats have masts made out of wood instead.

Boom

The boom is attached to one side of the mast and runs across the front of the boat all the way to the other side, where its end is attached to something called a gooseneck, which holds it in place while sailing. The main sail is attached to this boom at its top end and usually has two sheets—one running from each side—that need to be pulled tight in order for it to catch wind properly and make your boat move forward at speed.

Sailing vocabulary

There are a lot of things to learn when you’re starting out, but we’ll try and break it down into the basics.

These are the following terms you need to know.

Tack

Switching from one side of the boat to the other. This is done by turning through 180 degrees so that it faces in the opposite direction. The wind will blow against the sails when tacking, pushing them back and making it harder to go fast.

 Leeward

 The direction away from the wind (windward). The leeward side of your boat will be facing into the wind when tacking.

 Windward

The direction in which the wind is blowing (leeward). The windward side of your boat will be facing away from the wind when tacking.

By taking baby steps, you can start sailing right away!

Sailing is a beautiful adventure. Whatever your goals and ambitions are, sailing will teach you something new. So if you want to get started, I hope this blog has given you an idea of how to get going on this beautiful water sport.

Blue Pacific Yachting

Proud to be LA’s premier boating destination in Marina Del Rey for over 30 years — Charter a Yacht, ASA Sailing / Powerboat School, Boating Club. Charter Sailboats, Rent a Powerboat, Learn to Sail, Learn Powerboating — or sail to Catalina with us.

Join the Club

BPY does reciprocity with other sailing clubs! It’s like a buddy/sister club system where if you’re a member at another sailing club, you might get membership discounts at BPY too. Talk to Ruth in the office — she’s very nice and helpful if you have any questions.If you have a story to share about Blue Pacific Yachting, please click a review platform icon below to tell your story —  or if you have something newsworthy for our blog, please feel free to reach out to us here.