santa cruz yacht harbor map

Sailing in Monterey Bay

The conditions on the Pacific Ocean and Monterey Bay here in Santa Cruz can be ideal with winds from 15-20 knots, sunshine, and moderate swell: 2-4 feet.

However, we can also get 20-35 knot winds, fog, and high seas. Thus, it’s very important that bareboat charterers have experienced similar conditions and are excellent at docking, sailing in all types of wind and seas, and navigation.

Santa Cruz Harbor

A good lunch anchorage is North of the Santa Cruz Harbor at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. The Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf is only 15 minutes from the Santa Cruz harbor. There’s no shuttle boat at the wharf so you can’t go ashore. It’s great to anchor off of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk beach and watch the roller coaster and screaming children from a distance.

The opposite of the  Santa Cruz Wharf  – in front of West Cliff Drive is quieter and a bit more protected. With a good set of binoculars you can watch the pro surfers at Steamer Lane. If you’re brave enough, you can take a swim in the 54-59 degree Pacific Ocean. You get used to it after about 5 minutes. Or, you just get so numb you don’t feel the water temperature any more.

Note: You cannot berth any vessels up to either the Santa Cruz or Capitola Wharfs. At the Santa Cruz Wharf you have to anchor on either side and at the Capitola Wharf you can anchor on the NW side and pick up a Mooring on the SE side.

The Capitola Wharf

Capitola is one of the best and nearest destinations to stop for a day sail on the Monterey Bay leaving the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. The Capitola Bay Wharf – 831-462-2208 (open May 1st to Sept. 30th) has moorings that you can tie up to. The cost is $5.00 per hr. to use their mooring. If you want to rent one for the day it’s $15.00. And, overnight it’s $25.00. They have a shuttle boat that will take you to and from the wharf where you can walk into Capitola Village.

A great day sail is to start out tacking up the coast. As soon as the winds get stronger, turn around and broad reach it to Capitola. It’s likely you’ll have to jibe a couple of times. We recommend that you chicken jibe which just means that from a broad reach, you would sail up to a beam reach, come about with the bow passing through the eye of the wind, and then fall back off to a broad reach on the opposite tack. It’s easier on the boat and crew.

The Capitola moorings are usually warmer then out on the Monterey Bay because it’s sheltered from our normal afternoon NW winds.

Moss Landing

Moss Landing is about a 2.5 to 3 hour sail down wind. Coming back from Moss Landing you will usually be tacking close hauled or close reached and it can be quite challenging. It can take 3-6 hours depending on the winds. The normal nw winds are 15-35 knots and the swell can be larger than you’ve ever experienced. We recommend that you spend the night in Moss Landing and make it a 2 day sail so that there’s no pressure to make it back to the Santa Cruz Harbor before dark. There’s the Elkhorn Yacht Club on one side of the harbor (to your port after entering the harbor) and the Moss Landing Municipal Marina – (831-633-2461) to your starboard side as you’re pulling in the channel from the Monterey Bay.

Moss Landing has towering smoke stacks (the Pacific Gas and Electric Plant) that makes a good fix for navigating but takes away any charm that a small fishing village would have. It wouldn’t be our first choice of an overnight destination. There are a couple of reasonably good restaurants there.

Monterey is about 21 nautical miles south of Santa Cruz.

With the prevailing northwest winds you can usually enjoy the sail downwind on a beam or broad reach. Coming back from Monterey is usually going to be close-hauled or a close reach sailing. You can experience some large ocean swells, dolphins, whales, sharks, fog, and winds from 15 to 35 knots. Plan on reefing before you leave Monterey. We’ve found that if you motor up towards Point Pinos (about an hour) and then turn north towards Santa Cruz, you will have an easier time sailing upwind and probably be able to sail a close reach point of sail which will be a more enjoyable return trip.

Monterey has 2 Marinas. The Monterey Municipal(831-646-3950) or Breakwater Cove (831-373-7875) You can make reservations at Breakwater Cove for a slip because they are a private Marina. At the Monterey Municipal, they will try to accommodate you for a slip but it’s a good idea to call first to make sure there’s a possible opening.

Monterey is a great destination. There are some excellent restaurants a short walking distance from the Marinas, historic Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and more.

Stillwater Cove

Stillwater Cove is an anchorage south of Monterey about a 2-3 hour sail. You must have permission from the Pacific Yachting Staff to go there.

In addition to having good anchoring skills, you must have excellent navigation skills to go to Stillwater cove. You have to head further south and then head towards the wharf through a narrow opening of kelp with rocks close by. The moorings are private. You can only anchor. Again, you can’t pull up to the wharf. There is a shuttle boat at the cove, however, you can’t depend on it to be running all of the time. It’s actually quite nice to just stay at anchor in such a beautiful setting.

Pacific Yachting does not have any dingys to rent. If you do plan on going ashore, it’s prudent to bring your own blow-up raft.

Note: Often, the radiation type of fog rolls in, making visibility only 5-10 feet. If this type of fog is in this area, please do not attempt to go into Stillwater Cove. If it rolls in when you are already there, we recommend that you just stay put until it clears.

It is an awesome setting located right off of the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course.

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Santa Cruz Harbor

The harbor was created, by converting Woods Lagoon in 1963. The Army Corps of Engineers made the breakwater and the county developed the port facility. The Army Corps of Engineers considers it "Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor," the name as it appears on road maps (the AAA maps as one example) and many nautical maps. Most businesses in the area list their address as "Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor." It is also known as "Santa Cruz Harbor." On Google Maps, it is shown as Woods Lagoon. In 1973, the harbor was expanded beyond the bridge to include the rest of the lagoon. Woods Lagoon was named for John Woods, whose property bordered the lagoon. Although the harbor now covers the entire lagoon, Woods Lagoon still appears on some maps.

The slips for boats in the harbor are in high demand.  Some people have waited over 15 years to get a slip.  There is a long waiting list.

If someone in the harbor, who has a slip- sells the boat that is in the slip, the new owner only has the slip for one year. After that time, they must move the boat out of the harbor and go onto the waiting list if they want to rent a slip in the harbor .   Since the slips are rented , they cannot be sold or inherited. IF the ship owner dies, the person who inherits the boat can leave it in the slip for one year.

Public-Benefit Organizations

• Save Our Shores

Restaurants and Cafés

• The Crow's Nest
• Aldo's Harbor Restaurant
• The Kind Grind

Related Links

• Friends Of The Harbor Group
• 2011 Tsunami March 11, 2011
• Santa Cruz Yacht Club
• Santa Cruz Rowing Club
• Directions to the Harbor
• Arana Gulch
• Arana Gulch Watershed Alliance
• Lakes & Streams , Beaches & Surf Spots
• Arana Gulch Creek

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Home / boating / Sailing

"All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea - whether it is to sail or to watch it - we are going back from whence we came." -John F. Kennedy, Newport, RI at dinner prior to America's Cup Races, September 1962

Courses are mixed gender, hands-on, Physical Education courses taught on RS Quest (Beginning & Intermediate Dinghy), Laser, and RS Vision (Advanced Dinghy) vessels.

• Each class meets a total of eight times at the dock (weather permitting).
• Students need to have taken and passed our Beginning and Intermediate Dinghy classes or equivalent to participate in keelboat classes.
• Good attendance is strongly recommended in order to achieve best results.
• Satisfactory completion allows you to move on to the next class and achieve higher levels in the Community Boating Center Sailing Club.
• Students learn the basics inside the protected Santa Cruz Harbor, then venture out to Monterey Bay for further practice.

Dinghy Sailing

Beginning dinghy.

No prior experience necessary! Beginning sailing uses RS Quest vessels, which can hold 2-3 students per boat.

Students Learn:

• Nomenclature
• Sailing theory
• Proper boat handling
• Basic sailing knots
• Rigging for strong vs. light-wind conditions
• Departing and returning to the dock
• Balancing the boat
• Tacking and Jibing
• Stopping and starting on the water
• Safe-boating practices
• Self-rescue techniques
• Rules of the road
• Wind and ocean conditions

Intermediate Dinghy

This course begins with a review of the skills that were covered in the Beginning Dinghy Sailing class.

After review, the intermediate class shifts towards further development and refinement of small-boat sailing techniques.

Satisfactory completion meets prerequisite for Beginning Keelboat and Advanced Dinghy Sailing classes.

• Right of Way 
• Detailed discussion of rules of the road
• Points of sail
• Sailing in stronger winds
• Improvement of boat handling skills
• Sail theory
• Powering up vs. depowering
• How and when to reef
• Backwards sailing
• Blind-folded sailing
• Introduction to racing

Advanced Dinghy

Advanced dinghy is an introduction to high-performance racing dinghies, with an emphasis on boat control and speed. 

Wetsuits are required!

• Rigging the Lasers and Visions
• Dry capsizes
• Boat handling
• Sail shape and adjusting controls
• Upwind vs. downwind sailing techniques
• How to effectively hike
• Establishing and maintaining a plane while sailing
• Racing techniques and rules
• Sailing with an asymmetrical spinnaker

Back to Boating Center

Keelboat Sailing

Beginning | Intermediate | Advanced

Beginning Keelboat

This is a great class for those students who wish to expand their knowledge of sailing.

• "Hands-on" rigging and docking practice;
• Sailing practice on the Monterey Bay;
• Sail trim, powering up vs. de-powering, sail theory;
• Person-overboard recovery techniques and drills;
• Boating safety, VHF usage, and rules of the road;
• Weather and ocean conditions.

Intermediate Keelboat

This is a great class for students who wish to be introduced to the exhilaration and intricacies of sailing with a spinnaker!

• Review of skills learned in Beginning Keelboat class;
• Introduction to spinnaker — packing, rigging, setting, crew management/positions, jibing, dousing and safety;
• Practice new skills at the dock first;
• Eventually set and fly spinnaker on the bay.

Advanced Keelboat

This is a class for those who want an introduction into cruising.

• Boat systems
• Back and fill
• Introduction to charts and navigation

Junior Sailing

Super Junior Basic Dinghy  |  Junior Basic Dinghy  |  Junior Intermediate Dinghy  |  Junior Advanced Dinghy

Super Junior Basic Dinghy Sailing

This class is geared towards our younger sailors with smaller class size, more games, and a slightly slower pace than the Basic Sailing Class.  Students in this age group will learn and practice:

• Boating safety and sportsmanship
• Launching & rigging the boat
• Basic knot tying
• Proper boat balance for skipper and crew
• Tacking and jibing
• Steering with a tiller extension
• "Right of Way" and "Rules of the Road"
• How to right a capsized boat

Junior Basic Dinghy Sailing

Students master the basics inside the protected Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, then venture out onto the beautiful Monterey Bay for further practice, weather permitting. Students in this grouping will learn:

• Rigging for strong vs. light winds
• Tiller extension and main sheet hand exchange during a tack or jibe
• How to steer while under tow

Junior Intermediate Dinghy Sailing

This program begins with a review of the skills acquired in the Junior Basic Dinghy Sailing Class. After a review on the first day, the emphasis of this course shifts towards further development of boat-handling skills. Students in this group will learn:

• Review of basic dinghy sailing skills
• How to sail in stronger wind
• Improvement of boat handling, boat balance, sail adjustment, and steering
• Sail theory, sail trim, angle of heel, points of sail, powering up vs. depowering, and reefing
• Dinghy sailing drills and racing
• Basics of US Sailing racing rules and vocabulary

Junior Advanced Dinghy Sailing

This course begins with a review of the skills acquired in the Junior Intermediate Dinghy Sailing Class. After a review, the class focuses on better boat handling skills and racing. Students in this group will learn and practice:

• Review of intermediate dinghy sailing
• How to rig RS Visions and Lasers
• Emphasis on sailing drills and games
• Mark rounding and racing
• Racing rules

How to Enroll

Registration opens on April 1st. 

UC Santa Cruz Students: click here.

Adult Comunity Members: click here .

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Return to Boating Home

Click here for more information about dinghy class levels.

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Last modified: February 22, 2022 195.158.225.230

Moorage Rates & Fees

FY25 Rate Increase Notice (effective April 1, 2024)  - The rates listed below have been updated reflecting a 3% increase effective April 1, 2024 

Slip rent is based on the greater length of the slip or vessel (and any overhangs). 

LIVEABOARD FEES Liveaboard privileges are subject to Harbormaster approval and will not be granted to individuals possessing a temporary one-year slip license agreement.  A $250 application fee is required for all liveaboard applications.  Pets are not permitted to liveaboard.

• Application Fee: $250
• Monthly Per Person Cost (age 16 and older): $135
• Monthly Variable Utilities Fee: 30% of Slip Rent

PARTNERSHIP FEE: Vessels held in partnerships or limited liability companies are acceptable as long as the original slip licensee remains financially involved, and personally active in the vessel.  Harbormaster approval is required before transferring a vessel into a partnership or limited liability company.

Monthly Partnership Fee:

• 1 Partner 5% of Slip Rent
• 2 Partners 10% of Slip Rent
• 3 Partners 15% of Slip Rent

SUBLEASE FEE: Slip licensees are permitted to enter into a sublease agreement for their slip for a maximum period of up to six months. If a sublease agreement is made, both parties must register with the harbor office. The regular slip licensee will be billed monthly as usual and will remain responsible for all bad debts.

• Monthly Sublease Fee: South Harbor 30% of Slip Rent
• Monthly Sublease Fee: North Harbor 15% of Slip Rent

LATE FEES & INTEREST CHARGES: A late fee of $25 is assessed on balances due after the 20th of each month. Interest in the amount of .833% is assessed to all outstanding balances on the last day of each month.  The late fee and interest amounts charged are established and may be changed from time to time by the Port District and as published on the Port District’s fee schedule.

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Contact our compliance support team online with your request

Contact our compliance support team via telephone at: (888) 765-1970

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Santa Cruz Harbor: Lighted Boat Parade

December 7 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm pst.

The Lighted Boat Parade features 50 beautifully decorated power and sailboats parading through the Santa Cruz Harbor. Limited viewing is available from the Murray Street bridge, from the East Harbor launch ramp, and from a variety of harbor paths. Charter boats are available.

Remember to bring a reusable mug for the hot drinks and snacks available at various locations through the south harbor.

*Don’t go out to Walton Lighthouse. The parade won’t go that far.

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