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Bay Area Bareboats

Missing the pictures? See the April 2011 eBook!

Roughly 240 bareboats are available for rental here in the Greater Bay Area, but the businesses that manage them are not simply rental agencies. Almost all of the boats listed below are offered by sailing schools — usually called 'clubs' — which offer a full spectrum of courses, from basic sailing to coastal cruising and celestial navigation.

In most cases, you don't have to be a member of the club to rent a boat, although nonmembers may pay somewhat higher rental prices. Be aware also that the first time you charter with a company you'll probably have to do a 'check-out' with their staff so they'll feel confident that you're not going to run the pride of their fleet into a cruise ship. Getting checked out a few days in advance will save precious charter time.

Beyond rental discounts, there's usually added value to club membership such as dockside barbecues; 'social sails', where everyone pitches in a few bucks to cover costs; and charter flotillas to idyllic venues in the Caribbean, South Pacific or elsewhere.

If you don't own a boat and/or don't have close friends that are into sailing, joining a club can be a smart move. The friendly ambience of a club creates a low-pressure forum for advancing through the hierarchy of classes. And the natural camaraderie that comes with shared activities on the water often spawns lasting friendships.
As you can see by the listings below, many popular types of late-model production boats are available through Bay Area fleets, which makes them an ideal resource for extensively 'road testing' boat types that you are considering buying.

Chartering a large, fully equipped bareboat in the Bay Area can also help you prepare for future cruising. Once you've taken total responsibility for a big boat in Bay waters — including anchoring practice — you'll be able to step aboard a bareboat anywhere with confidence in your abilities, and spare yourself the angst brought on by trying to fake it.

As the following list demonstrates, there is a wide variety of sail-it-yourself bareboats available for rent in the Bay Area. Compiled here are listings from the area's principal companies (listed alphabetically). We've attempted to be as up-to-date and comprehensive as possible. We regret any errors or omissions.

Please note: Not listed here — due to space limitations — are university and community sailing programs which offer the use of sailing dinghies and daysailers in conjunction with their instructional programs. For a list of those programs, see www.gosailingsf.org/community.html

Club Nautique
Sausalito, Alameda
(800) 343-SAIL
www.clubnautique.net
AL = Alameda ; SA = Sausalito
30' & UNDER: Colgate 26 (7) AL, SA; Hunter 290 AL
31' - 35': Hunter 31 (7) AL, SA; Jeanneau 32 (2) AL, SA; Hunter 320 (2) AL, SA; Hunter 33 (3) AL, SA; Beneteau 34 AL
36' - 40': Dufour 36 (2) AL, SA; Hunter 36 (3) AL, SA; Caliber 40 AL; Jeanneau 40 SA; Norseman 40 cat AL
OVER 40': Hunter 41 (2) AL, SA; Hunter 410 AL; Gib Sea 43 AL; Jeanneau 45 DS AL; Hunter 49 AL; Jeanneau 50 DS AL

J/World
Oakland, Puerto Vallarta
(510) 271-4780, (800) 910-1101
www.sailing-jworld.com
30' & UNDER: 26' J/80 (7)
31' - 35': 34' J/105 (4)
36' - 40': 36' J/109; C&C 38; 40' J/120
OVER 40': Dehler 41; Jeanneau 43 DS; Passport 46; Santa Cruz 50; 53' J/160

Modern Sailing Academy
Sausalito (800) 995-1668
www.modernsailing.com
30' & UNDER: C&C 24, Ericson 30, Catalina 30
31' - 35': Beneteau 311; Pearson 32; Ericson 32; C&C 32; Beneteau 33; Beneteau 35; Hanse 350
36' - 40': 38' Seawind 1160 cat; Beneteau 38; Beneteau 381; Beneteau 393; Caliber 40
OVER 40': Beneteau 423

Monterey Bay Sailing
Monterey (831) 372-7245
www.montereysailing.com
30' & UNDER: Catalina 22, Yamaha 25, Wyliecat 30
31' - 40': Celestial 32; San Juan 33
OVER 40': Coronado 42

OCSC
Berkeley (800) 223-2984
(membership required)
www.ocscsailing.com
30' & UNDER: J/24 (20); Ultimate 24 (1); Olson 25 (4)
31' - 35': Catalina 320 (4); 34' J/105 (5); 35' J/109
36' - 40': Catalina 36 (3); Sabre 362; Mahe 36 cat; Beneteau 373
OVER 40': Jeanneau 494

Pacific Yachting/Sailing
Santa Cruz (831) 423-SAIL (7245), (800) 374-2626
www.pacificsail.com
30' & UNDER: Santa Cruz 27, Catalina 28, 30' Olson 911s
31' - 35': Beneteau 31, Catalina 31, Catalina 32 (3), Hunter 33, Beneteau 33, Catalina 35
36' - 40': Catalina 36; Hunter 36
OVER 40': Beneteau 46.1

Tradewinds Sailing School & Club
Richmond (510) 232-7999
www.TradewindsSailing.com
Brickyard Cove, Marina Bay Yacht Harbor
30' & UNDER: Capri 22 (7); Ericson 27; Catalina 270; Ericson 28; Catalina 30 (4); Newport 30
31' - 35': 33' Beneteau 323 (2); Beneteau 31; Cal 31 (3); Dufour 31
36' - 40': 35' Beneteau 343 (2); Catalina 34 (2); 35' Hunter 356; Catalina 36 (2); Catalina 38
OVER 40': Beneteau 42; Mull Chico 42; Catalina 42; Jeanneau 43

Spinnaker Sailing of Redwood City
(650) 363-1390
www.spinnakersailing.com
30' & UNDER: Santana 22 (2); Cal 24 (3); Merit 25 (10); Catalina 27 (3)
31' - 35': J/29; Hunter 33; Hunter 34; 40' J/120

Spinnaker Sailing of San Francisco
(415) 543-7333
www.spinnaker-sailing.com
30' & UNDER: 21' Viper 640; Ultimate 20; Ultimate 24; Santana 22 (2); Santa Cruz 27 (3)
31' - 35': Flying Tiger 10, Catalina 320, Catalina 34, Catalina 35, 35' Hunter 356
36' - 40': Beneteau 393, C&C 40
OVER 40': Hunter 410

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