Sail Channel Islands

Captain Dan is wonderful! He took my teenage son and I out on his lovely sailboat, Wiley, so we could scatter my late husband’s ashes. What could have been a very sad day for us turned out to be a beautiful remembrance and wonderful honoring of my late husband and son’s father. I never thought such an experience could fill us with such joy, but it did. Thank you, Capt. Dan, from the bottom of our hearts for your compassion & expertise.

My wife and I had high expectations for this trip. Captain Dan lived up to them 100%! From the beginning he was open to taking us where we wanted, feed us what we wanted, and show us what interested us from hiking and kayaking, sailing lessons, to all the wildlife around the Channel Islands. What was unexpected was what a great person Captain Dan is. He was a blast! Captain Dan is the MAN! And don’t underestimate the importance of getting along with someone when you spend 3 days and 2 nights in close quarters with them.
We will certainly be back for another trip!

Sailing out off of the shores of Oxnard CA: It’s beautiful, and there is so much to see. In August and September the seas are more than perfect. If you’re blessed you may even find dolphins and whales. Captain Dan is very informative, helpful, and down to earth. He lets you sail and isn’t afraid to put you to work to help sail the boat. It’s worth every penny

Capt. Dan made our first sailing experience unforgettable! He even let us take the wheel. We want to bring our family next time because we had so much fun! Dan knows how to make a trip out to sea a fun one :) RECOMMEND

We had a fantastic all-​day sailing experience with Captain Dan! We were able to sail to Anacapa, kayak with our two teenage boys and enjoy a beautiful lunch on board the Sancerre. Amazing adventure filled day, and a very memorable experience with the family! We can’t wait to come back again! Thank you Captain Dan!

Great experience for anyone wanting to get out on the ocean and learn some minor sailing points, Captain Dan let us drive the boat pretty much the entire time, was very friendly and helpful with our entire group. Would definitely recommend the experience to anyone in the so cal area! Bring a lunch/​snacks and drinks to make the trip even more enjoyable

What we wanted was a pure sailing adventure, part lesson, part adventure. We wanted something that would satisfy diverse expectations: our kids wanted to have fun and explore, my spouse wanted to get a taste of sailing, and I just wanted to relax. We got all three. And so much more! He is knowledgeable, hospitable, humorous — and as salty as you had hoped! You will return feeling like an explorer and at least like the beginning (in our case) of a sailor!

Words can’t express enough how wonderful our experience was with Captain Dan. We decided to have a memorial service for my father in open sea. Captain Dan made everything so easy from my first phone call to him to our last steps off the boat. He was kind, knowledegable and understood that although the occassion was sad, we wanted the experience to be one filled with joy. Captain Dan made sure that was exactly what happened. It was only a few hours on the boat, but those few hours helped bring closure to our loss. We are already making plans to see Captain Dan again next year, but this time it will be just for fun. What a wonderful way to say goodbye.

Capt Dan is the sh*t. Not much more to be said. Great experience and sailing.

We celebrated my husband’s 70^th birthday by sailing to Anacapa with Cap’n Dan on his boat Wiley. The wind blew, but not too much; the sun shone, but not too hot; the sky was blue with a touch of fluffy white. A perfect day!
Dan’s easy conversation, quick laugh and extremely competent seamanship made for a congenial trip. My husband was a Marine fighter pilot and enjoyed talking flyboy stories with Cap’n Dan, a former Navy pilot.
On our way over, Cap’n Dan aimed us toward some dolphins and we were treated to sea lions and dolphins leaping out of the water all around the Wiley.
We ate a tasty lunch anchored near the Arch, then sailed straight back to the Channel Islands Harbor on a smooth reach.
Highly recommend spending time with Cap’n Dan.

This was the best!!! Captain Dan is a «salty dog» that is living the dream!
We went sailing with him to celebrate our 25^th anniversary but the real reason was because my husband had been a sailor way back in the day. (when we met). Circumstances as they are, he hadn’t sailed in years.
It was just us and Captain Dan so my husband sailed us all the way to Channel Islands. He was happy as can be and I was as was I. And the Captain got to kick back and enjoy the ride.
It was a wonderful day and the best was we had the boat to ourselves.
My only request for next time would be for Captain Dan to put ice in the cooler. Warm lemonade leaves something to be desired.
Good Job!

Captain Dan is a true expert. His website, in particular, is of great value to both the experienced and novice sailor venturing out to the Channel Islands. I would highly recommend him.

What a wonderful day! I surprised my boyfriend with a day trip out to the Channel Islands for his 40^th Bday this past weekend and boy did we have a great time. The weather was divine and Capt. Dan was a fabulous individual to have guide us along the way. We set out in the morning and were greeted by Capt. Dan. and set out into the beautiful Pacific aboard his 36′ sailboat — Perfect for a relaxing day. We learned historical facts about the islands, enjoyed the wildlife and had a couple of beers over a handmade lunch. We cannot wait to go back. We had an excellent time!!!

I hired Dan for a editorial photo shoot with a reputable public figure who had a background in sailing, but had little time to pursue his passion given his busy schedule.
After a quick search, I found Dan’s business online and was happy to find he had experience working in the creative industries and lending his boat as a set to photo and film crews. I had a list of other companies to call, but saw no reason to go further. Dan was hospitable, generous with his time and was genuinely interested in the success of my project. He even let me tag along on one of his sailing lessons so I could scout my shots aboard his boat before the real shoot. Even if I don’t get to work with him again professionally, he’s great to hang out with and I’d hire him for a day on the water without trepidation.

Took a chance on Captain Dan and chartered him and his sailboat Sancerre for a 3 day trip in the Channel Islands. I had nothing to go on but his website and the various reviews I read. I am the type of person who can get a pretty good feel for someone, and I had a good feel about Captain Dan and Sail Channel Islands. He did not disappoint!
He was quick to respond to any and all questions I had via e-mail…this didn’t stop once we were sailing, he is a wealth of knowledge and I encourage you to listen… you’ll learn :)
I had never been sailing before (and a 3 day trip may have been a bit ambitious for my first sail) but it was a WONDERFUL experience and my husband and I are already talking about making this an annual vacation.
The boat is beautiful and very comfortable for an overnight sail. Captain Dan ensured we had everything we needed and was always checking to see if we needed anything more. We ate and drank well, I highly recommend the salmon Sancerre!
We lucked out with some wonderful weather and enjoyed 2 days of great sailing and 1 day of motoring. Kayaks were available for our use and Captain Dan knows all the best spots! We were even able to take a kayak over to Prisoner’s Cove and Captain Dan patiently waited while my husband and I hiked for a couple of hours.
We loved our experience as a quick introduction to sailing and look forward to learning more about sailing and sailing more with Captain Dan!

Capt. Dan performed our wedding. It was a small, personal, ceremony on the beach in Malibu. We liked Capt. Dan because he was a Captain and we wanted a beach themed, non-​denominational, wedding. He also has a sharp, fun, sense of humor, and we could tell he would understand we didn’t want a «mushy» wedding ceremony.
Capt. Dan met with my fiancée and I before the wedding and later emailed us an involved list of questions regarding the history of our relationship. My fiancée and I were instructed to respond separately to the questions and we were forbidden to discuss what we had written with each other. Capt. Dan took the information we provided and composed a funny, personal, and fun wedding ceremony. Light jokes were made about our shortcomings and the positives were emphasized. Everyone genuinely enjoyed the service, which isn’t common at a wedding. If you want an officiant who takes the time to get to know you as a couple and performs a ceremony that is unique and fun Capt. Dan is your guy.
Thanks Capt. Dan
Geoff & Natalia

Not that Captain Dan needs any more compliments, looks like the highest scoring business on Unilocal actually.
I concur with all listed, We sailed out with the boat loaded pretty much at capacity. There is no feeling quite like being onboard a sail boat with a confident captain and nothing but relaxation and sites to see ahead of you. We saw dolphins galore, Captain Dan kept us entertained throughout the ride and kept those of us who asked question thoroughly informed and delighted.
If you are seeking a low cost way to explore the ocean and want the friendliest captain around… LOOK NO FURTHER!

This was a birthday present from my girlfriend, who knows my life-​long desire to learn to sail, and together with Capt. Dan they made one of my dreams come true.
It was essentially a Sailing 101 course, but hands-​on and in the field. Until September, I had never been on a boat with fewer than 100 people. And though I know a lot about the theory of sailing, I had never held the wheel in my hand.
It was a beautiful day as we headed out to the open sea, but I have to admit that I was a bit nervous, especially when we started hitting the fairly small (4 – 5 foot) waves, which to a novice will seem quite intimidating.
Sailboats will list to one side, and the right combination of wind and waves can occasionally cause the mast to tilt at quite a drastic angle. But after Captain Dan assured me that it is nearly impossible to capsize his boat — its made of cork — I got over it quickly and had fun during the two hour cruise.
It wasn’t too difficult to keep the boat on course with Captain Dan’s instruction, even navigating back into the marina at the conclusion.
I cant wait to get my sailing license. And I’ll be happy to have Captain Dan as my tutor.

I could have a great time with Captain Dan just sitting at anchor at the dock. But, leaving the safety of the harbor and heading out onto the Pacific aboard Sancerre is more than fun, it’s pretty thrilling.
I’ll admit that I’m not the world’s greatest sailor– but that didn’t seem to be much of an issue. My partner and I felt totally at ease with Capt. Dan at the helm. His easy confidence, approachable manner and obvious command meant I could just sit back, relax and enjoy the royal appointments of a truly luxurious yacht and the superb sights of the Channel Islands.
I’ve sailed with the Captain numerous times, all memorable. Frankly, I like to sit back and enjoy the ride, but when I felt up to it, the Captain’s clear instructions and easy going temperament made «learning the ropes» a cinch. And I’m terrible at knots!
Let’s face it– open water is a challenging environment. But knowing the skipper has the experience and ability, a well maintained fleet of exceptional, sea-​worthy boats and an impeccable safety record puts me at ease. It means I can concentrate on my sailing partner’s conversation, the sights, the wind, the waves.
Learning to sail or just to enjoy good times on the high seas– I whole heartedly recommend you Sail the Channel Islands with Captain Dan.
Thanks Captain!

Being out on the open ocean is great, but setting sail with Capt’n Dan was a fantastic yachting experience! We travel the pristine waters of the Channel Islands and visited with the sea life along the way. The boat was well appointed with the comforts and spoils of a royal yacht, which made a great venue for a reunion of old friends. In addition to being the host of premium marine leisure, Capt’n Dan is a dedicated and highly effective sailing instructor.
Highly Recommended!