Sail Channel Islands Sailing School at Oxnard, CA: Our sole focus is to teach adults to sail in the ocean, specifically the Pacific Coast of Southern California. The course of study is designed to give you the skills, confidence and competence to sail the Channel Islands on your own or bareboat charter at foreign bases around the world. I do precious little lecturing. This is a hands-on school, much more about doing than reading or talking.
Frankly, we're not racers. Our pace is measured and we enjoy the beauty and solitude of cruising the islands of the Santa Barbara Channel more than the thrill of squeezing a tenth of knot out of our crew and beating some yahoos around a buoy.
Nor are we long-range cruisers. Several of our past students are. We get e-mail and blogs from all sorts of exotic spots. We, on the other hand, are all about a lifestyle that is closer to home. And, when the feeling moves us, we're up for a 10-day charter trip, but we'll fly to the palm-fringed island and rent a boat.
We sail when you say and will develop a curriculum that will build on your current knowledge. That's the advantage of private lessons. And, BTW, we're not going to squeeze you into some kid-sized boat. All of our lessons are on comfortable boats with adult proportions and I teach all the courses.
The Instructor: Captain Dan Ryder - 
is certified by the American Sailing Association and has been consistently cited as an outstanding instructor by the association. His other teaching credentials include tours of duty as a Navy Flight Instructor and an Air Force Flight Instructor. On retirement, he taught high school journalism.
I'd tell you more about where I've been and what I've done, but it's probably better to share what students say about learning with Capt. Dan.
Our Classes - I only give private lessons. It's just you, your crew (if you bring them) and I. If you do have someone you intend ot sail with, this is the very best time to train and to start functioning as a team.
Our Boats - We have a Catalina 36 MK1 and a Jeanneau 45.2 Sun Odyssey. I'm also available to teach on your boat at an hourly rate of $125.
Courses of Instruction - click for details
SCI1 - Ocean Sailing Basics
Prerequisites: None - This course is the first step and no previous experience or knowledge is required.
Text: "Sailing for Dummies" Chapt" 1,4,5,6 (launching/docking), 7, 8
Course objectives: The successful student will be able to sail a 36' boat in light to moderate winds and sea conditions. A graduate will master all points of sail and all fundamental maneuvers with strong emphasis on getting underway and docking.
Duration: Three or four lessons, approximately 18 hours
Fees: $1250, additional person $500. All materials included
Call us: 805.750.7828 or SEND E-MAIL
SCI2 - Coastal Cruising Skipper
Prerequisites: Ocean Sailing Orientation <SCI1> or previous ocean experience as skipper on 27-38 foot sailboat.
Text: "Sailing for Dummies"
Course objectives: The successful student will learn to cruise safely in local and regional waters as skipper of a 36' sailboat during daytime in moderate winds (up to 20 knots) and sea conditions. The graduate will be able to thoroughly inspect a vessel for seaworthiness, be able to interpret local area charts, will be competent in safety procedures and precautions and heavy weather procedures including rigging and using jacklines, heaving-to and reefing sails. As a culminating exercise, the student will plan and execute a passage to Anacapa Island, anchor and return to base using dead reckoning navigation.
Duration: Three or four lessons, approximately 24 hours
Fees: $1650, additional person $500.
Call us: 805.750.7828 or SEND E-MAIL
SCI3 - Coastal Navigator
Prerequisites: None
Text: "Bowditch Practical Navigator" (download), "Chart 1," "Coast Pilot 7," "Rules of the Road" "Light List"
Course objectives: The successful student will be able to safely navigate a sailing vessel in coastal or inland waters without the aid of GPS, radar or anything else that requires electricity. You'll learn chart interpretation, be able to chart a course, find a position, take visual fixes, anticipate tidal fluctuation, understand ocean currents and plan extensive cruises. These skills are prerequisites for Intermediate Coastal Cruising<SCI4>, where you will learn to use radar, GPS, chartplotter, SPOT and other electronic aids.
Fees: $750, additional person $450. All necessary navigation tools and publications are provided and are yours to keep.
Call us: 805.750.7828 or SEND E-MAIL
SCI4 - Intermediate Coastal Cruising
(Bareboat Chartering)
Prerequisites: Previous day coastal cruising experience as skipper of 30'(min) boat plus experience as navigator capable of chart interpretation, planning, determining position through visual fixes, dead reckoning and fuel management
Text: "Annapolis Book of Seamanship"
Course Objectives: The student can choose either a Catalina 36 or a Jeanneau 46 for an overnight - or multi-night - sail to Santa Cruz Island. The student will be able to operate all boats systems and will be qualified to act as skipper for all daytime operations, including anchoring, crew overboard, piloting and basic dead reckoning navigation in addition to use of radar, GPS, chart plotter, SPOT and other electronic devices. Night sailing is an option.
The course includes the use of radar (with MARPA target tracking on the Jeanneau), GPS and chart plotter. SCI3 is all practical.
Fees: are based on the boat and number of days you choose to sail. Click RATES. Our Jeanneau, which is is typical of the boats you might charter from Moorings or Sunsail in the Mediterranean or Caribbean can accommodate two couples.
Call us: 805.750.7828 or SEND E-MAIL
SCI5 - Advanced Coastal Cruising
Prerequisites: Previous experience as skipper on a cruise of at least two nights. (No prior night sail experience required)
General Description:
- We'll take you and your crew on an extended sail (four to five days) in Sancerre, our Jeanneu 46 to a challenging destination such as San Miguel or Santa Barbara Island or a point you pick to the south.
- You'll exercise all of the skills you've learned previously in boat handling and navigation. You'll use all of your DR skills and integrate electronic navigation.
- You'll launch and maneuver the dinghy and/or our kayaks to explore the coast.
- You'll devise the menu, but we'll take care of getting it all aboard. You'll help us stow groceries, so we all know where everything is, and, once you've mastered the propane stove and water-saving clean-up practices, you can leave the cooking and clean-up to us.
- If you love to cook. Well, we love to eat. We'd be happy to follow your directions in the galley.
- After dinner and as we come across teachable moments, we'll discuss weather forecasting, at-sea maintenance and repair, emergency preparedness.
- We'll anchor in some narrow anchorages, where precision setting of both bow and stern anchor is critical. You'll learn to use traditional bearing taking to ensure the boat stays in position, but we'll also integrate GPS and radar into the equation, adding skills beyond the ASA curriculum.
- We'll do an extended leg (or more) of night sailing, emphasizing precise navigation and safety precautions (in addition to always wearing life jackets, we rig and use jacklines for any out-of-cockpit adventures, including anchor watch). We'll do some man-overboard maneuvers at night, which will make it very clear that everyone needs to be clipped in after dark.
Fees: are based on the boat and number of days you choose to sail. Click RATES. Our Jeanneau, which is is typical of the boats you might charter from Moorings or Sunsail in the Mediterranean or Caribbean can accommodate two couples.
Call us: 805.750.7828 or SEND E-MAIL
