Adult Sailing and Boating
The Lake Merritt Boating Center offers Adult Sailing & Boating programs annually from April - October.
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Learn to Kayak
No experience necessary. During the lesson, you’ll discover the fundamentals of boat control, including how to maneuver, steer, and paddle efficiently. We’ll guide you through essential safety practices and help you build confidence on the water. By the end of the session, you’ll be comfortable handling a kayak and ready to enjoy future adventures on Lake Merritt and beyond.
Basic Small Boat Sailing
Prerequisites: Age 18+ and ability to swim
Your entry into the world of sailing! A basic sailing course taught aboard 8-14 foot boats on Lake Merritt. Learn the basics of sailing and water safety including; boat handling, sail trim, points of sail, knots, sailing theory, crew overboard, and sailing language. Perfect for the novice or returning sailor. A skills card will be issued upon completion of written and on-water evaluations. No Prerequisite. Classes held on Lake Merritt.
Solo Small Boat Sailing
Prerequisites: Basic Small Boat (Dinghy) Sailing or Basic Keelboat Sailing or equivalent, Age 18+
Apply your basic small boat sailing skills to sail our faster Sunfish and RS Qubas in this 2-day course on Lake Merritt. Skills include rigging, using your weight to trim the boat, rules of the road, and capsize recovery. Skills card issued upon successful completion of written and on-water evaluations.
Advanced Small Boat Sailing
Prerequisites: Basic and Solo Small Boat (Dinghy) Sailing or Basic Keelboat Sailing or equivalent, Age 18+
Expand your skills sailing at the Jack London Aquatic Center in JY-15s in this 2-day course on the Oakland Estuary. Learn how to navigate with traffic, tides, and more wind while you improve your crew work and skippering skills. Skills card issued upon successful completion of written and on-water evaluations.
Lake Merritt Boating Center
568 Bellevue Avenue
Oakland, CA 94610
Call 510-238-2196 for more information on current boating/sailing programs.
Parking inside Lakeside Park on Bellevue Avenue is $3.00 for two hours (or $12 for all day parking) during weekdays and $5 all day parking on the weekend and holidays. Buses are $15 per vehicle daily parking. Special Event parking after 5pm is $10 per vehicle. The parking operating hours are from 7:30am until dusk.