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Spend 4–5 days sailing with an instructor from Naos Yachts, sharpening helm skills and building real-world charter confidence. Cruise to Catalina’s sheltered harbors or push to the wild kelp forests and sea cliffs of the Channel Islands.
Spend 4–5 days sailing with an instructor from Naos Yachts, sharpening helm skills and building real-world charter confidence. Cruise to Catalina’s sheltered harbors or push to the wild kelp forests and sea cliffs of the Channel Islands.
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Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
114 ratings
Operated by Naos Yachts · Marina del Rey, California
From a Marina del Rey launch to windward passages around Catalina and the remote Channel Islands, the Learn to Sail Vacation—run from Naos Yachts at 13555 Fiji Way, Marina Del Rey, CA—puts the Pacific as your classroom. Designed as a 4‑ or 5‑day hands‑on refresher, the course skips formal exams and focuses on practical time at the helm with an experienced ASA instructor, building confidence for confident chartering.
On Catalina trips you’ll cruise into protected harbors, threading through kelp borders and coastal bluffs carved from marine terraces and Pleistocene sandstone. Channel Islands voyages push farther offshore to a quieter coast: towering sea cliffs, pinnacles, and kelp forests that support sea lions, dolphins, and resident seabird colonies. The islands sit at the edge of the Southern California Bight and include lands now protected in Channel Islands National Park (established 1980), with human history that stretches back to Chumash maritime culture.
This class is small—boats shared by up to four students with a minimum of two to run—and tailored to recent graduates of ASA 104/114 or sailors who haven’t crewed recently. Boats run as monohulls or catamarans; pricing reflects that choice and the destination: Catalina charters start at $1,500 per person for monohulls and $2,000 for cats, while Channel Islands departures are listed at $2,000 and $2,500 respectively. Naos Yachts provides the boat, instructor time, insurance, booking fees, and local taxes; students should coordinate logistics with the office at Naos Yachts.
Beyond skills, the trip is an access pass to rare coastal ecology. Kelp forests form floating gardens that ripple with leopard sharks and kelp bass in summer; migrating gray whales and transient orcas visit the shelf in season. Nights aboard are spent at anchor under stars with only the soft slap of water on hulls—an elemental contrast to city lights back at Marina del Rey.
Practical touches make this a smart refresher: you’ll rehearse navigation, reefing, anchoring, passage planning, and emergency procedures under instructor supervision. The program’s flotilla format—scheduled Catalina trips in April 2026 and Channel Islands trips in August 2026—lets you sail with a supportive group while accessing protected anchorages and scenic shorelines.
Because the course runs from Naos Yachts at 13555 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, logistics are straightforward for visitors based in Los Angeles. Students usually spend nights ashore before departures. The syllabus emphasizes sail trim, reefing, anchoring technique, chart plotting, and coastal pilotage with instructor-led debriefs and crew rotations. It’s ideal for sailors who want concentrated sea time to gain real-world charter readiness and practical confidence for independent passages.
No formal exam required; the course is ideal for graduates of ASA 104/114 or sailors seeking to regain sea time, but enthusiastic beginners should contact the office first.
Naos Yachts provides the boat, instructor time, insurance, booking fees, and local taxes; provisioning, berthing fees, and personal travel are not included.
Typically up to four students per boat with a minimum of two students needed to run the class.
Trips require a minimum enrollment and may be rescheduled if the minimum isn’t met; Naos Yachts will contact booked students with updates.
Bring proven remedies—patches, pills, or ginger—and follow instructor guidance on meals and positioning to reduce symptoms.
The meeting point is Naos Yachts at 13555 Fiji Way, Marina Del Rey, CA; contact the office to schedule specific check‑in details.
Naos Yachts is a Marina del Rey-based charter and sailing school offering a range of day sails, sunset cruises, powerboating courses, and ASA certification classes. The company operates a mixed fleet that includes monohulls, catamarans, Beneteau models, Lagoon catamarans, and specialized boats like the Beneteau First 14 for single- or two-person sailing experiences. Trips available include three-hour daysails and sunset sails, extended day sails, instructor-led ASA courses such as ASA 104/114 combo to Catalina, coastal navigation (ASA 105), docking and maneuvering (ASA 118), dinghy handling (ASA 116), plus beginning and advanced powerboating (AB101/AB103). All instruction is delivered by US Coast Guard licensed instructors or USCG-trained captains, and courses emphasize hands-on learning, safety, and small-group attention — advanced and beginning powerboating classes limit enrollment to three students per session. Vessel types and on-water routes focus on Santa Monica Bay and Marina del Rey harbor, providing scenic coastal sailing and practical seamanship training. Naos Yachts serves private charters and public classes for families, friends, and aspiring boaters seeking certification or skill-building. Booking options include hiring a trained USCG captain for relaxed cruises or self-skippered outings for experienced sailors. Equipment and vessels used in courses are modern and purpose-suited for their curriculum, from dinghy towing and beach landings to coastal navigation and overnight passage training. The business combines a large local fleet, certified instructors, and structured ASA curriculum to deliver reliable experiences on Southern California waters. Reservation and scheduling are available through Marina del Rey booking channels and online reservation platforms nationwide inquiries.
Book with Naos Yachts