Lessons are taught aboard O'Day Daysailers in the protected waters of Morro Bay, in front of Morro Rock. Each lesson is planned around your experience and what you want to get out of the day.
Most students have never been on a sailboat. You will steer, trim the sails, and learn how the boat works — hands-on from the first few minutes, not a lecture on the dock.
Come on your own, as a couple, or bring a third person, all at the same rate. Lessons are for ages 18 and up; minors are welcome with an enrolled adult.
For sailors with experience: refine boat handling and seamanship in real bay conditions, with instruction tailored to the goals you set when you book.
No payment is taken online. You reserve a time, your instructor confirms it, and you pay at the club on the day of your lesson.
Pick a day, a start time, and a lesson length of two, three, or four hours using the online booking page.
Every booking is a request. Elias reviews the tide and weather for your slot and confirms the lesson personally.
Come to Morro Bay Yacht Club on the Embarcadero. The boat and life jackets are ready — you pay at the club and sail.
The same rate the club publishes for private lessons. Payment is made to Morro Bay Yacht Club on the day of your lesson.
Checks are payable to Morro Bay Yacht Club. The per-hour rate covers one to three people — there is no per-person charge.
Elias Blackwell is the Head Instructor at Morro Bay Yacht Club, where he leads the private lesson program. He is US Sailing Level 1 certified, with five years of teaching experience ranging from first-time sailors to racers refining their skills.
Elias grew up on the Central Coast and learned these waters firsthand. His approach to every lesson is straightforward: you should leave the dock a better sailor than you arrived — and enjoy the day getting there.
Anything else, get in touch — eliastblackwell@gmail.com or call or text (805) 234-8403.
None at all. Most private students are complete beginners. If you do have experience, mention it when you book and the lesson will be built around your goals instead.
No. Private lessons at Morro Bay Yacht Club are open to the public, and no membership is required.
Sailing depends on the tide and weather. When you book, your instructor reviews the conditions for your chosen time and confirms the lesson, so you are never booked into a slot the bay will not cooperate with.
Payment is made at the club on the day of your lesson: cash or check payable to Morro Bay Yacht Club at $150 per hour, or PayPal at $155 per hour. Nothing is charged when you book online.
Lessons are for ages 18 and up. Minors are welcome when accompanied by an adult who is also enrolled in the lesson. Groups are one to three people in total.
Morro Bay Yacht Club, 541 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, CA 93442 — on the waterfront, a few minutes' walk from most Embarcadero hotels.
Choose a day and time that suits you. Your instructor will confirm the lesson after a tide and weather check.
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