SailTime Channel Islands, Oxnard

After dedicating seven years to helping novice mariners tame the local waters, SailTime Channel Islands' original owners hung up their sailing hats and bequeathed their company to Jon and Nicole Trautman. A devoted seafarer since age 10, Jon jumped at the chance to share his high-seas enthusiasm with others via sailing lessons aboard the company’s squadron of midsize, offshore cruising yachts. Now, along with obtaining their American Sailing Association certifications, trainees can learn the ropes of keelboating, coastal cruising, and nymph saddling before renting a 33- or 36-foot Hunter boat for their own nautical escapades. Members pay monthly rates for unlimited use of their vessel and can hoist anchor for all-day or overnight journeys. Those eager for a dinghy of their own can investigate SailTime Channel Islands' ownership plan, which ensures a vessel free of cannonball holes and mutinous crew members.