Club Nautique

After extensive research and 22 years of sailing/powerboating in SF Bay, I can confidently say that Club Nautique is the premium place to charter a sailboat or powerboat.  The US Sailing Classes is a great format too for newer sailors and powerboaters.  My family and I have spent 60 days on the water in the last 12 months with CN and it's definitely a professionally-run operation.

The best thing you will find is the fleet condition ... nowhere else will you be able to charter 1-3 year-old boats that are maintained, clean, and shiny.  Think electronic instruments, autopilot, climate control, powered winches (on the larger boats), and bluetooth audio systems inside and out.  The presentation and feeling of a premium charter is unparalleled.  The staff are serious about their jobs; the owners of the business treat boats and members with prompt, service-oriented action.

As far as pricing goes, I've also been a part of other clubs in the SF Bay and CN is on the higher end for a reason.  The CN boats are nice and you won't be sailing on 20-year old boats with inoperable systems that are accepted as normal.  There is always fleet availability via an online booking system.  The community is great and getting like-minded crew or joining social events has been easy for my family.

Other reviewers have complained about having to pay for expensive repairs and this is a good chance for an active CN member to tell it to you straight.  The boats are owned by fellow club members and if someone broke something on your boat, wouldn't you want it fixed too?  For new boaters, please be aware that everything on a boat costs way more than you think it does because most parts do not benefit from large economies of scale like the auto industry.  Things require individualized labor to repair and as any boat owner will tell you, it's never simple because ... it's a boat.  Sailing and powerboating is fun, but with it comes an associated spend.

Being able to sail out of both Sausalito and Alameda is a great bonus. Enjoy and be safe on the water.

I've been sailing with Club Nautique since November 2021. The instructors are excellent, the boats are well maintained with reasonable charter rates, and the staff is lovely. I've grown so much as a Skipper the last few months and my confidence on the water is in large part due to their superb training programs. I've met many wonderful friends through Club events and charters and the Wednesday Night Hump Night Sails are soo much fun! My only regret is not signing up for classes sooner.

Super clean place - finally one that doesn't stink 😂 maybe it's me but the stench you can smell at most marinas is not appealing. I have found this place so well maintained. To be clear I was just a guest on a nice boat and we had a magnificent experience. I am not a member of the yacht club and take my review with a grain of salt, but both for loading, unloading, it was easy. We also spent some time (few hours) at the dock on the boat and we had no problem.

Excellent school and charter fleet! I've been a member here for many years.

The boats are immaculatly maintained, and the classes are the best around. Just passed US Sailing CPM course. This one year course is one of the most rigorous programs I've ever experienced in my life. So rewarding to be confident on a sailing vessel.