Aventura Sailing Association, Dana Point

Dedicated to spreading nautical know-how, Aventura Sailing Association has been supplying aspiring seafarers with sailing instruction, boat rentals, and knowledgeable skippers since 1976. Captain Mark Howe helms the association's sailing school, which instills students with safety guidelines and sailing theory in a classroom setting before taking to the waves for hands-on experience with navigation and popular pirate songs. Instead of suffering the expenses of boat ownership, Aventura Sailing Association members are free to rent vessels from the association's stable of well-maintained 30- to 43-foot sailboats, paying only for the time spent atop the waves. Membership ($59 for each additional month) also grants discounted pricing on sailing school, access to various sailing events, and the opportunity to shadow more experienced sailors and glean subtle tricks of the trade.