Santana Sailing location opens for business in Long Beach
March 7, 2019
The new location, which opened on Rainbow Harbor on March 1, will provide hands-on training for sailors from bareboat chartering to emergency maneuvering techniques.
LONG BEACH—There’s a new sailing school in town and what’s setting it apart from other courses is its practical, on-the-water offerings – not to mention the guarantee if a student cannot pass a course on the first try, he or she is invited to take the course again for free until they do.
Santana Sailing opened a new location in Long Beach, situated in Rainbow Harbor, on March 1. The school is currently offering a variety of courses, from handling heavy weather to chartering.
“Long Beach is an ideal location for the sailing school. It’s windier, closer to Catalina, and at a better wind angle than any other harbor,” says Marc Hughston, the school’s sailing instructor with 20 years of experience.
Hughston, who has honed his craft as an expert sailor, has a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton license, and has earned his ASA, US Sailing, and NauticEd instructor credentials.
“I quit everything else I was doing and became a full-time instructor about 4 years ago, because I found that one of the most satisfying things in life is helping others accomplish their goals and dreams in the world of sailing,” Hughston told The Log.
“From teaching brand new sailors how to make the boat work for them, to teaching experienced hands how to fly the spinnaker, handle heavy weather, or size up a new anchorage, I love to help build confidence and competence. What’s great is, we’ve made it our business to do exactly that,” Hughston continues.
According to Hughston, there are four main things separating Santana Sailing from the other sailing schools, but what really set it apart is the student’s ability to take courses again for free until it has been mastered.
“First, it’s the passion we bring to whole training process. Second, it’s the online knowledge training component and much higher practical standards with the NauticEd system. Third, we offer Guaranteed Practical Competency – you’ll be able to perform the skills to the certification standard, or we’ll bring you back for free until you can. No other sailing school in California does that,” Hughston said. “And fourth, you can get your SLC Mediterranean Sailing License practical assessment done with us in one day, right here in Long Beach.”
In cooperation with NauticEd Practical School, there are a wide range of subjects to explore. Santana Sailing also offers Sailing Skill Endorsements that show up on your online sailing resume with NauticEd.
“Santana Sailing is a NauticEd Practical School with courses that ranges from Learn to Sail, to Sail Training Adventures with Bareboat Charter Master and International Sailing License certifications on the Sea of Cortez,” Hughston says. “These specialized classes give you the opportunity to focus on skills such as Crew Overboard Rescue Maneuvers, Maneuvering Under Power, Spinnaker, Anchoring, and more. We spend the entire day helping you get really good at that one skill area.”
About the Sail Training Adventures, Hughston says, “The best way to become a better sailor is to get out with someone who’s been where you want to go, who knows what you want to know, and can save you years of learning by trial and error. That’s how we teach.”
Visit santanasailing.com for more information. Other queries can be directed to Marc Hughston at marc@santanasailing.com or via phone at 949-939-8123.
