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OCSC Sailing School
Rating Details »
Categories: Boating, Specialty Schools [Edit]
1 Spinnaker Way(between Breakwater Dr & Marina Blvd)
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 843-4200
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
24 reviews for OCSC Sailing School
I too have to add to the rave reviews of Olympic Circle Sailing Club (OCSC) as I promised to take some clients and family out on the bay for a half day charter and OCSC really came through for me.
I called and reserved the Catalina 36 and a skipper for a half day and called back and confirmed my reservation. I arrived early and the skipper from the club (an instructor) had the boat all ready to go. The only difficulty was finding a place to park and it appeared to be a hull fest all over the property (boats out of the water being worked on) with a sailing school hidden behind them! One of the members said I could park in front of their car on the property as I did not want me and my guest having to hike from one of the marina parking lots. The staff was very helpful and had us each sign a "hold harmless" waiver that also asked if we had any physical limitations. Once that was out of the way we were offered a personal floatation device (or pfd) and the option of club provided foul weather gear which was not needed since the winters on the bay are nothing like the summers.
Since the winds were very light we did not get too far out to Angel Island or any other notable landmarks, but everyone had a great time and the club skipper was great at offering some light instruction staring with getting on the boat properly.
We all had a wonderful time on the bay and I would highly recommend chartering a skippered boat from OCSC if you feel the need to get out on the bay for a day and like me do not have time to join a club or to get a basic keel boat certification.
I did call around and found OCSC better prepared than JWorld and a couple of other places to charter a skippered boat in the slow winter season.
I grew up sailing, both racing and cruising. But that was back East. Given the different conditions on the West Coast, because I have young children I want to keep safe, and because I felt I was a bit of a hack as a Skipper, I took the Bareboat Cruising, Coastal Nav, and Coastal Passage Making courses at OCSC. They were very well done, and passing them gave me skills, experience and confidence that I lacked before. Very well worth it for me.
I just returned from 6 days cruising in Mallorca, and I was very glad I had the know-how taught by OCSC to cruise safely. The things I learned were very much used in application.
I haven't taken classes at OCSC yet, but I plan on doing so in the near future.
I've had the great pleasure of being out on one of their boats, going to a couple of events at the school and getting to know a few of the schools employees, including Anthony the owner. They are all truly wonderful folks, and I really can't imagine learning to sail anywhere else.
I just completed OCSC's Basic Keelboat class and my life will never be the same again! I had never sailed before. I showed up on Monday with weak knot skills and some stuff I learned out of the book. I can't remember the last time I learned that much in one week. I absolutely loved this class and can't wait to take the next one, Basic Cruising. For anyone interested in learning to sail, this is the school for you! Well worth the money, I would do it again in a minute.
I cannot say enough about this place! They have created the ultimate sailing mecca.
I took my first class in October 2005 and am hooked! The staff is amazing, and I had so much fun out on the bay! I'm from Iowa, so being on the bay is a real treat. Being on a sailboat is like going to the moon!
Anthony and Rich are wonderful people. They own the place, and make sure everyone is well cared for.
The Wednesday night and moonlight sails have introduced me to some very good friends.
I'm so thankful for this place. It's a piece of heaven!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/31/2007
This is one classy outfit, without being stuck up at all! The owners show their staff how to be… Read more »
First, I have an admission to make. For five years, I worked for OCSC Sailing as an instructor. I still teach a lecture there occasionally. So I guess I am partial.
Nevertheless, I think this school is fantastic. The level of instruction is superb. They have 50 instructors on staff, each of whom is a licensed USCG Captain, and all possess amazing sailing and teaching skills. The camaraderie among employees and management is that unlike I've seen anywhere else. It's truly like a big family. It was an absolute joy to work there. It's no wonder that it consistently ranks as one of the "Best Places to Work" according to East Bay Magazine. And that congenial attitude carries over to the clients that are lucky enough to come through the door.
Also, the sailing at OCSC is second to none. You get to sail well-maintained high performance racing and cruising class boats in San Francisco Bay, one of the finest sailing areas in the world. And OCSC is blessed to be located in best sailing grounds within San Francisco Bay! I assure you, you will never experience the thrill of sailing better than this.
If you are a non-sailor who wants to learn or an experienced sailor who wishes to brush up his skills, and you are curious enough to come down to the Berkeley Marina to check out OCSC, you will be rewarded by finding a company that really cares about you, that will teach you first-rate sailing skills, and that will do it in a caring and encouraging way.
Whether your dreams are to become a competent day sailor or a circumnavigator, OCSC will help you get there! Good luck!
I came to OCSC with several years of racing under my belt. I joined the club because I a) got tired of always being dependent on other people for when I got to sail, and b) wanted to do some casual cruising instead of always racing or practicing for racing. The question, though, was whether I should start with the Basic Keelboat class, or take them up on their offer to go out on the bay with me, assess my skils and possibly skip up a level or two.
You would think that they'd push you to take all their classes, especially once you see the price tags. But there was NO pressure at all. They were perfectly happy to schedule time with one of their instructors for free, to place me.
I opted, however, to bite the fiscal bullet and start at the bottom. And even though both my instructors for the BK class asked me if I knew I could have started in a more advanced class, I'm glad I started with BK. Having raced for years, I was good with a boat, but there were gaps in my skills. I'd had very little helm time, had never done a man overboard drill, etc.
The OCSC training is totally comprehensive and thorough. It's one thing to be good on a boat, to know how to sail it. It's a whole other thing to be a competent skipper, responsible for the boat, and crew. And racing, you dont' much worry about passengers who don't sail. Well I wanted to take friends and family out, and the OCSC training has left me confident, and I belive competent, to safely take non-sailors out for a great day on the Bay as well.
There are two reasons I don't give OCSC five stars. 1. They can be a little dogmatic. Everything must be the OCSC Way, which is usually but not always the best way for every situation. 2. They are pricey, pricey, PRICEY. I don't think Anthony, Rich or anyone there are getting rich off the place, but the cost of OCSC training is not really in line with Anthony's stated dream of covering the bay with sailors the way the ski slopes are covered by Bay Area people in the winter.
Once you're trained, though, OCSC membership makes sailing VERY affordable compared to owning a boat. A day on a boat is not cheap, but once you divide it by the number of people that make up a fully crewed boat, it becomes very competitive with the price of a lift ticket. And think of the gas you save!
Wow! What a great week I had doing their Basic Keelboat Certification. It well exceeded all my expectations. My intructors Chuck and Bruce were superb - organized, clear, patient, encouraging and both with wonderful sense of humor to boot! - cannot complement them both enough. The whole organization is a well oiled machine designed for turning you into a sailing junky!
Also, kudos to the office staff who are always incredibly friendly and helpful.
The club also offers a plethora of side trips, adventures and social events that could have you leaving your old life in the dust...
And thanks to Graham for getting me on board! :)
I discovered OCSC about 10 years ago when I decided to start sailing in the SF Bay. Having learned to sail as a kid in Southern California, I thought I would be all set for the SF Bay. After going out for a test sail with an instructor one summer day when the wind was really blowing, I quickly realized I had a lot to learn!
The instructors are terrific. The J24s are very well maintained an excellent for training.
All in all, a great school and club. Oh yeah, as others have noted, the night sails are a lot of fun too!
My husband and I just completed the first half of our first course (Basic Keelboat 1) with OCSC and I couldn't be more impressed.
OCSC's instructors are very knowledgeable, they know how to instruct (teaching is harder than people think!), and they are very well experienced. I also love all the other things they offer: Flotillas to Greece, Tonga, and the Caribbean, BBQ's at the club house, sailing store, and more.
And for those of you who are thinking about boat ownership they have a great program, "Experience the rewards of yacht ownership without the complications. OCSC puts in the hours of meticulous care, from routine maintenance to annual haul-outs. Leave cleaning the bilges and tuning the engine to us. All you need to do is sail! How it works
All you need to do is buy a boat (we'll even help with that), leave the nitty gritty of maintaining it to us, and collect the profits! What could be easier and more sensible?"
Being a 3rd generation sailor, I can't begin to stress enough what a wonderful service this is!!! Maintenance is probably the #1 reason not to own a boat (OK - the only reason in my book, besides $$)...
Go here. You won't be disappointed!!!!
This place has gone above and beyond. The staff are well informative and so professional. I took the 2 hours basic sailing course and Peter my instructor was outstanding. I'm definitely going to take the keelboating course now knowing how informative and professional they are. Plus who would'nt like to charter their own boat and invite their friends to show off??!!
Ever notice how Yelp reviews are kind of like episodes of the X Files (or, for the young folks, Smallville)? Sometimes it's just freak-of-the-week (or rather, eat-of-the-week), but sometimes you get a big load of juicy backstory about your favorite characters.
Anyway, while growing up in Seattle, my family had a 35-foot powerboat that we would take up the Inside Passage every summer, and so I came to be firmly on the powerboat side of the powerboat-sailboat rivalry. Sure, there's more to do on a sailboat, and way more fun jargon, but who wants to be subject to the whims of the wind? Plus, there are so many tortuous narrow passages up there that sailing through them seemed way too impractical, and indeed when we met a sailboat, it was likely as not putting along on its motor. And, to be honest, sailboaters always seemed a little kooky (not unlike how Berkeleyans might seem to the SoCal folks).
But here on the bay, taking a spin is the order of the day, not so much getting from point A to point B, and so I'm finally, grudgingly coming around to the windward side. So when I was invited to come out for a 2-hour sailing class at OCSC it was the perfect chance to get on board with sailing once and for all.
Now, it turns out that the "class" part was strictly optional, and indeed most of us settled for taking a turn at the wheel, learning some of the basic terminology, and generally just enjoying the sun and breeze. But now my interest is piqued for their multi-day courses, especially since the staff here are clearly first-class. Dare I dream of a day when I could charter (no, not buy--that's just money down the drain) a sailboat for a cruise on the bay and captain it myself? Now that's the recipe for a sexy party.
I can't recommend this place enough. For years I wanted to sail because I loved the water, but I simply didn't know how to get into it. After some research, I decided to try it out, and I've never regretted it for a second.
This year I became a member and also completed two US Sailing certifications through OCSC. The instructors are extremely thorough and unbelievably experienced sailors. The certification Practical Tests are pretty grueling, especially Basic Cruising... "Bob", I love ya', but I want to drown you after BC PT! (Sorry, inside joke.)
The boats are kept in good condition; the mainstays of their fleet are the J/24s and J/105s, although they have other types to choose from as well.
All the members I've met so far have been very cool and not pretentious at all. Most people I've met go to OCSC because they love sailing, it's affordable, and they get excellent experience from other members and the instructors.
There's a reason this is one of the best sailing schools in the country. If you have the passion to learn how to sail, then this place is absolutely a perfect match for you! You will not regret it for a second.
For anyone who is deciding on a sailing school and is concerned about OCSC being more expensive than the other local schools, don't worry! It's totally worth it. These guys are amazing. The days are spent mostly on the water with practical experience, and the J24s they use to teach are all in great shape.
After the 1 week class, I felt confident enough to sail my boat on the bay safely, and I'm already looking for the chance to take my next set of classes.
Been with this club for two decades through excellent training programs, sails, socials, continuing education classes, etc, and I can attest that this is a good way to go if you want to do any serious (and seaworthy as in safe) sailing in the bay area (or in any other area in the world with the exception of the Southern Ocean) without owning a boat. The entire staff is professional, collegial and very helpful, the boats are kept in excellent condition (much appreciated when it is blowing at 30+ knots through the slot) and the facilities are all (nautical) business. The socials tend not to be yacht club like (good if you are primarily the sailor) and the classes tend to be one dimensional (rarely raising above the elementary level). However, that is OK for those who are just getting acquainted to the joys of sailing in the bay.
If you have your own crowd to sail with and like the flexibility of chartering different size boats to fit the occasion without worrying about the myriads of associated details (engine functioning, frayed haylards, broken heads, etc), this is a good option to connect with the sea without constantly poring money (and time) down the drain as you would with ownership.
I just finished taking a basic keelboat course here and have to say that the training here is first rate. Not only did I learn a lot about sailing but got to sail with great instructors and fellow crew members. OCSC has a geographical advantage compared to other schools in the bay in that it's possible to rig the boat inside the calm waters of the marina, but then as soon as you leave, the winds are a consistent 10 - 15 knots in the morning and a little more in the afternoon. I imagine the other schools have to motor or sail slowly to get to the stronger winds..
This place rocks. i was an occasional guest on sail boats for many years and always wanted to take a class. Everyone would point me to OCSC. Finally, it was my brother's 30th birthday that got me to get him Basic Keelboat course and go along. I loved it so much that I joined the club right after we completed the course. OCSC is apparently THE place to learn sailing in the US and is quite well known internationally. Totally fun.
Yes, wonderful place to take sailing lessons, definitely not cheap but very professional instructions and organized courses. My bf and myself both received certification here and had recommended friends since then. Several work colleagues also got certified from this school. Great instructions and thorough lessons with each level of sailing. The school also organizes evening sails, flotilla parties, weekend BBQs.
After living in the Bay Area for 10 years, looking at the sailboats from the shore and telling myself year after year I should find a place to take some sailing lessons I finally took the plunge at OCSC. I looked up several schools at the beginning of 2007, and swung by the OCSC booth at the Pacific Sail boat show in the Spring of 2007. The person at the booth was very helpful, and invited me to visit OCSC for a tour of their facilities. I went by a week or so later, liked what I saw, and signed up for my first course - Basic Keelboat. It was exhilarating, and I was hooked!
Other than learning the basics and having the opportunity to sail on SF Bay, my longer term goal was to become certified to Bareboat Charter boats around the world. Within the last year I successfully completed all the classes that I needed for Bareboat certification (Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising and Bareboat Cruising), and I've just returned from a 9 day charter of a 47 foot Catamaran in the British Virgin Islands with my family. My family came out to visit SF prior to our BVI trip, and we spent a couple of days sailing together. They were impressed with the sailing and skippering skills I had learned, how I managed the boat in the changing conditions on SF Bay, and we had a great time.
In addition to this big family trip to the BVI, I now regularly take out friends from the Bay Area for day sails from OCSC in Berkeley on 32 to 36 foot sailboats (we typically go from OCSC in Berkeley, over to Angel Island for a picnic, then up the to Golden Gate Bridge, down along the SF city front, and then back to the marina).
The bottom line - the courses at OCSC are challenging - certainly they were for me starting as basically a novice - but they're very well run and the instructors are very thorough and experienced. They'll evaluate your progress objectively, and give you the skills and confidence you'll need to safely navigate SF Bay and it's changing conditions. The front office staff and management have always been very friendly, professional and helpful in all my dealings with them. It's a well run operation.
Check'em out!
Great staff, helpful and knowledgable skippers, 2 hours of sailing in the Bay and then an apres-sailing party with chilli, chowder, beer and wine. Go on their Wednesday night sail, where for $40, you'll have the best weeknight experience in a while.
Despite the hardcore weather we had during our two weekends of lessons, it was a blast! While hanging off the side of our J24, I kept thinking that I must have gone mad thinking that I wanted to learn to sail in the San Francisco bay. You see, I was used to sailing in San Diego, which is more of a "throw on your bikini and grab a cocktail" type of sailing. But alas, sailing in SF bay requires full storm gear and a strong will to live. Having said all that, it was a fabulous experience and if you have an interest in learning to sail, this is the place to do it!
Want to go sailing? Lots of folks can teach you. Want to live to tell about it without damaging you, friends, and the boat?...these guys are the place to go. If you don't know what you're doing they won't pass you! They're serious. The SF Bay is serious sailing (esp. in the Summer)...and these guys will give you the confidence that you need...to know your limitations...to know the boat's limitations...and keep you coming home dry (well, at least without swimming!).
THE place to take sailing lessons on the bay. Not the cheapest of the schools, but they are worth every penny. EXCELLENT instructors who teach you to confidently navigate the craziness of the Bay during the summer. They are anal but extremely thorough. Highly recommended.
They say that if you can sail the bay, you can sail almost anywhere. There should be an adendum to that statement, that if you learn to sail at OCSC, you can sail the bay. I'm not sure about other schools, but I did the Basic Keelboat Week and Basic Cruising Week courses, and feel like I can now sail the bay (inside the gate, of course). Learning to sail here was challenging, but always fun. They mix up the instructors twice in each class, so you get a good mix of teaching styles and experiences. We anchored out at Clipper Cove on the last day of Cruising I, which was a nice introduction to anchors, anchoring, and how not to end up on the rocks or hitting another boat.
