Bay Sailing Frequently-Asked Questions

What's the plan on each day sail?

The skipper will suggest a few options based on boat, weather, and crew skills. If you have any particular training goals in the PSC Bay Skipper program, ASA programs, or recreational goals, or if you want to explore any particular area, dock, restaurant or anchorage, please let your skipper know.

I don’t have an ASA certification. Can I still join?

You don't need to have an ASA certification to join the club sails. We frequently have crew that has certifications from other schools (e.g US Sail) or no certification at all. We have people new to sailing together with experienced sailors.

We also find in our sails several "inductees": they are usually invited to the club sails through someone that has been sailing before.

If you are looking to start any certification, this could be a good opportunity to talk to other crew members about them. If not, you will still have a great time.

What should I bring?

Check the weather and adjust accordingly. Please bring sunscreen, drinking water, hat, shades, a waterproof jacket if rain is on the menu (or just in case). If you have sailing gloves, bring them. For longer sails, or to look really cool, you can check our suggested sail bag items.

Please bring your own lunches and snacks (food that requires limited preparation), or you can also arrange with the crew and skipper to stop somewhere for lunch.

How do I get into the marina?

The gate is usually open, unless you need to arrive before 8AM (and why would you?). If you do, please contact your skipper for the Bay Commodore for an access code.

When should I get there?

No later than 9AM. If you are running over 30' late, or anything happens, please contact your skipper directly.

Where do I park?

Find a spot near the docks; if that seems full you can find a spot without fail closer to the Dream Yacht Charters office. We recommend you add a sign with the dates you will be parking so they know you are there for a charter. You can find one to print here. We have a handful of copies on board, but they do ran out.

Where is the boat?

Monohulls are usually in the H-dock. Multihulls in the E-dock.

Do I need to bring a life jacket?

If you have your own, you can. All boats are equipped with either Type-II or Type-III life jackets (we cannot tell in advance).

Life jackets are optional, unless the skipper indicates they should be worn.

What will be my responsibilities during the sail?

It is a bit up to what you want to do and what you wish to learn; we usually start the sail going over crew's experience and objectives to make sure the skippers knows the crew and all crew-members know each other beyond names, with emphasis on skills and preferences for the day.

There is always some people who want to "work" and some who want to relax (and everything in between). It is the skipper's job to assign roles and rotate them so everyone is as close to their goals as possible. You will be asked for things within your training level - and if you are not comfortable about something you can just let the skipper know and he/she will make the corrections needed.

Can I sleep in the boat?

Yes. You can sleep from the night before to the day you are sailing. To simplify reservations and avoid overbooking, we have added a registration option so you can reserve one or more spots for you and your guests. We cap the number of “sleepover” spots to twice the number of cabins. You can get more than one spot if you want. E.g. you may want to make sure you are not sharing your cabin (reserve two spots), or you may want to make sure you are not sharing the boat (reserve all the spots). 

When should I arrive for a sleepover?

If you have a sleepover reservation please aim to arrive before 6PM the day before. This will allow you to meet the skipper and get oriented on the boat if needed. 

Are linen and towels provided for sleepovers?

Yes, and are changed once per charter. So if you are sleeping there the second night only, you can bring your own, or ask if the cabins were taken the day before.

Can the sail be cancelled due to weather?

Sails go out with most weather, but there are situations when the skipper may consider safer to postpone the sail (e.g. strong winds, thunderstorms). In that case the sail will be rescheduled. If you are unable to attend on the scheduled date, you will be provided credit for the sail.

Can I move my registration?

If you can’t participate in a bay sail you registered for, you can move it to any other open spot on another bay sail of the same type (e.g. one-day, multi-day).

Can I cancel my registration?

If you can't participate in a sail, you can cancel it as far as you can find a replacement. Please start this process as soon as possible contacting your skipper or the Bay Commodore, so we can help in finding a replacement.

My sail was cancelled before the actual date, what do I do?

Work with your skipper or the Bay Commodore (they will get in touch with you) so your registration is moved to another sail.

I need a ride, can you help?

Please let your skipper know when you need the ride and he/she can send a message to the crew so you can find someone to ride with to/from the marina.