From the Helm
About the Santa Barbara Sailing Center
Making the Sport of Sailing Accessible to Everyone
Since 1967, The Santa Barbara Sailing Center has been introducing people to the lifestyle and sport of sailing. We strive to enrich people’s lives by providing unique on-the-water experiences. We are proud to make boating easily accessible through our professional sailing instruction, skippered sailing charters, bareboat charters, club member activities, kayak & stand up paddle board excursions, powerboat rentals, and daily cruises along the pristine Santa Barbara coastline. Our mission is to encourage individuals of all ages and levels of experience to enjoy Santa Barbara from the water. We provide a spectacular platform and venue to instill amazing memories with events such as graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, weddings or just an excuse to get family and friends together. We have a comprehensive Corporate Team-building Program which enables companies, large and small, to participate in sail boat races (regattas) which provide a new experience for their employees to grow and develop their leadership skills. We also offer peaceful memorial services for families and loved ones.
The Santa Barbara Sailing Center has over forty boats in our fleet, as well as a large crew of certified instructors with impressive sailing resumes, knowledge and experiences. We have provided professional instruction since 1967 and are committed to upholding our high standard of education and safety. The Santa Barbara Sailing Center is one of the largest accredited American Sailing Association (ASA) schools in the nation, and we are proud to have been chosen as the American Sailing Association School of the Year for two consecutive years.
We invite you to join us on the water to experience your ultimate boating excursion.
Useful Sailing Links
Weather Forecast:
NOAA: Santa Barbara Marine/Coastal Forecast
Southern California Buoy Reports
Live Web Cam of Santa Barbara Harbor:
CALIFORNIA LOCATIONS
Club Nautique
www.clubnautique.net
Alameda, CA
510-865-4700
Sausalito, CA
415-332-8001
Modern Sailing
www.modernsailing.com
Sausalito, CA
415-331-7065 or 800-995-1668
Spinnaker Sailing
www.spinnakersailing.com
Redwood City, CA
650-363-1390
Pacific Yachting & Sailing
www.pacificsail.com
Santa Cruz, CA
831-432-SAIL or 800-374-2626
Windward Sailing Club
www.windwardsailingclub.com
3300 Via Lido
Newport Beach, CA 92663
949-675-7100/Fax 949-675-2417
Aventura Sailing Association
www.aventurasailing.com
Dana Point, CA
949-493-9493
Harbor Island Yacht Club
www.harborislandyachtclub.com
San Diego, CA
619-291-7245 or 800-553-7245
Harbor Island Sail
www.harborsailboats.com
San Diego, CA
800-854-6625 or 619-291-9568
Seaforth Boat Rentals
www.seaforthboatrental.com
San Diego, CA (5 Locations)
888-834-2628
OTHER LOCATIONS:
Seattle Sailing Club
www.seattlesailing.com
Seattle, WA
206-782-5100
Island Sailing Club
www.islandsailingclub.com
Kirkland, WA
800-303-2470
Island Sailing Club
www.islandsailingclub.com
Portland, OR
800-303-2470
Hawaii Nautical
www.hawaiinautical.com
(15% off charter rates)
Ko Olina, Hawaii
808-234-SAIL
Let’s Go Sailing
www.lets-go-sailing.net
Seabrook, Texas
713-644-0606 or 800-950-7035
Florida Sailing Club
www.floridasailing.com
800-468-4440
Locations in:
Jensen Beach, FL
Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Melbourne/Coco Beach
Key West, FL
Tampa – St. Pete – Clearwater
Chesapeake Bay, Lower Bay
Chesapeake Bay – Upper Bay
Atlanta, GA
New York
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
Boston Harbor Sailing Club
www.bostonharborsailing.com
Boston, MA
617-720-0049
YachtPro Thailand
www.sailing-thailand.com
Yacht Haven Marina
Tel.: (66-76) 348117-8
Environmental Guidelines & Practices
It may be beneath the surface, but we’ve changed a lot around these docks.
From the products we use to the things we do, we are making moves toward a better planet – one that is appreciated for all it is worth and more. Imagine a world so cared for that it no longer needs protecting.
We are Green Business Certified: we aim to Prevent Pollution, Conserve Natural Resources & to Exceed Environmental Regulatory Requirements.
Our Skipper — Skip Abed
Skip Abed, owner of The Santa Barbara Sailing Center, has lived in the area since 1989. He has worked at the Sailing Center since 1992 and purchased the business in 2000.
Skip started sailing when he was four years old on an O’Day sailboat on Pleasant Bay in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Growing up, sailing became a passion for Skip due to the exposure he had travelling to different parts of the world with his family. This allowed him to sail in the Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Caribbean Sea as well as the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. When Skip was 12 years old, he fell in love with chartering when he sailed from Rhodes, Greece along the Turkish coast for 10 days on a 61ft ketch. This is when he recognized that his passion for sailing could become a career. Skip enjoys sailing with his wife Jen and their two daughters, Hala and GiGi.
Q & A with Skip
A. 11ft Topper.
A. 1969 23ft STAR that I fully restored.
A. Santa Cruz Island, Coches Prietos.
A. Getting friends and family together and enjoying quality time on the water.
Leaving Nice, France Harbor to an offshore island and having lunch at a restaurant called Chez Frederique. Coming back, the Captain let me dock the 20 meter Leopard Sport in a Mediterranean tie between huge megayachts at the age of 14.
A. Taking my wife and children sailing in the Mediterranean along the Turkish coast.
A. Turning down a job at Cantor Fitzgerald at the World Trade Center in 1991.
A. Bookkeeping at a construction site in Dubai.
A. Food. I love cooking and eating and appreciate exceptional service.
A. Bottled still water.
A. My father.
A. My company, The Santa Barbara Sailing Center.
A. “Very exciting!”, “What’s next?”
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