Sail Marina del Rey

Sail Marina del Rey: Harnessing the wind
Harnessing the wind
Lesson:
Sailing I
Location:
UCLA Marina Aquatic Center, Marina del Rey
When:
Saturday and Sunday
Boat:
Catalina Capri 14.2
Objective:
Learning to sail in Marina del Rey, California

Sailing has drawn its energy from the wind for the past 5,000 years. Civilizations have relied on it for transportation, fishing, trading, and exploration. The love of the open seas has been imprinted on our core from long ago. Sailing offers the lure of freedom across the seas. Take a sailing lesson at the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center. Sail Marina del Rey. The ocean after all is right around the corner in LA.

What Will You Learn? | At the Helm | Directions | Plan Your Visit | Gear

What Will You Learn?

The class structure consists of three parts. There’s a classroom portion covering basic nautical knowledge and sailing concepts, such as how a sail interacts with the wind. Next, you receive hands-on experience for rigging a sailboat. The rest of the class takes place on the water in a dinghy.

Sail Marina del Rey: At the helm
At the helm

At the Helm

The primary sailing area is the Marina del Rey entrance channel. The entrance channel splits into three lanes with white and orange “No Sail” buoys. Sailboats must stay within the center lane between the two lines of buoys.

Students learn how to sense the wind and understand where the wind is coming from to use it properly. There is ample time to learn how to start, slow, and stop the boat. You will learn basic maneuvers such as gybing and tacking to steer the boat. Finally, there is a chance to jump in the water to practice what to do if a boat capsizes.

How to recover if you capsize

Directions

From LA, follow the 10 W until you reach the 405 S. Drive 3.6 miles and take exit 50B to merge onto CA-90 W. Drive 2.5 miles. Follow Take Fiji Way until you reach the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center.

Plan Your Visit

Schedule a sailing lesson at the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center.

What to Bring

  1. Shoes with non-marking and non-slip soles
  2. Sunscreen
  3. Sunglasses (with a cord to retain them)
  4. Clothing appropriate for water activity: dress in layers!
  5. Change of clothes and shoes
  6. Towel and bathing supplies
  7. A lock for the day-use lockers