Okay, how DOES someone go about learning how to sail???

I have found a few options.

• Know somebody with a boat who will take you out.  I actually do know somebody with a boat who would be more than willing to take me out, teach me how to sail, and even bring me back!  Problem is he lives in Oakland and I live in San Diego.  An eight hour commute one way just to go sailing is a bit tough to swallow, and yes I have considered it.  I've also broached the subject of moving to Oakland with the little woman...
• Buy a boat and go learn how to sail on your own.  I mean, come on!  How hard can it really be???  Wind, Sails, Keel, Rudder, Lift...  Nothing to it!  Oh okay, there is more to it than that.  Here's the catch.  Those bastard insurance agent won't insure you if you don't know how to sail.  If you don't have insurance those Marina bastard's won't let you park your boat in their slips!  Bastards!  Then there is, of course, the vastly increased potential for you to screw up and sink your brand new purchase and endanger those dumb enough to get aboard with you...
• Take lessons at an aquatic center like Mission Bay Aquatic Center.  This is a pretty nice option.  The price is reasonable and they offer several classes that build your skill set over time.  The only down side is renting boats.  Seems like the only time you would sail is during a class.
• Join a sailing club that offers classes and good rates on boat rental.  This one looks like a winner to me.  I've come across several sailing clubs in San Diego.  Harbor Yacht Club looks like a great club.  Their insurance requires all members to have at least US Boat Basic Keel Boat certification.  Because of that they offer that cerfication class free to new members.  Of course free after a $400 down payment...  But looks like a nice club.  These guys look pretty cool too Harbor Sail Boats They too offer the Basic Keel Boat certification upon joining.  When I was walking at lunch the other day I popped in on these guys, they are in Sea Port Village a few blocks from where I work: Seaforth Sailing Club I like them because they are close to where I work and they have really reasonable prices.  They also include a Basic Keel Boat cert upon joining.  Each club also offers more advanced classes and certifications to build ones skills safely.

The sailing club definitely looks like the way to go for me right now.  A quick peek at numbers reveals that slip fees for a 30 foot boat on San Diego Bay is going to run $300 to $350 a month.  Sailing even two or three times a month in one of those sailing clubs won't even be half that.  So it's a no brainer at this point.

The San Diego Boat show is coming right after the new year so if I haven't joined a club by then I hope to talk to them all at the show.

Fare winds and following seas,
Seaman Ray