Want to contribute work to the club?  Here's a few suggestions.

Some things that require common (non-sailing/windsurf) skills:

• clean up yard
• cut back weeds
• dump trash cans into dumpster
• take lost belongings to lost and found area
• straighten up PFD and wetsuit racks.

Want to learn to repair boats or boards?

• check website and announce list and slack for upcoming clinics
• read up and study videos: search “fiberglass repair” or “dinghy sailboat rigging”, etc.
• especially recommended: West Systems Epoxy, RS boat owners rigging manuals
• learn how to use orbital sanders, blind riveters, drills, other hand tools and small power tools
• then contact the right person -- see the Contacts page

Want to teach sailing and windsurfing?

• get your rating and get out on the water first
• read the manuals and other files on the website's Resources page
• then contact the Rear Commodore (Contacts page, there are two, one for sailing, one for windsurfing)

Is there something else you wanted to do?

• make sure you have the skills and the time (part of the skills is judging how much time)
• figure out which of the excom members (website Contacts page again) would be in charge
• estimate the cost of supplies, etc. Contact Treasurer for tips
• catch the excom member at the club, or send a brief note by email.  Keep it brief, they're busy.

Thanks for asking!

Lessons For Beginners

If you're completely new to sailing or windsurfing, you're in good company. Most CSC members have no sailing and windsurfing experience when they first join, and the club members who volunteer to teach can still remember being complete newbies.

Our lessons emphasize safety (Personal Flotation Devices must be worn), self reliance (rating tests include self rescue and anchoring/capsize recovery), and minimizing environmental impact (least possible use of motors, bottom paint, non-recyclables). 

Sailing Lessons

Windsurfing Lessons

Beginning Windsurfing Lessons are given on Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings during the season (Apr-Oct) except when tides are too low to open the club. Our beginner windsurfing series includes:

• Novice I: Introduction to Windsurfing
  First-time windsurfers and windsurfers without a CSC windsurfing rating (students will typically earn your Novice rating as part of this class). You can also audit this class by registering a second time.
• Novice II: Beginner Windsufing
  After the Novice I class, members should take the Novice II class to fine-tune their fundamental sailing technique and learn additional foundational skills. We now recommend you take this class as soon after your Novice I class as possible.
• Novice III: Advanced Beginner Windsurfing
  After taking Novice I & II and practicing 2-4 times afterward, members are invited to join the Novice III class to prepare for the Junior Rating and the use of a wider variety of equipment.
• Clinic: Windsurfing Equipment Inspection
  Anytime after receiving the Novice rating, an introduction to key aspects of windsurfing equipment, how they work, and how to inspect for damage, and what to do if you encounter a problem

Register for the appropriate class here to get started. Since these are popular classes and often have a waitlist, please remember to cancel your registration if your plans change.  

Wetsuits are available to borrow at the club, or you can bring your own.

Intermediate and Advanced Lessons

More advanced windsurfing classes are given periodically and cover such topics as sail rigging, board repair, high wind sailing stance, waterstarts, fast tacks, planing jibe, foiling, light wind freestyle, among others. These are listed when advanced members volunteer to give lessons and are often scheduled a week in advance. Please join the windsurfing email list to be notified about these clinics as they are scheduled.

Safety

CSC is a wonderful and safe place to learn sailing and windsurfing.  All instruction includes training on key safety equipment and practices before getting on the water.

You don't need to be a strong swimmer, as you will be wearing a life vest (PFD) any time you are near the water, including walking on the dock. The self-rescue test requires paddling while laying on your board. You should be comfortable in the water with a PFD, since you will fall in a lot.

You can use Paypal to renew your locker membership, by logging into the club website with your LockerXX username where XX is your locker number.  Your password is "csccsc" unless you changed it.  The annual dues are $400 for all but for lockers 46 and 47, the big ones, for which you should add a $200 donation to make the total $600.

If you're a new lockerer, you can use your Paypal account to pay your dues to Treasurer@cal-sailing.org, with your credit card or a linked bank account.

Or you can pay by cash or check at the clubhouse.

If you want, you can use the buttons below to pay the club $120, $99 , $375, $75, or $175 with your credit card.  A receipt will be emailed to you by Authorize.net, the credit card processor.

But this does not automatically give you a valid membership.  Only paying with Paypal will do that.

If you pay with the buttons below, you also have to sign up on the website, and you have to tell the Treasurer:

1. Sign up on the Membership signup page, by filling out the name, email, username, and password etc. fields
2. After you've filled out all the fields, click on the Sign up button at the bottom of the page.
3. On the next page, click on the text that begins with "Cancel payment", near the bottom of the page, underneath the button for paying with Paypal.
4. Finally, you need to tell the Treasurer who the payment is for, by either giving a note with your name to the dayleade to put in the safe,, or emailing Treasurer@cal-sailing.org.

Your membership won't be good until the Treasurer activates it.  You won't be able to log back into your account on the website until your membership is activated.

If you don't tell the Treasurer, your sign up info will get deleted, and you won't have a membership!

Click here to return to the Membership signup page.

CSC Cruise Info

• List of Current Cruises
• Member Sign-up List

CSC hosts sailboat cruises to locations throughout the bay. These cruises are usually on our keelboats but occasionally are held on dinghies as well. Common destinations include the Golden Gate Bridge, the Alameda Estuary, Angel Island, and beyond. Almost all cruises are one-day affairs.

Cruises are announced via email [Yahoo groups link] and all current CSC members are welcome to participate. There are usually more members interested than spots on the boat, so members are picked randomly a few days before the cruise and notified by email.

Cruise Creation

Cruising skippers can create cruises using the Cruise Creation form. Only CSC members with a cruising rating are able to create a new cruise.

At a minimum the cruise creation form requires a name, destination, meet-up date and time, a lottery date, and the number of available spots (beyond the spots on the boat for the skipper and their guest). Ideally, the cruise date should be at least two weeks in the future and the lottery date should be at least five days before that so that the chosen participants are given enough time to arrange their plans.

Cruise Sign-up

Once a cruise has been created, and email has been sent out, you may logon to the website and fill-out the cruise sign-up form. The form checks that your CSC membership is up-to-date and will reject entries if your membership is expired. You may elect to bring one guest or simply just bring yourself.

We have had lots of trouble with cruise participants dropping out at the last minute or simply not informing the Cruising Skipper that they are not going. If you have signed up, been picked to go, and find out that you can't make it you MUST inform the Cruising Skipper of this. Your cruising privileges will be revoked if you are a no-show and haven't given the Cruising Skipper at least a day's warning. (There are obvious exceptions made for personal emergencies.)

Usually, there are more interested participants than spots available. Each cruise has a random lottery that kicks off at midnight five days before the cruise. You will be notified by email on the results of the lottery. If spots open up after the lottery date -- due to people dropping out or the rare undersubscription at the time of the lottery -- it is up to the skipper to fill the spots as they see fit.

Links:

• Cruise Creation Form
• Cruise Sign-up Form

Cal Sailing Club members enjoy numerous opportunities to race club dinghies.  The competition is friendly but not lax. Racing at CSC is an excellent way for new sailors to learn some of the finer points of sailing and for experienced sailors to hone their skills.

Sunday Morning Dinghy Racing

Races are held most every Sunday of the year, weather and tide permitting, and are open to all club members. Skippers and crew show up at 10:00 AM to start rigging boats and set race marks. The only time races might be cancelled is during stormy weather or when the estimated tide will be too low.  Notices of when Sunday racing will, and will not, occur are regularly posted to the CSC's Announcement and Discussion email lists.

Any CSC Junior Skipper who passes the Racing Rules Test can drive; any CSC member may crew regardless of their rating. Occasionally, when there is interest and favorable conditions, we hold a "crew's race", where skippers and crew switch places.

Competitors typically race the same one-design dinghies.  Many days JY15's, other days Quests or both boats in a mixed fleet.  Boat handling and tactics reign supreme, and sometimes luck.

Races average 10 to 15 minutes but there may be more mark roundings, tactical decisions and close encounters than would occur over a longer course.  Typically there are 6 to 8 races so by 1 PM when it's over, skippers and crew have experienced a physical and mental workout. 

For dinghy racers, Sunday morning at CSC satisfies the desire for friendly, keen competition. 

For further information about Sunday dinghy racing please see the Racing Rules Test or contact the dinghy race chairs.

Thursday Evening JY15 Races

CSC Thursday evening JY15 racing has become very popular. Fun, not competition, is the primary objective.  The only mandate is to partake in post race party, either grilling at the club (the bill's on the club) or finding a local hotspot to hang out and share tall tales of victories.

From April to October, if the weather is good and the tide's not too low, club members race our six JY15's on Thursday evenings (Thursday JY race notices are regularly posted to the CSC's Announcement and Discussion email lists).  These are informal races, designed to provide maximum fun with minimum rules.  Strong winds are the norm, you'll often see trapezes flying on almost every boat.  They may look experienced, but on any given night maybe half the crew are trapping for the first time. Thursday nights is the place to learn high wind sailing tactics and there are great teachers racing alongside the newest sailors for a fun night of on the water. No racing ratings required and protests are not permitted.  Arrive by 5 PM to help rig boats if you want to get a place on board.  Races start as soon as the fleet is rigged, usually just after 6 PM. The club has loaner wetsuits, gloves, booties, trapeze harnesses, and helmets. Plan to get wet!  

Racing Rules and Skipper Test for Sunday Dinghy Races

Like most sailboat racing, CSC dinghy races are conducted under the International Sailing Federation's Racing Rules of Sailing, or RRS.  The current version of the RRS is 2017-2020. 

CSC has published a handbook, available  here, which includes applicable portions of the RRS, as well as Sailing Instructions written especially for CSC Sunday dinghy races. 

There have been minor updates to the RRS since CSC's handbook was published in 2010, so be sure to review the 2017-2020 rules available here.  The changes are highlighted in this study version. 

A good way to learn the rules is to practice the online racing game by Uli and Wolfi Finckh.

The CSC Racing Skipper test is based strictly on the RRS, and is open book.  A pdf copy of the test is available here and members can log into this website and take the test online by clicking on Ratings and selecting Written Test from the dropdown menu.  You can also email us your answers using the link below. 

For further information about Sunday dinghy racing and the Racing Skipper test, please contact the dinghy race chairs.

Beginning Sailing Lessons are given to Club members on Monday and Thursday afternoons, and on Saturday mornings. To take a sailing lesson come to the clubhouse between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM on Monday and Thursday (between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM when Daylight Savings Time is in effect), or between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM on Saturday. Lessons are taught on a first-come, first-served basis by qualified fellow CSC members. Here are some frequently asked questions to get you started!

Note that Club Operation is Afffected by Tides and low tides force us to close, meaning open late, close early, or close in the middle of the day. So the above lessons schedule may not be accurate for a given day. You can always check our Open/Close times to see when the Club will be open on a given day. Lessons are also posted on the Club Announcements list - instructions for joining it are here.

A CSC beginning sailing lesson typically provides an hour and a half on the water with one instructor and up to four students in a 14' dinghy sailboat. Students rig the boats (put them in the water and raise the sails). On the water, each student gets about twenty minutes at the helm (driving the boat) to practice steering, adjusting the mainsail, coming about and jibing, man overboard drill (picking up a float from the water), hiking out (using your weight to balance the sails' force), docking, and other maneuvers. When not at the helm, the other students practice keeping watch and applying right of way rules, adjusting the jib (front sail), hiking out, and identifying wind direction and point of sail (angle of boat relative to wind). Students who pass the written, rigging, and sailing test (and contribute 2 hrs extra work) get the Junior Skipper rating that allows them to practice and take out friends and family in club boats. If you really want to get the most out of your lessons read this dinghy sailing guide prior to and after each lesson! In addition you can watch the our instruction videos.

In addition to these lessons another way to learn sailing is by participating in our friendly dinghy races. Please see the Racing page for more information.

Fast Track Sailing Courses are intensive sessions designed to help sailing students get their Junior Skipper rating faster. The Fast Tracks typically consist of 5 consecutive evenings (usually 5-8pm) of sailing lessons, running from Monday to Friday nights.  Advance sign-up of both students and instructors is required. Students must complete their written test, rigging test, and at least 2 hours additional work before they are allowed to sign up. Coordinating a Fast Track is also an excellent senior project for aspiring senior skippers.

Fast Track dates are listed here.

Sign-up information for each Fast Track session will be announced at the Club and in the Cal-Sailing-Announce email list in time before the session is scheduled to start.

Lessons on Demand

Some instructors are available for one-on-one or small group instruction outside of normal lesson hours. Go here to see how this program works.

Intermediate and Advanced Lessons

Sailing Clinics and Seminars are offered periodically on subjects such as use of the club's Lasers and JY15's, gennakers and spinnakers, rescuing a person overboard, outboard motor use and care, rudderless sailing, knots, etc. Be sure to check out our calendar for special clinics and events.

Safety

CSC is a wonderful and safe place to learn sailing and windsurfing.  All instruction includes a thorough discussion of key safety equipment and practices before getting on the water.  This includes understanding and using basic safety equipment such as personal flotation devices (PFDs) and wetsuits, helping students check and set up equipment, understanding right-of-way rules and best practices, learning to use the buddy and the check-out/check-in systems at CSC so no one goes unaccounted, understanding that being on the water while impaired with alcohol or drugs poses a serious risk, identifying area boundaries and physical hazards, and understanding self-rescue and distress signaling practices including VHF marine radio and cellphone options.

You do not need to be a strong swimmer, as you need a life vest (PFD) any time you are near the water, including walking on the dock. You should feel comfortable in the water with a PFD on, as a dinghy may capsize, and you should be able to swim a short distance (10 yards) wearing a PFD in the event you are separated from your boat.

Beginning Sailing Lessons are given to Club members on Monday and Thursday afternoons, and on Saturday mornings. To take a sailing lesson come to the clubhouse between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM on Monday and Thursday (between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM when Daylight Savings Time is in effect), or between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM on Saturday. Lessons are taught on a first-come, first-served basis by qualified fellow CSC members. Here are some frequently asked questions to get you started!

Note that Club Operation is Afffected by Tides and low tides force us to close, meaning open late, close early, or close in the middle of the day. So the above lessons schedule may not be accurate for a given day. You can always check our Open/Close times to see when the Club will be open on a given day. Lessons are also posted on the Club Announcements list - instructions for joining it are here.

A CSC beginning sailing lesson typically provides an hour and a half on the water with one instructor and up to four students in a 14' dinghy sailboat. Students rig the boats (put them in the water and raise the sails). On the water, each student gets about twenty minutes at the helm (driving the boat) to practice steering, adjusting the mainsail, coming about and jibing, man overboard drill (picking up a float from the water), hiking out (using your weight to balance the sails' force), docking, and other maneuvers. When not at the helm, the other students practice keeping watch and applying right of way rules, adjusting the jib (front sail), hiking out, and identifying wind direction and point of sail (angle of boat relative to wind). Students who pass the written, rigging, and sailing test (and contribute 2 hrs extra work) get the Junior Skipper rating that allows them to practice and take out friends and family in club boats. If you really want to get the most out of your lessons read this dinghy sailing guide prior to and after each lesson! In addition you can watch the our instruction videos.

In addition to these lessons another way to learn sailing is by participating in our friendly dinghy races. Please see the Racing page for more information.

Fast Track Sailing Courses are intensive sessions designed to help sailing students get their Junior Skipper rating faster. The Fast Tracks typically consist of 5 consecutive evenings (usually 5-8pm) of sailing lessons, running from Monday to Friday nights.  Advance sign-up of both students and instructors is required. Students must complete their written test, rigging test, and at least 2 hours additional work before they are allowed to sign up. Coordinating a Fast Track is also an excellent senior project for aspiring senior skippers.

Fast Track dates are listed here.

Sign-up information for each Fast Track session will be announced at the Club and in the Cal-Sailing-Announce email list in time before the session is scheduled to start.

Lessons on Demand

Some instructors are available for one-on-one or small group instruction outside of normal lesson hours. Go here to see how this program works.

Intermediate and Advanced Lessons

Sailing Clinics and Seminars are offered periodically on subjects such as use of the club's Lasers and JY15's, gennakers and spinnakers, rescuing a person overboard, outboard motor use and care, rudderless sailing, knots, etc. Be sure to check out our calendar for special clinics and events.

Keelboat Sailing Lessons for intermediate sailors are given on Wednesday evenings. Lessons are open only to members with a Junior Dinghy rating. The lessons are given on the club's six keelboats that are kept on J dock in the Berkeley Marina harbor. The lessons typically last three hours. Students rig the boats, and practice steering, keeping watch, man overboard drill, VHF radio use, compass use, tillerless sailing, changing headsails, spinnaker, and docking. The lessons are usually announced by the teachers who will teach that Wednesday night in the Cal-Sailing-Announce email list. To take a lesson, just come down to J-dock on University Avenue opposite to the Club house, next to the Marina offices. If you have any questions about keelboat instruction or about becoming a senior skipper, please read the Keelboat Guidelines and contact the Rear Commodore.

Safety

CSC is a wonderful and safe place to learn sailing and windsurfing.  All instruction includes a thorough discussion of key safety equipment and practices before getting on the water.  This includes understanding and using basic safety equipment such as personal flotation devices (PFDs) and wetsuits, helping students check and set up equipment, understanding right-of-way rules and best practices, learning to use the buddy and the check-out/check-in systems at CSC so no one goes unaccounted, understanding that being on the water while impaired with alcohol or drugs poses a serious risk, identifying area boundaries and physical hazards, and understanding self-rescue and distress signaling practices including VHF marine radio and cellphone options.

You do not need to be a strong swimmer, as you need a life vest (PFD) any time you are near the water, including walking on the dock. You should feel comfortable in the water with a PFD on, as a dinghy may capsize, and you should be able to swim a short distance (10 yards) wearing a PFD in the event you are separated from your boat.

We use Google Groups for announcements and discussions, and we also use Slack for discussions. This will tell you how to receive announcements and get onto discussions.

Email Groups

Several email discussion lists on  Google groups host discussions among Cal-Sailing Club members and anyone else who's interested. These are not official CSC forums and in no way represent club policy.

The most popular are:

• the general discussion list which is generally about sailing, but also general interest including some windsurfing 
• the windsurfing list which is for all matters related to windsurfing 
• the announcement only list for announcements about Cal Sailing Club 

These lists are open to anyone, and are generally not moderated. The accouncements only list is moderated to ensure that posts are "official"

The number of emails on these lists often surprises newcomers.  Don't sign up unless you are prepared for a lot of traffic.  When you subscribe from Google account you can specify that you do not want to receive any emails, and that you will only view the discussion on the web. You can also specify getting an email with every post or just getting a daily digest of posts. Note that a daily digest will contain posts that are no longer timely, like someone looking for crew the prior day. If you don't use a Google account, the group owner can set these parameters for you.

Due to the large number of "spams" and advertisements sent to the list, the lists are "closed", meaning that you must subscribe to the list(s) before you may post a message.  Use the links above to subscribe to the lists.

You are responsible for reading the listserver rules (below) and for subscribing and unsubscribing yourself.

Rules for the email discussion lists

1. Never attach long messages, documents, photos, or anything else long to a message. 
2. Don't post "me too", "I agree" or "count me in" messages. People with slow access to their email, or limited work accounts will appreciate it. And when someone obeys rule number 1 above, apply rule number 2 and email them directly (be careful!  make sure that the email is going to them, not the list!) to ask for more info.
3. Please use a descriptive subject in your message. When replying to a message change the subject to reflect the content of the message, if the content of the message has changed from the original message, or if the original poster used a lame subject to begin with.
4. By default, when you click your "Reply" button you will send a message to EVERYONE on the list. Make sure that's your intention. If your reply is intended to go to one person, please send it directly to that person -- their email address will be in the header of their post if you received it as email, or you can use the "send email" feature on the yahoogroups website. OK?
5. In the Cal Sailing tradition there is no organized management of the list. You are responsible to subscribe and unsubscribe to the list yourself (see below for instructions).  If you don't like the messages on the list, don't complain to ExCom.
6. Remember, not everyone in the club reads the list, and it is not an official way of posting an announcement.  ExCom uses the cal-sailing.org website to make announcements, the email discussion lists are for anyone who wants to post their own opinions, facts as they see them, photos they took, etc.

How to Subscribe

If you have a Google account, follow the link above and click the “Join Group” button. To subscribe to the mailing list without a Google account, follow the link above, click “Subscribe to this group,” and enter your email address. A confirmation email will be sent that contains another link to click to complete the signup process. Non-Google members will receive new emails but will not be able to browse previous threads.

You can unsubscribe from the group by sending a blank email to the group email, For example, the Windsurf group email is cal-sailing-windsurfing@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from that group, send a blank email to cal-sailing-windsurfing+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. 

Slack

We have a Slack workspace and a number of channels on specific topics. You can get into the workspace by clicking here to receive an invitation. Once you're in, you'll see the specific channels.

A History of the Cal Sailing Club

by Paul Kamen , former CSC Commodore

March 29, 1995
(revised June 23, 1997)

Most universities that are located near large bodies of water have a single sailing facility which serves multiple functions. These usually include sailing instruction, recreational sailing, and intercollegiate competitive sailing. Up until about 1970, this was the case at U.C. Berkeley. A single organization served all the sailing-related needs of the University community. But at that time the U.C. Racing Team, the U.C. Physical Education Department's sailing classes, and the Cal Sailing Club split into three separate organizations, each using their own equipment and located miles apart.

A 1947 entry in the University of California Blue and Gold for U.C.Y.C., a precursor to CSC. Dick Newick, front row right, went on to become a successful catamaran designer.

This split was due largely to the rigorous environmental conditions that prevail on San Francisco Bay. The Bay is famous for its strong sailing breezes - but these conditions, along with cold water, steep waves, and dense fog, place unusually stringent requirements on both instructional standards and on boat maintenance procedures. Friction inevitably developed between the Racing Team, which needed their boats in top competitive condition, the U.C. Sailing Classes, which consistently damaged boats during instruction but had insufficient resources to maintain them, and the U.C. Yacht CLub, as it was then called, which had volunteers to maintain the fleet but was primarily interested in recreational sailing.

The 1948 Blue and Gold entry for UCYC with an International-14

So the Racing Team went to Richmond Yacht Club with their best racing boats, the U.C. sailing Classes went to Aquatic Park where they rented smaller boats from a dealer there, and the U.C.Y.C. was transformed into the Cal Sailing CLub. The Cal Sailing Club (CSC) became an independent, non-profit corporation, and took over ownership of eight 14-foot boats and three 22-foot boats, among others. Within a year or two, as the Berkeley Marina neared completion, CSC moved from the old location near the Berkeley Yacht Club to the present site at the South Sailing Basin. Three berths for the larger boats were provided on the newly-completed J-dock. In 1974, a small building was designed and built by club members to supplement the maintenance shed provided by the City.

Between 1970 and 1979, CSC's membership was limited to students, faculty, and former students of any U.C. campus. It was felt at the time that the predominantly student character of the membership had to be maintained in order to qualify as a Student Activity, and to be included under U.C.'s blanket insurance coverage. Even so, non-U.C. affiliated people were unofficially encouraged to join anyway. Membership peaked at 300 to 350 members during these years, probably about two-thirds of them students. Dues gradually increased from $12.50/quarter to $25/quarter. A full program of instructional, recreational, and low-key competitive sailing was offered, not unlike the present operation. Little if any subsidy was received from either the U.C. or the A.S.U.C.

In 1979, several events combined to prompt a major change in the Cal Sailing Club:

• Many members were expressing interest in drawing on the public at large for membership. This was partly due to the feeling that non-student members often stayed in the Club longer and generally had more time to devote to volunteer teaching, maintenance, etc.
• The Berkeley Marina required proof of substantial insurance coverage.
• It was determined that CSC was probably not covered by U.C.'s insurance.
• The University began to proceed with plans to re-establish a consolidated sailing facility at the Berkeley Marina.

The last item was a particularly strong motivator. Early proposals by U.C. suggested that CSC would come under the control of U.C.'s Department of Intramural Sports and Recreation, which would have resulted in the loss of nearly all of CSC's autonomy, along with ownership of the boats and much of its character as a volunteer- based organization. CSC opted to remain independent. The result was that CSC found its own insurance and opened its doors to the public on an official basis. Dues were increased to $35 for a three month membership to cover the additional insurance costs (although U.C. students were still allowed a $5 discount).

U.C.'s plans eventually took the form of a sailing school operated by Cal Adventures, located on a site leased by the university adjacent to the Cal Sailing Club. The U.C. Racing Team shared the Cal Adventures site until 1994, when they moved to Encinal Yacht Club on the Oakland Estuary. The Cal Adventures program differs from CSC's in that it has paid staff and is almost exclusively oriented towards instruction. It is somewhat better organized and significantly more expensive. Participation appears to be predominantly U.C. students, and opportunities for recreational sailing outside of scheduled classes are limited.

Relations between the two organizations have been good. The redundant rescue facilities have proved to be extremely valuable, and the leases have designated dock and hoist usage so as to minimize overcrowding of these facilities. Early fears of competition proved to be unjustified - the market for inexpensive sailing opportunities is far larger than both groups could ever handle. Unquestionably, the public is better served by having the two organizations to choose from.

The next five years (1979-1984) saw a steady stream of major improvements to CSC, with a significant increase in membership. The boat storage area was paved and fenced, which reduced the theft problem and allowed the use of better trailers. CSC's fleet of boats was expanded to include a 26-foot cruising sailboat and approximately 10 sailboards or windsurfers, as well as a variety of high-performance dinghies. Membership in 1983 reached a high of about 670, probably about one-third student. In 1982, the Cal Sailing Club was granted tax-exempt status under IRC section 501-C(3) as and educational organization.

By 1984, the eight 14-foot boats used for most of CSC's instructional activities were nearing the end of their useful life. Built in 1958 and 1962, they had been used continuously under extremely rigorous conditions, and it was determined that they could not withstand even one more re-build. By borrowing from Club members under terms very favorable to CSC, the Club was able to purchase a fleet of eight new boats custom built to CSC specifications and then heavily modified by members' volunteer labor. Dues were increased again to $40 for a three month membership, with the $5 discount now extended to seniors and minors as well as U.C. students.

By 1988, the number of sailboards owned by the Club had increased to approximately 20, and during the summer approximately half of CSC's activity is devoted to windsurfing. A new storage locker for sailboard equipment was acquired, and a new commercial-quality rescue skiff was purchased.

Berkeley Marina in the Fog

An Interesting Notice from the Distant Past:

Berkeley City Council document allowing UCYC to use the harbor

Where is the Cal Sailing Club?

The Club is located at the Berkeley, California marina.  View on Google Maps.

If you need to send mail to the club, the address is:
Cal Sailing Club

124 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA  94710

When is the Club open?

Noon until sunset on weekdays, and 9:00am until sunset on weekends. Sailing and windsurfing can be restricted during low tide conditions (less than -0.5' MLLW -- see the Club Open/Close Hours page), high winds (beginner sailors/windsurfers above 20 knots, advanced above 30 knots), dense fog, thunderstorms, etc.

What's an Introductory Sail and when can I go on one?

The club offers the public a chance to try sailing for free during our Open Houses. Check the home page for dates.

Kids 5 and over welcome on our boats if accompanied by parent or guardian. Bring a change of clothes--it can get wet. Sign up at the clubhouse between 1 and 4 pm.

How much does the membership cost?

$150 ($119 for students and seniors, $90 for minors under 18 years old) for three months of sailing and windsurfing -- lessons included! No extra charges for use of equipment. Or $450 for a full year.  Please pay your dues online here.  In addition to dues, you will contribute work--you're expected to put in at least 2 hours every 3 months, more for your ratings.  Work can be helping with Introductory Sails, repairs, teaching, or dayleading.  Here are some suggestions for work that you might want to contribute.  Once you've joined, you can earn a free membership for 10 hours of work, and your family members can sign up with our discounted minor (under 18) and family memberships, too. Note that to activate a free membership with work hours, you will need to have at least 12 unused hours, 10 for the membership and 2 for the normal quarterly work requirement.

How do I sign up?

Right here on this website is the best!  Come down to the clubhouse, open weekdays 12p to sunset and weekends 9am to sunset, and you can use the computers there to sign up, but it's really easiest to do it from home.

Can I race in YRA events?

Sure, if you are a regular member!  Cal Sailing Club members who own their own sailboat can use the club as their yacht club in YRA events. 

Can I telephone the clubhouse?

No.  There is not a phone at the Club.  We like it this way.

When are the scheduled lessons?

Beginning Sailing Lessons are Mondays and Thursdays with signups taken between 12 pm and 4:00 pm (6:00 pm during Daylight Savings Time), and Saturdays with signups taken between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm

Keel boat lessons for intermediate sailors are Wednesday evenings (watch Announcements for exact details and signup instructions).

Windsurfing Lessons: An overview of our windsurfing lessons is available here.

 

All lessons are provided by CSC volunteers.  Above lesson starting times may vary due to tides or other reasons. 

I want to go on a Cruise.  What do I need to do?

Cruises are for members, but members can bring guests.  Subscribe to the club email lists for announcements, and sign up if you see a keelboat or dinghy cruise that you want to attend.  Login to the website with your userid and password, and sign up for the cruise using these instructions. Signups are first-come, first served.  If you can't make it and don't cancel within 24 hours of the cruise, we will sell your credit card on the Internet.  If you aren't a CSC member and sign up for a cruise, you won't be allowed on board, and we will steal your car.

Carefully read over the cruise announcement posted by the person leading the cruise.   This should include the time and place to meet, where the cruise will take you, when to expect to return, and what to bring.  But in general, you will meet the day of the cruise at the CSC clubhouse. If you are late you may need to go directly to the dock (CSC keel boats are located at the very end of the west finger of J-Dock.  The J-Dock ramp is east of the Harbor Master's office.)   Bring a complete set of extra clothing, and throw a few extra items to share with people that forget.  It can be very hot and then very wet and cold during the cruise so be prepared!  A few snacks and a little extra cash can't hurt either.  A bottle of water is a good idea, too.

How do I contact a Club officer?

Check out the Contacts page.

Who do I contact for a sailing test?

On weekends and most weekdays you should be able to find a Senior down at the club.  You could also post a request on the club email lists.  If you want to pursue a Senior or Cruising rating, contact ExCom. 

Are any of the Cal Sailing booklets or instructional guides on-line?

Check the Files page

Where is the General Membership meeting?

Check the News section on the home page of this website.

How do I unsubscribe from the Cal-Sailing email list?

Check the Email Discussions Page.

How do I cancel the automatic renewal of my membership?

Auto-renew, or automatic payment of your membership dues at expiry, is something you enable in your paypal account, and you can pause or cancel it by logging into your paypal account, going to Payments, then Manage Automatic Payments.  Or you can ask Fluffy to do it for you, but there's a price!

I have extensive experience sailing keelboats elsewhere, and may even have an ASA or US Sailing rating.

Prospective members sometimes contact us with the idea that sailing experience alone will be sufficient to qualify for an advanced boat sailing rating right away.

Operating as a co-op sets us apart from an outfitter that charters keelboats that may accept such experience as part of their business model.

We rely heavily on member participation.  This includes teaching, maintaining the fleet in good condition, public relations and marketing, tweaking rules, making financial decisions, and many other tasks involved in keeping the operation running.  

For this reason, while earning more advanced ratings does require a high level of sailing skill, there are additional criteria.  These include gaining an understanding of, and participation in management of club operations, as well as building a good reputation and trust. 

Most new members have little or no sailing background, so instruction on dinghies is the largest part of our boat sailing program.  All advanced boat sailing rating holders are additionally expected to demonstrate mastery of sailing on dinghies.  Information on the Senior rating, which allows you to use our keelboats, is here. 

New members with prior sailing experience tend to be successful because they have a focus and can add value right away.  This helps them to gather recognition and support in progressing more quickly through the rating system.   Still, there is no getting around the fact that this is a lengthy process, and there is no short cut.

Club Weather Station 

• Club Status (Wind, Tides, Forecast, Today's Hours, Webcams)

Current conditions and historical data.

Sailing Links

A variety of sailing/windsurfing-related sites by CSC members and others.

Forecast

• Windguru

Tides in Berkeley

These are predictions only, and the actual water level can be higher or lower depending on barometric pressure, runoff into the Bay, etc. The water by the west dock (the one nearest the club) generally goes dry at about -0.5' MLLW, approximately. The dayleader may opt to use the sketchmobile as rescue skiff, in which case members can go sailing and windsurfing if they choose, even if the mud under the dock is barely moist.

• NOAA Tides and Currents for Berkeley
• Berkeley Tides (predicted)
• Actual vs Predicted (Richmond)

Knots

Practical info and links about knots from David Fraser, CSC Cruising Skipper and knot geek.

Resources for Cruising Skippers

BASK Trip Planner This is a great site, the Bay Area Sea Kayakers. Kayakers have to deal with current much more that we sailors do. This is an interactive map of currents in the Bay by date with lots of useful features for trip planning.

• BASK Trip Planner
• Short video on how to use it

NOAA Chart Locator Interactive map of the US showing all NOAA charts

• NOAA Chart Locator

Downloaded Documents These are downloads of various documents, charts, manuals, etc. that could be of use to Cruising Skippers. They are available online, but this is an easy one-stop place to find them. They are not necessarily the latest versions.

• Chart No 1 How to read a nautical chart. Symbols used are explained. (version April 15, 2019)
• Chart No 18649 A PDF version of the entire SF Bay from the entrance on in
• Boaters Guide to Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats Required equipment for different types of boats
• Navigation Rules of the Road Right of Way Rules, all of them, including running lights required for different types of boats (version 4.07.2017)
• Aids to Navigation A short "cheat sheet" on buoys, markers, etc. for the US
• Bowditch aka The American Practical Navigator, a classic, updated a number of times. A real "brick" (Italian idiom for a very thick book) (1995 edition)

Weather Links

• NWS - Doppler Radar
• NWS - Bay Area Weather
• Cal Sailing Club webcams, windspeed, and tides
• Windy.com wind map
• NWS - Bay Area/Monterey Forcast
• San Francisco Bay PORTS
• BoatingSF.com - General Bay Area boating information, including real-time and time-lapse map of ship movements around the bay.
• Weather Underground
• Current Conditions in South Basin  - Personal Weather Underground station near former Hs Lordships restaurant

Bay Area sailing links

• Berkeley Marina (where we are, our host)
• Berkeley Yacht Club
• Treasure Island Yacht Club
• Corinthian Yacht Club

Other sailing related links

• The latest Racing Rules from the International Sailing Federation
• Animated knots - Can't quite get down how to tie a bowline? This site has some pretty good step-by-step animations of how to tie bowlines, figure eights, and more.
• Other Local Yacht Clubs - A list of links to yacht clubs.
• Ever wonder what the Beaufort Scale is? This page from the National Weather Service in Chicago provides a history of the wind scale, charts and pictures.
• Tide data updated real time, including nifty Java plots of the data.
• Regular and marine weather forecasts for the Bay Area can be found at the National Weather Service.
• Iwindsurf (was: Call of the Wind) provides wind, tide, and current information about many windsurifng locations around North America and Hawaii.  Get a pager that lets you know when it is time to leave work!
• San Francisco Boardsailing Association is a non-profit organization that addresses concerns of the boardsailing community in the San Francisco Bay Area.  

Home pages by CSC members

• Fishmeal's Berkeley Water Front Resource Guide
• Fishmeal's home page
• Bill Prinzmetal's The 10-Step Guide to Windsurfing
  
• Tides and currents for San Francisco Bay by Ed Corbett

Commercial Links

• Svendsen's Chandlery https://www.svendsens.com, 1851 Clement Ave., Alameda, 800-824-2391, is our supersalty source for swedish snap shackles, self-tailing winches, trapeze harnesses, holystones, X-ply, and all the specialized stuff and savvy so essential to our sailboats' salubriousness.
• Sunset Sailboards, hosted by our own Kev Kan, (510) 919-0913, is the Bay's newest windsurfing only gear shop.
• Delta Windsurf, 916-777-2299, is another of our much-appreciated supporters, and a great place to get gear for the Delta and beyond.
• West Marine https://www.westmarine.com, is our local (Oakland, Richmond, and Alameda) and internet source for most of our hardware.  It's a good place for foul weather gear, line, rigging, and just about anything else you can imagine spending your money on.
• Berkeley Marine Center https://www.berkeleymarine.com 843-8195 is where our keelboats get their haulouts right here in the Berkeley Marina.
• Grocery Outlet provides most of the food for our BBQ's, is the best place to get your groceries (including beer and wine) cheap, and their world headquarters are right over the bridge from us.

Club Operating Rules

Operating Rules

These rules cover ratings, sailing areas, and general operations. This is the bible for how the Club runs.

Code of Conduct

Conduct expected of Cal Sailing Club Members

Dinghy Manuals

 Introductory Handbook for Sailing Boats

This basic handbook has all the information a CSC member needs to learn everything from sailing terminology to performing your first gybe.

JY-15

Step up to nimbleness on this great two person dinghy.

Rudderless Sailing eBook

An introduction to the theory and practice of rudderless sailing, a required senior skill.

A Practical Guide to Rudderless Sailing

Detailed steps on how to sail a dinghy rudderless.

The Sailing Circle

A diagram of the Sailing Circle, with points of sail and how the sails work on each.

Junior Onboard

What you need to know as a new Junior Dinghy Sailor. Includes references on teaching, Open House skippering, and how to go even higher in the rating system.

Taking Out a Dinghy

Checklist for inspecting a dinghy so that you don't find problems on the water.

Dinghy Do's and Don'ts

How you should put a dinghy away when you're done sailing to make it easier for the next sailor.

Keelboat Manuals

Keelboat Manual

This is the second edition of our new manual for the club's keelboats, and it's a must-read for everyone who enjoys our Commanders, Merits, and Capri.

Do's and Don'ts: Best Practices for Rigging Down the CSC Keelboats

A supplement to the Keelboat Manual.

DSC Tutorial v3.1 

A tutorial on how to use Digital Selective Calling on the VHF radios in the club's keelboats.

Outboard Motor Guide

Every time you go out, check this.

J80 Electric Outboard Motor Guide

Every time you go out, check this.

Keelboat Pre-Sail Checklist

How to use and troubleshoot our keelboat outboard engines.

Motor Hoisting

How to use a spinnaker pole to hoist a motor off a boat.

Keelboat Documents

You might need a copy of these documents to dock at a local marina.

CA Boat Registration

 Meritorious

Uncle Donald 

Dr Who

Daisy

Sea Horse

J80

Club Insurance Documents

Marine General Liability

Windsurfing Manuals

 Introductory Handbook for Windsurfing

This handbook gives new members all the information they need including windsurfing terminology, club rules, and basic technique.

Windsurf Ratings Novice, Jr, J+, and Sr explained.

The 10-Step Guide to Windsurfing by Bill Prinzmetal

An online 10-step guide to windsurfing -- with four bonus steps!! -- by long time CSC member Bill Prinzmetal.

Water Starting

How to have an uplifting experience on that windsurf board, and avoid having to uphaul a big sail in big wind with big waves

Windsurf Board Repair Tutorialindsurf Board Repair Tutorial

How to do the fiberglass repair work on our boards.

Windsurfing Links

Some useful links:

https://www.nbwindsurfing.com/module/news.htm?newsId=7803
NB Windsurfing has a great guide to the top mistakes a windsurfer could make

https://boards.co.uk/how-to/boardwise-beginners-board-guide.html
Although its a bit dated, the Boards has a great guide to buying a new board, which was pretty useful.

https://www.kite-and-windsurfing-guide.com/
Kite & Windsurfing has a great guide on places to go windsurfing.

Written Test for Advanced Ratings

Sample Senior/Cruise Written Test

This is a sample Senior/Cruise test Paul Kamen developed some time ago. It's a good study guide for both of the written tests. Note that there are both Senior and Cruise questions in the sample (and no indication of which is which). Also the actual Senior test has a completely different format (it's not multiple choice, but essay). Same thing for the Cruise written.

Dayleader's Manual

Dayleader's Manual

The bible for both paid and volunteer Dayleaders, now including skiffery, with (soon to come) an online quiz (log in, go to Ratings, Written Tests) for dayleader rating.

Maintenance Manuals

Windsurf Board Ding Repair

How to fix that ding, and in the process learn never to bang the dock or step on a board.

Motors and Motoring

A handy dandy little document about the club's motors, current as of June 2025, covering their use and care, extending to both the skiff motors (2 whalers) and five keelboat motors (on 3 Commanders and 2 Merits).

Owner's manual for keelboat outboard motors

Official Documents

Bylaws

These cover officer duties, elections, and other official club procedures

Constitution

Purpose of the club and other fundamental structure.

Liability Release Medical Info Form

Both these forms are required for youth memberships, the liability release is required for Open House introductory sail participants who are less than 18 years old.

City of Berkeley License (for use of yard and clubhouse area)

Agreement to rent, from 2015 through 2020.

Official Reports

 Annual Report: Form 990 Filing to IRS 

Like all IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit corporations, Cal Sailing Club sends in an informational return to the IRS and the State of California each year. 

Forms & Misc.

Donation Receipt for everyone who wants to donate a million bucks or a house on the hill to the club. Sorry, we can't accept your sailing or windsurfing gear without seeing it first and then voting on it. If you have recent (last 5 years) windsurf gear, contact the Second Vice Commodore. If you want to donate your prized dinghy, send an invite to the First Vice Commodore. And if you're thinking we could use your well-loved keelboat, shout out to the Third Vice Commodore. But we're always grateful for cash donations or residences in prime locations, just contact the moneybags who'll be glad to send over an armored car, it sure beats carting donated 1990's windsurf gear to the dump or cutting up delaminated keelboats!

Cruise Report Form for Cruising Skippers before and after a cruise.

The club rents Windsurf Lockers on the club premises. This is a map of the lockers:

Locker Map

Technical Documents

Webcam Documentation

How the webcams work and how to trouble'shoot them.

Kayaks

The club offers two sit-on tandem kayaks for members to use.

Stand-up Paddleboarding

The club has four dedicated SUP's with oars and bungee cords, two of which can be outfitted for a windsurfing sail, for paddling around the South Sailing Basin.  In addition, beginning windsurf boards, along with extra long paddles, can be used.

Powerboats

The club has two 15' Boston Whalers that are regularly used for instruction and rescue duty, as well as a "sketchmobile" rig that mounts a 2 hp air-cooled motor on a Laser sailboat hull for instruction and rescue during low tides.

CSC's fleet includes 28 dinghies, 6 keelboats, dozens of sail boards, a couple kayaks, and two powerboats.

Dinghies

RS Venture	The Venture is a roomy trainer which is faster than it looks. These larger dinghies are workhorses during our lessons and open houses. Each boat is rigged for single trapeze and asymmetrical spinnaker. CSC has four of these boats.
RS Quest	We currently have eight Quests in the fleet. Designed by Jo Richards, Quests were designed to be the best small training boat available for beginners, and have trapezes and asymmetrical spinnakers for more advanced sailors.
RS Toura	The latest addition to our dinghy fleet, it's essentially a stretched Quest. Also designed by Jo Richards, it will allow us to tke more students out at a time. We have two of them, and we will be testing them and deciding the right mix of Quests and Touras for basic dinghy training.
Laser	The Laser is perhaps the best known one-person cat-rigged racing dinghy. While no longer an Olympic class boat there is a substantial fleet raced out of the Richmond marina. These boats are fairly complicated to rig and require special instruction before they can be checked out. CSC has two Lasers.
JY15	The JY15 is a nimble dinghy that is ideal for two sailors. CSC has 8 of these boats, rigged with trapeze gear, reefing mainsails, and masthead floats.There is a written test available on our website to get the signoff to sail these boats.
UFO	The UFO is a lightweight single person foiling catamaran. It is a stable (but fragile) platform to learn the basics of foiling. The body mechanics are similar to the Laser so we expect sailors to be competent on the laser before moving on to the UFO. It is a complicated boat to rig, so it requires a special signoff.
RS500	The RS500 is a high performance two-person skiff, equipped with asymmetrical spinnaker and a trapeze (one of our RS500s has a double-trapeze). CSC has two of these beauties, and each comes with two choices of sail size. These boats require a special checkout and a Senior rating.
RS800	The RS 800 is a double-handed, light-weight, high-performance skiff with adjustable side rakes, a carbon rig and huge sail area. It is a modern dinghy skiff, considered a trainer by most and a little sister to the 49er and i14. The club is fortunate to have one of these graciously donated by local skiff sailor John Clark.

Boat Comparison - High Level

* Hull only, excludes mast, sail, and crew

** Laser has only a mainsail

*** Our JYs do not currently carry gennakers

Keelboats

"Meritorious", " Dr. Who"

Merit 25

Cal Sailing Club now has two of these! They have a PHRF rating of 168, and are well suited to the SF Bay.

The large, self bailing cockpit offers two lockers and backrests on the cockpit seats. The boat is equipped with two-speed primary winches and additional single-speed winches located on the cabin top. And, of course, full spinnaker gear.

• LOA 24.4’
• LWL 20.5’
• Beam 8.0’
• S.A. (Sq. Ft.) 286
• Displacement 2900
• Ballast (lbs) 1050
• Draft 4’

"Uncle Donald"," Daisy", "Sea Horse"

Pearson Commander

The club's three Commanders are the work horses of our fleet. A design by the famous naval architect, Carl Alberg. Not intended as a cruiser or a racer, the Commander makes an excellent day sailor with its 9 foot cockpit and seakindly ways. The small cabin has sitting head room, berths for four, and is large enough for cruising if the parties are well acquainted.

Built: 1965 to 1967; 25.6 ft LOA, Displacement 5100 lbs, Draft 3.7 ft, Sail Area 310 sq. ft., Ballast 2,500 lbs, PHRF 261, Hull Speed 5.8 knots

J80

 The J/80 is a high-performance, fully-planing keelboat with an asymmetric spinnaker. It is an advanced boat that requires a special sign-off, but offers a new challenge for senior skippers to improve upon their skills. PHRF rating 116.

• LOA 26.25'
• LWL 22.0'
• Beam 8.25'
• S.A (Sq. Ft.) 338
• Displacement 2900
• Ballast 1400
• Draft 4.9'

A fixed one-design sportsboat built by J/Boats.

Windsurfing Fleet

Novice

The club's fleet of novice windsurf boards are stable and steady, making it as easy for beginners to stay upright on the water.  They range from 160 to 250 liters in volume, and have centerboards to help you sail upwind.  All are modern trainer boards that are wide and covered with foam for durability and traction. Specific models include JP Funsters, RRD Easyrides, and Naish Kailuas.  To pair with these boards, we have a collection of lightweight Sailworks Ripper sails (1.2 - 4.2 m²) that are kept rigged and ready to go with booms in place, as well as the full-size sails that are stored with booms off to conserve space.

Junior

Our Junior boards are freeride-style boards with footstraps and no center fin. Sizes range from 125 to 155 liters, which allow beginner windsurfers to progress incrementally as they improve their balance, footwork, and technique. These boards are typically composed of a fiberglass-wood sandwich and do not have as much foam padding as novice boards, making them much more fragile. However, the smaller size and lighter materials make the board nimble and fast, allowing windsurfers to plane with ease. Junior’s also gain access to larger, more advanced sails. These range from 3.5 to 7.5 m² and come in variety of styles, including wave, freestyle, freeride, and slalom.

Junior+

J+ boards are even lighter and more varied than the junior boards. This fleet includes freeride, freewave, freemove, and freestyle boards, ranging from 90 to 120 liters. The different styles allow our J+ windsurfers to experiment with different techniques (blasting, jumping, wave-riding, etc) and conditions. The smaller size also boosts speed and agility. Specific models include JP All-ride/X-Cite, Fanatic Eagles/Hawks, Tabou Rocket, RRD Firerace/Firemove, and more.

Foiler

In 2018, CSC acquired three foiling boards. One is a custom assembled rig for beginner lessons. The other two are fully equipped 2018 Starboard Hydrofoils with an aluminum mast and carbon wings. The foils will provide F-rated members with a new experience and allow them to plane smoothly in light wind. Foiling is available to J+ and Senior windsurfers who have passed the foiling exam and completed their requisite volunteer hours.

Senior

These are our newest and most advanced boards. They are small (70-100 liters) and super lightweight, typically constructed of carbon and wood laminate. Like the J+ fleet, they cover all the riding styles but are lighter and more specialized. Specific models include the JP supersport/freestyle wave/magic ride, Fanatic Freewave, Tabou 3-style/Twister/Rocket, RRD freestyle wave, and much more.

Only our most skilled windsurfers, who have earned the Sr. rating though practice and volunteer work for the club, are entrusted with these boards.

The Cal Sailing Club is located in the Berkeley Marina between Cal Adventures and Adventure Playground. The club has no phone… really.

Address:

124 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710

Map:

Bicycling Directions:

Unless you're towing a boat or carrying a windsurf board, the best way to CSC is by bicycle. The Bay Path runs along the shore and will take you from Richmond or Emeryville. If you're coming from farther away, take BART to the North Berkeley station and follow the bike route down Virginia, through the Fourth Street mall and over the bridge to the Marina. SF riders may prefer to exit at West Oakland and ride up the Mandela Parkway. Lock your bike in front of the club or in the yard.

Public Transit:

AC Transit's Line 51B has a stop on University Avenue right behind the club and connects to the downtown Berkeley BART station. Line 49 and trans-bay Line Z will get you close the pedestrian walkway that crosses the freeway and leaves you with an additional 15-20 minute scenic walk to the club.

Driving Directions:

From SF, Oakland, and other points south of Berkeley Marina: exit 80 at Powell, take left lane, turn left under freeway, and turn right just after underpass to go north on west frontage road.  Continue on west frontage road through stoplight and 1st stopsign to 2nd stopsign at University Ave (Seabreeze Cafe on left).  Turn left on University Ave to head west toward the bay.  See rest of instructions below.

From Richmond and other points north of Berkeley Marina: exit 80 at University, and turn right onto University Ave to head west toward the bay.

Once you're heading west toward the bay on University: Get in the left lane, and at the stopsign ("T" intersection), turn left. A few hundred feet down the road there's a gravel parking lot on the left, behind which you'll see a bunch of sailboats and shipping containers behind a fence. That's us and, our neighbors, Cal Adventures!

Now park somewhere and go find the aqua clubhouse that says "Cal Sailing Club" above the door.

If you drive past the Adventure Playground or end up by the Berkeley Pier, you drove too far. All in all, it's only about a half mile or so from the freeway.

Sailboat Skipper Rating System

Who Can Sign You Off
Click here to see who can sign off on tests and ratings.

How to Request a Test

Rigging and Practical Tests (Novice and Junior) must be administered by a Senior Sailor (although there are some designated Junior Skippers who can administer a Rigging test).

To request one of these tests, fill out a Self-Evaluation for the test here. There is a highlighted question asking if you are ready for the test. If you answer it Yes, it will post a test request to the testers' bulletin board, and you should be contacted by a tester to schedule it.

Basic Skipper Ratings - Junior and Novice

The Junior Skipper Rating is the rating achieved by the majority of active CSC sailors. This rating allows a member to sail most of the smaller boats in the daysailing area between Berkeley and Emeryville. Jr. Skippers can bring non-members out sailing as guests, and can also earn credits towards free memberships by teaching lessons (so can Novices, but a Novice can teach only one person at a time in the Novice Area, and they must be approved to teach by the Rear Commodore).

The Jr. Skipper rating can be obtained by members who have contributed (and been signed off for) at least 4 hours of work and who can pass three tests: a written test covering terminology, basic sailing skills, and CSC rules (all covered in the CSC online "handbooks"); a rigging test demonstrating ability to properly rig and launch a CSC boat; and a practical sailing test demonstrating the skills listed below. The sailing test requires at least ten knots of wind, and includes a capsize.

Requirements

To get a Novice or Junior rating, you must pass a written test, a rigging test, and a practical test. The written and rigging tests are the same for Novice and Junior (you take them once only), but the practical is different.

• Written Test - This is a 21 question multiple choice test on basic sailing and on Club rules as they apply to Novice and Junior sailors. You take it on the website. You can read the test here and take the test here (you must be logged into the website to use these links).
• Rigging Test - This must be administered by a Senior Sailor. You will inspect a boat, find an fix any problems, put it into the water using the hoist without hittiing the rigging on the hoist, raise the main sail and set it for the conditions you see, and reef the main sail.
• Practical Test - This must be administered by a Senior Sailor. For the Novice rating, it can be given in any wind conditions that will move the boat, and it is a very basic demonstration of skills - leaving the dock, tacking gybing, capsize recovery, anchoring while capsize, and returning to the dock. You will be by yourself in the boat (single-handing). The Junior test is described in more detail below, and it is given in higher winds (at least 10 knots, but some testers prefer closer to 15 knots).

You can do a self assessment for the Rigging and Practical Tests here (you must be logged in to use this link). You can use this to track your progres, and when you're ready, answer the last question (Are you ready for the test?) Yes, and a request will be posted to the testers' bulletin board.

How long will it take to get a Junior Rating?

The answer, of course, is "it depends". But the way to think about it is in terms of hours, not calendar time - hours of lessons and practice. If you're a beginner, it will probably take between 20 and 30 hours of lessons and practice to be ready for the on-the-water test. If you have sailing experience, it will take less time. Even very experienced sailors from other places may need time to adapt to the conditions on the SF Bay in the summer. And different people learn these skills at different rates.

Jr Skipper Sailing Skills Checklist:

• First of all, you should read the Dinghy Sailing Manual. It has a lot of information about how to rig and sail a CSC dinghy.
• The Club Operating Rules are here. You need only pay attention to the General rules and those that apply to Novice and Junior Sailors.
• This video shows you how to inspect a Quest, put it into the water, raise the main sail, and reef it
• There are blogs on sailing skills and theory written over the past years
• And we're a club, a community. Don't hesitate to ask questions, either in person or on one of our lists.

More advanced ratings are earned by members who demonstrate an extremely high level of sailing skill and a commitment to the club's programs (teaching, maintenance, public service). See the links below for details on how to acquire each rating.

These ratings are obtained by passing advanced written and sailing tests, and (for the Senior Skipper rating only) contributing a work project of at least 10 hours. Refer to the Club Operating Rules to see specific requirements, sailing areas, and required equipment for advanced ratings.

The Senior Dinghy Skipper rating allows members to sail any CSC dinghy at any time, whether the club is open or not, in a much larger area than the Junior area. The process to get this rating is similar to that for other Senior ratings, including a Senior Project and a Senior Written Test. You have to pass two practical tests in dinghies with two different members of the RatingCommittee. The tester will specify the boat, so be certain of your advanced skills in JY-15s as well as other Club dinghies.

This is a comprehensive guide focusing on the Senior Dinghy rating, and Chapter 4 lists the skills you will be tested on. The tester may require you to demonstrate other skills.

The Senior Skipper rating allows members to sail any of the CSC sailboat fleet, including the larger keelboats, within an area extending out into the Bay along the Berkeley Pier, and, for keelboats only, within a much greater area ranging from Emeryville to Richmond. This is a skills checklist for the Senior Keelboat practical test.

We are teaching keelboat skills based on a skill levels defined here. You need to be a Junior Dinghy Skipper to take keelboat lessons. Lessons are announced on the Announcement List, and you can see them and sign up for them here.

The Cruising Keelboat Skipper rating allows members to sail the Club keelboats anywhere within the entire San Francisco Bay and Delta system. 

The Cruising Dinghy Skipper  rating allows members to sail the Club dinghies in a wider area on the San Francisco Bay.

Windsurfer Rating System

Summary:

The Novice Windsurfer Rating allows members to sail the beginner windsurf boards in a small practice area. Novice Windsurfers can practice any time the Club is open without waiting for an instructor (provided the dayleader is allowing Novices to sail). The Novice Windsurfer rating is obtained by passing a short, open-book written test covering safety, basic windsurfing concepts, and CSC rules and procedures (all covered in the CSC handbooks) and a self-rescue (paddling) test. There is no work requirement at this level.

The Junior Windsurfer Rating allows members to sail the beginner and intermediate windsurf boards in the daysailing area between Berkeley and Emeryville. The Jr. Windsurfer rating is obtained by passing a closed-book written test on basic skills and club rules and a sailing test demonstrating safe sailing in the waves and proper board handling at the dock. Members must also contribute a minimum of four hours of work before the sailing test can be given.

More advanced ratings are earned by members who demonstrate a high level of windsurfing skill and a commitment to the club's programs (teaching, maintenance, public service). The J+ Windsurfer rating allows members to use the J+ boards, which are smaller and faster than the J boards, and requires a rigging test, additional work, and demonstration of water starting ability. The Senior Windsurfer Rating represents extremely high levels of skill and commitment, and allows members to use any of the CSC-owned sails and boards in a sailing area that extends out into the Bay along the Berkeley Pier. Click here to see how you can get to the Senior level.

Specific requirements at each level:

Novice (Written test online, others given by any Windsurf Junior, J+, or Senior)

• paddle test
• written test
• carrying a sail and board
• board handling at the dock (where to set boards, not stepping on boards, care in and out of water)

Junior (Written test online, basic rigging given by Windsurf J+ or Senior, sailing test given by Windsurf Senior)

• Sailing (on a 160L board without a centerboard and a sail ~1m2 too big for conditions, sail into ways in 10-16 knots, tack up to the restaurant, gybe back down, and return to the dock. Tacks/gybes do not need to be consistently successful, but the ability to uphaul in the waves, get upwind, and come back down to the dock is required).
• proper handling of board launching and returning to dock (stopping 10 feet from the dock, dropping the sail in the water, and paddling to dock).
• written test
• basic rigging (choosing and putting on a boom, assembling and carrying gear)
• 2 hours extra volunteer work

J+ (Written test online, others tests given by Windsurf Senior)

• waterstart consistently both sides
• controlled planing upwind both sides in harness, with footstraps
• proper handling of board and sail launching and returning to dock (stopping 10 feet from the dock, dropping the sail in the water, and paddling to dock); note, this is explicitly tested and signed off at ALL levels
• sail rigging (from the bag: choosing a mast, doing downhaul correctly)
• Attend board repair clinic, fix (with assistance is okay) one board with fiberglass damage
• written test
• -2 hours extra volunteer work

Senior (ratings committee can administer with support from mentors; ExComm approves project)  For a full breakdown of the process of becoming a senior, please click HERE.

• nomination and endorsement by two active seniors in the CSC who serve as mentors for the senior process
• overall ongoing impression of saftey-consciousness and the experience to act with good judgment.
• overall ongoing impression of sailing: planing in the footstraps, basic ability to turn around (plane-in gybe or fast tack), easily waterstarts, safe in 22+ knots, chooses appropriate gear for conditions
• overall ongoing impression of involvement in club
• overall ongoing impression of respect for gear and for club rules and other club members (both on and off the water)
• approved senior project (minimum 10 hours, should contribute something substantial to the club)
• lead teaching of one Novice Lesson
• teach a waterstart clinic if your project is repair based, or a board/sail repair clinic if your project is water-skills based
• have sail rigging skills signed off (understanding of tuning for body size and wind conditions) and rig 5 sails; derig, roll and properly store a sail.
• proper handling of board and sail launching and returning to dock (stopping 10 feet from the dock, dropping the sail in the water, and paddling to dock); note, this is explicitly tested and signed off at ALL levels
• repair 2 junior or J+ boards with fiberglass damage; at least one must be a significant nose repair
• written test
• on-water sailing test including rigging and tuning a sail from the bag, getting upwind, sailing overpowered, dealing with a breakdown in the swell, and derigging and storing the gear afterwards

F (any foiler can administer) allows use of Foil

• J+ or Sr rating
• Pass written test
• Proper handling of board and sail; launching and returning to the dock
• 2 hours volunteer service

Continuing Seniors

• 10 hours volunteer work per quarter
• teach or assist in teaching at least one Novice lesson per season, or teach at least one other clinic per season (this can be within a fasttrack, part of a series, or a freestanding clinic).
• mentor new senior candidates – provide written endorsement at the beginning of their senior process and support them throughout on improving sailing, teaching, board repair etc. as needed.  Provide feedback to the ratings chair on their skills and involvement in the CSC.

Click here to see who can sign off on tests and ratings.

The Cal Sailing Club is a non-profit, volunteer-run sailing and windsurfing club that offers lessons, recreation, and free programs for the general public and for summer programs. Members get lessons and, after achieving ratings, use of the club's fleet of 26 dinghies, 6 keelboats and 80 windsurfing boards including novice, intermediate, and advanced designs. Located on the south side of the Berkeley Marina, CSC's major activity is teaching sailing and windsurfing safety.

The club's programs for the general public and organized groups include Introductory Sails, land sailing school (in cooperation with the Nature Center and the Pegasus Project), summer sailing for youth groups including Berkeley and Albany YMCA's and Berkeley Youth Alternatives, windsurfing seminars, lectures, and clinics. These services are provided by club volunteers.

Membership dues and volunteer work provide access to lessons and recreational use of the club's equipment. There are no charges for lessons or use of equipment. Members have to pass rating tests and contribute work in order to achieve ratings. Qualified members can bring non-member friends out sailing as their guests.

The Cal Sailing Club is not part of the University of California. The UC Aquatic Center, which occupies the site immediately to the east of CSC, is a separate facility run by the University of California.

The Division of Boating and Waterways, California State Department of Parks and Recreation funds Cal Sailing Club to enhance boaters’ knowledge of boating laws, practical handling of vessels on the water, weather and water conditions, rules of the road, equipment requirements and environmental stewardship.

Open To The Public

Membership is open to the public. The Club is open all year, from noon to sunset on weekdays and from 9:00 AM to sunset on weekends. Instruction, maintenance, and administration are all done by volunteer members.

Minors (under 18) are encouraged to join when they and their parents feel that they are ready to sail and windsurf at CSC without any special supervision. All minor memberships are subject to approval by the CSC Executive Committee. Parents of new minor members must be thoroughly familiar with the club and the conditions their children will face. Children younger than five are not permitted in CSC boats.

Open House: Introductory Sails

Introductory Sails for this sailing season are listed here.

This is a great way for anyone to learn about boating safety, discover the joy of sailing and CSC. Children must be at least five years old and accompanied by a parent or guardian. Arrive between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, wear warm, waterproof clothing, strap on eyeglasses or sunglasses, leave electronic gear behind, and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet!

Membership

The fee for a three-month membership is $150 ($119 for students and senior citizens). A discounted annual membership is available for $375. Members can take unlimited lessons and once they have ratings can take out boats and sailboards without limit.  There is a two-hour work requirement every three months for all active regular members. Most of the CSC's active members find that they enjoy participating in various activities to the extent that they donate many more hours of their time. The nature of your work contribution is almost entirely up to you. The Club always needs people to be instructors, to help with (and learn) boat maintenance, and to assist with administration and publicity jobs.

All membership signups and renewals are processed through this website.  If you are joining as a new member, please do that here on this website, preferrably from home--we have computers at the club, but they get too busy on weekends.  If you are renewing, please log into your account and click on Memberships.   

Once youi've become familiar with CSC, you can sign up family members with our minor and family memberships, with special approval.  Parents of minor members must fill out medical and liability waiver forms. The club does not provide supervision, hazard screening, or environment specifically for children (UCAC  is the place for this, next door to CSC). Family memberships are available only to those related as parent/guardian and children.

Lessons

Sailing and windsurfing lessons are the cornerstone of our club's activities. Taught by experienced club members, these lessons cover everything from basic techniques to advanced sail trim.

• Beginning sailing lessons are offered Monday and Thursday afternoons, and Saturday mornings.
• Beginning windsurfing lessons are available Saturday and Sunday mornings.

For more details, please visit the dedicated lessons pages for Sailing or Windsurfing.

Special Activities

Cruises: Occasional scheduled keelboat day cruises for destinations such as Angel Island, Sausalito, Pier 39 in San Francisco, the Oakland Estuary, and Point San Pablo. On most cruises, any member can sign up in advance to be part of the crew, and can also sign up one non-member as a guest. No CSC rating or lessons are required to participate in a keelboat cruise. Cruising Skippers can also arrange to use the boats for private cruises.

Racing: Dinghy races are held most Sunday mornings from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, alternating use of our Bahia and JY15 fleets. Any CSC member can crew, but only members with a Junior Skipper rating or higher who have passed the Racing Rules Test can skipper.

Informal dinghy races, using an abbreviated set of rules, are held spring through fall on Thursday evenings using our JY15 fleet. Arrive by 5:30 PM to rig the boats.

During the summer months, CSC cosponsors a weekly racing series with the Berkeley Yacht Club. When Daylight Savings Time is in effect, there is a race almost every Friday night. A number of members also own their own racing yachts, and there is usually a demand for crew at all experience levels. Some CSC members have even found crew spots on boats sailing to Mexico, Hawaii, and the South Pacific as an indirect result of their involvement in the Club.

For more detailed information please go to the Racing page.

CSC's Boats & Sailboards

 Check out our fleet. We have Sail Boats, both smaller diinghies and keelboats, along with instructional programs for each of them. Same for Wind Surf boards. We even have some kayaks and stand-up paddle-boards for member use, although we do  not have an instructional program for them.

The CSC Rating System

San Francisco Bay is a challenging and exciting place to sail. It is well known for strong wind, big waves, and cold water! Although the CSC dock is partially protected, most of the sailing area is exposed to the full force of the Bay's wind and waves. Sailing in these conditions requires considerable skill and experience, and as a result the tests which must be passed to achieve various qualification ratings in CSC are quite rigorous compared with those of most other sailing programs. The major features of the rating system are outlined under "Sailboat Rating System" and  "Windsurfer Rating System."

Windsurfer Storage Lockers

Cal Sailing Club maintains a total of 59 storage lockers on the premises for windsurfing boards and sails. Associate membership in the Club, for a fee of $500 per year ($750 for two larger lockers), is available to the general public and entitles the Associate Member to store personal windsurfing equipment in an assigned storage locker anytime throughout the year. This allows immediate access to one of the most popular windsurfing areas in the Bay.

Contact the Windsurfing locker chair for more information.

Tax Status

The Cal Sailing Club, as a non-profit charitable and educational organization, is tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). The club is also a registered California charity.  We gladly accept Donations.

How Do We Do It?

The Cal Sailing Club's programs are designed to provide minimum cost access to educational and recreational sailing facilities. The cost of participating is far below the cost of taking lessons or renting boats from a commercial sailing school. We are able to operate at such a low cost primarily because all the instruction, maintenance, and administration is performed by unpaid volunteer members. The only exception is the "Dayleader", a work-study student assigned to CSC who is paid jointly by the Club and the federal work-study program. If you are a student with a work-study grant and an interest in sailing, you should talk to us about working as a Dayleader. Contact the Port Captain for employment opportunities.

The Cal Sailing Club also replaces its equipment at less frequent intervals than commercial operations. The boats are strong, safe, and functional, but will not win any beauty contests.