Learn to Sail—And Set Off For The World's Top Sailing Spots
I’m thrilled to introduce “Sail Away,” our latest TPG monthly series providing you with everything you need to know to make the sailing lifestyle a reality. Today, TPG Contributor Shayne Benowitz takes us inside San Francisco Bay’s OCSC Sailing School with its founder Anthony Sandberg. A sailor herself with countless hours on the water in New York Harbor, Key West and along the California coast, Shayne spoke with Sandberg about what it takes to become a confident sailor and some of his favorite destinations worldwide.
For Anthony Sandberg, there was never a distinct moment of learning how to sail. Growing up in Hawaii, sailing, skiing, swimming and surfing came as second nature to him as learning how to walk.
Born into a large Norwegian family of sailors with eleven bothers and two sisters, an active lifestyle and a passion for the outdoors was engrained in him from the beginning. Before founding OCSC Sailing School in San Francisco Harbor in 1979, he attended Dartmouth College where he was a member of the sailing, skiing and rowing teams. From there, he went onto skipper yachts throughout Europe and race sailboats around the world.
Today, his six-acre campus, with 50 yachts and a direct wind line to the Golden Gate Bridge, is a place to learn to sail and connect with a community of sailors. They offer a rigorous, structured curriculum with 45 courses of hands-on experience combined with classroom instruction. “We’re not right for everyone, but if you want to be good, this is the place to learn,” says Sandberg.
US Sailing Certified Courses
For most people, the starting place is Basic Keelboat, a US Sailing Certification class that is designed to be completed in two weekends and enables you to confidently skipper 18- to 27-foot monohulls in protected waters with light to moderate conditions, or crew a similar-sized vessel in open water and more challenging conditions. To simply get a taste for sailing, two-hour introduction courses are also available.
San Francisco Harbor is a notoriously challenging proving ground for sailors with strong currents and storms rolling in every afternoon kicking up winds to 18 knots. It’s necessary to also hold a Basic Cruising certificate in order to confidently take family and friends out sailing on your own here. The Basic Cruising course provides the instruction needed to skipper a boat in more challenging conditions.
The next level is Bareboat Cruising, which means you’ll be able to confidently charter a sailboat without a hired skipper on vessels as large as 40’. This is the ability level needed to make those dreams of an autonomous sailing vacation a reality.
Advanced courses in navigation and passagemaking are also on offer at OCSC and will further your expertise on the water.
All three of these US Sailing Certification courses can be completed in two weekend sessions at OCSC, ranging in price from $1,195 to $1,595. Once you’ve completed Basic Keelboat, you may choose to become a member of OCSC for discounts on additional coursework and access to their fleet of yachts for charters. After all, the only true way to become a better sailor is through practice and good instruction, notes Sandberg.
Sailing Vacations with OCSC
OCSC also arranges group travel adventures by land and sea. Join a flotilla as crew or skipper and sail through exotic locales in a supportive atmosphere on a fleet of chartered vessels. Upcoming flotillas are being planned in Greece for September 2015 and in Belize for February 2016.
Sandberg is also committed to culture and social good. He and his sailing school regularly reserve blocks of tickets to the San Francisco opera and ballet for its members. He also plans “bucket list-worthy” land adventures with a mission of leaving the destination better than how they found it. In the past, they’ve bought 100 girls out of sex slavery in Nepal and raised $25,000 to create a birthing clinic in Copper Canyon, Mexico, home to the last of the Aztec Indians, where women’s mortality rate in childbirth is perilously high at 20 percent. Next up, is a cultural journey and hike around Machu Picchu, Peru in October 2015.
Sandberg acknowledges that sailors have an inherent interest in travel. “With sailing, the world opens up in a way that traveling by car, bus or plane can’t,” he says. Here are some of his favorite sailing spots around the world to stoke your wanderlust and desire to sail.
Sandberg led with the state of Maine. “It’s such an authentic place to sail,” says Sandberg.
In the Pacific Northwest, he’s particularly drawn to the raw beauty of Washington State's San Juan Islands.
An hour and a half north of Los Angeles, the Channel Islands in Southern California make for an exciting and beautiful offshore adventure from the nearby town of Ventura.
With his family hailing from Norway, this is a natural favorite of Sandberg’s. “It’s like Switzerland got flooded,” he says of the mystical waterways.
The Mediterranean is the site of his annual flotillas in September, rotating between Turkey, Greece and Croatia. Of the three, Turkey is his favorite. “Every stop leads to more amazing people, food and culture.”
“I’m a little jaded when it comes to the Caribbean,” Sandberg says, remembering a time when it was less crowded and undiscovered. Still, he concedes it’s a prime place to get started with bareboat crusing. “It’s easy, fun and the islands are close to one another,” he says.
Belize is a new favorite destination of Sandberg’s for coastal sailing on catamarans with fascinating archeology everywhere.
Phuket, Thailand is a favorite destination for Sandberg's flotilla vacations.
Hanoi, Vietnam offers surprising sailing delights and unparalleled scenery.
Sandberg describes the sailing terrain of New Zealand similar to that of the dramatic Pacific Northwest.
Australia is a draw not just for sailing, but also incredible diving and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef.
In the South Pacific, Sandberg feels that Tahiti is no longer the paradise it once was, but he still loves Tonga and its innumerable pocket islands.
Are you a sailor? Do you want to learn how? Where are some of your favorite sailing destinations?
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
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Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.