Lessons
Build your confidence on the water with personalized, hands-on instruction tailored to your goals. Whether you're interested in learning to sail, improving your powerboat handling, mastering docking and maneuvering, or becoming more comfortable operating your own vessel, our experienced captains provide one-on-one and small-group lessons designed around your experience level.
From first-time boaters to seasoned owners looking to refine their skills, we offer practical training in navigation, safety, seamanship, anchoring, docking, and vessel operation. Lessons can be customized for sailboats, powerboats, yachts, or your own boat, giving you the knowledge and confidence to enjoy your time on the water safely and responsibly.
No matter where you are in your boating journey, Seaside Yachting is here to help you become a more skilled and confident captain.
Meet your Head Instructor
Michael Shaw
At Seaside Yachting, every lesson is led by Captain Michael Shaw, a highly experienced professional mariner with thousands of miles of offshore sailing and powerboat experience on vessels ranging from 30-foot sailboats to 130-foot luxury yachts.
Michael holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-Ton Near Coastal Master Captain's License with a Sailing Endorsement and is an American Sailing Association (ASA) Advanced Instructor, holding instructor-level certifications through:
ASA 201 - Keelboat Sailing Instructor
ASA 203 - Basic Coastal Cruising Instructor
ASA 204 - Bareboat Cruising Instructor
ASA 205 - Coastal Navigation Instructor
ASA 206 - Advanced Coastal Cruising Instructor
ASA 214 - Cruising Catamaran Instructor
As an instructor for multiple ASA-accredited sailing schools, Michael regularly teaches and certifies students in:
ASA 101 - Basic Keelboat Sailing
ASA 103 - Basic Coastal Cruising
ASA 104 - Bareboat Cruising
ASA 114 - Cruising Catamaran
These certifications prepare students to confidently skipper sailboats and catamarans, charter vessels around the world, and continue into advanced coastal cruising and navigation courses.
Beyond the classroom, Michael has logged more than 9,000 nautical miles of offshore passagemaking, including an Atlantic crossing and deliveries throughout the Pacific Coast, Caribbean, Mexico, Bahamas, and Mediterranean. His professional experience includes serving as a captain and instructor for leading sailing organizations including West Coast Multihulls, SailTime, Marina Sailing, and Sail San Diego.
Whether you're learning to sail for the first time, preparing for ASA certification, improving your boat handling, or gaining confidence aboard your own vessel, you'll receive personalized instruction built on real-world experience and a commitment to safe, enjoyable boating.
