ACTIVE
SET SAIL
TAKE TO THE WATER AND LET THE WIND PROPEL YOU IN A HANDS-ON CLASS THAT COVERS BOATING BASICS .
BY SHARAEL KOLBERG
NBM : WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS NEED IN ORDER TO TAKE CLASSES WITH THE SCHOOL OF SAILING & SEAMANSHIP ? SH : For the Beginning Sailing class , you need to be at least 14 years old . You do need to know how to swim , have physical stamina , good balance and be capable of moving about safely in the boat . Life jackets are required .
NBM : WHAT SHOULD SOMEONE EXPECT IN THE BEGINNER ’ S CLASS ? SH : Students will work with an instructor who has a lot of experience teaching sailing . Classes are taught outside on the dock . There is an orientation , lecture of sailing theory , safety information [ and ] instructions about how to get the boat on and off the dock . Life jackets are worn on the dock and boat . Students are … [ partnered ] with two to three [ other ] students per boat .
Sarah Hirsch , director of Orange Coast College ’ s Waterfront Campus in Newport Beach
We ’ ve all seen sailboats of various sizes with colorful sails gliding across the water in Newport Bay . With the right gust of wind , the sailors tack , gybe and make their way back and forth along the harbor , passing by lively Lido Isle and Balboa Island , and skimming the shores of bustling Balboa Peninsula . If you ’ ve ever wished you were on board one of those boats , but don ’ t yet have the skills , you ’ re in luck .
The School of Sailing & Seamanship , operated by Orange Coast College , offers year-round sailing classes to the public at its Waterfront Campus in Newport Beach . Students learn basic sailing skills through dockside lectures that cover everything from sailing theory and points of sail to tacking , gybing , knots , docking and safety skills . Hands-on learning takes place on Lido 14 dinghies . We caught up with Waterfront Campus Director Sarah Hirsch , an experienced sailor , to find out more about the program for those who want to learn the ropes .
NEWPORT BEACH MAGAZINE : WHAT MAKES SAILING SO MUCH FUN ? SARAH HIRSCH : People want to be outside and try something new . The OCC Waterfront Campus provides access to the harbor . It allows people to take that first step onto the water and participate as sailors . We help people learn to sail for the first time .
NBM : WHY IS NEWPORT BEACH A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN ? SH : There is a long history of sailing in Newport Beach that brings a pride in seamanship and the sailing legacy here . We want to continue the tradition of having sailboats on the water , compared to other watercraft . It ’ s interesting to sail around the man-made islands [ and ] fun to sightsee —[ the area has many ] other boats and amazing homes . Plus , the wind and weather are fairly predictable . We can sail almost every day and rarely cancel classes due to weather .
NBM : WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE OFFERED AT THE OCC WATERFRONT CAMPUS ? SH : In addition to the Sailing Center , we also have a professional maritime program , mariner continuing education and [ an ] intercollegiate rowing center . We also have a beautiful nautical library with maritime reference books and charts .
COURTESY OF ORANGE COAST COLLEGE
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