Blake Oberbauer Navigates the Transition Into College Sailing

By the time Tiburon sailor Blake Oberbauer arrived in Hanover, New Hampshire, this past fall, she already had years of planning behind her. She had been thinking about college sailing since middle school, mapping out a path that would eventually lead her to New England. Now a freshman on the Dartmouth sailing team, she’s discovered that the experience is about much more than just racing.

Blake’s introduction to sailing came early and at home: “Both my parents sail, so I’ve been sailing on our family J/105 since before I can remember,” she said. At 7, she joined the Optimist program at San Francisco Yacht Club’s summer camp and worked her way through Green Fleet. But she didn’t immediately enjoy it. By fifth grade, she’d convinced her parents to let her quit. After a few months, and several other attempted sports, she realized what she missed. She returned to the race team, and sailing became something she chose, not something she simply grew up doing.

The turning point came in middle school, when she learned that older sailors from her club were competing at colleges, including Dartmouth. “I had never really thought about what sailing looked like past high school,” she said. Blake responded with focus and ambition, even writing out a multi-year plan that stretched from seventh grade through high school graduation. “It became super-clear that I was going to try and sail at the highest level I could as long as I could,” she said.

That long-range vision carried her through high school sailing and into college. Her first term at Dartmouth was, in her description, “incredible.” Academically, she found herself in a mix of classes, including Intro to Anthropology, a Philosophy of Knowledge writing seminar, and a calculus prerequisite. “I really liked all of my classes and professors, and I was pretty sad when they were over,” she said, adding that she’s now considering a philosophy minor.

Athletically, the schedule is demanding: four days of practice a week, regattas most weekends, and early-morning conditioning sessions. The pace is fast, but the growth is tangible. “I improved a ton,” she said, “and I definitely have a lot to work on in the spring.”

Socially, the sailing team became the center of her college life. From the first night on campus, her closest friends were her fellow freshmen sailors. The team’s culture, supported by upperclassmen who help with everything from class scheduling to boat work, made the transition smoother. “It really feels like a family,” she said. One of her favorite moments didn’t involve racing at all. On Halloween weekend, the freshman class took a trip to a teammate’s home in Vermont, hiked to a fire tower, and spent hours talking and bonding. “It really cemented to me that I had found a place, a group of people where I belonged,” she said.

For high school sailors considering college sailing, Blake emphasizes balance and perspective. “Think a lot about what you want your college experience to look like,” she said, noting that sailing is a major commitment, but it shouldn’t be the only reason to choose a school. She also encourages students to reach out to coaches early and often, building relationships rather than viewing the process as a competition.

Now settled into life on Mascoma Lake, Blake is still guided by the same motivation she found years ago on San Francisco Bay: to keep learning, keep improving, and sail at the highest level she can, all the while making the most of everything school has to offer.