About Santa Barbara Sailing Center
The Santa Barbara Sailing Center has been teaching people to sail out of Santa Barbara Harbor since 1966, and is now the largest on-water operator in the harbor. The base sits at the east end of the main harbor parking lot beside the public boat launch ramp, with its own docks, a kayak and paddleboard launch pad, and a fleet that runs from small day sailers up to a 50-foot catamaran.
Services cover American Sailing Association certification courses and private lessons, bareboat and skippered yacht charters for 6 to 49 guests, and small sail and power boat rentals for qualified skippers. Public cruises run almost daily aboard the catamaran Double Dolphin, including coastal, harbor, sunset, whale watching and live music sailings. Kayak and SUP rentals launch straight off their dock, and guided paddle tours are available for anyone who wants instruction along the way.
Nearly six decades in the same harbor has made the Sailing Center the default first stop for visitors who want time on the water without owning a boat. Weddings, corporate charters and multi-day liveaboard instructional vacations round out the calendar, and their ASA school status means beginners can go from a first lesson to chartering their own yacht through a single operator.
