Sail Sand Point

Wanted to do paddle boarding at the UW waterfront activity center, but a friend of mine suggested we come here. She said the water is serene on this side and the Sail sand point staff are just more friendly, even though it is a little bit more expensive and there is no student discount for one time rental (there is a discount for a season pass purchase), so we ended up here.
The place is packed, so much so that no one even bothered to give us any instructions or info, they simply asked us to fill out the waivers, gave us two paddles and told us to go get our boards, nobody checked to see if we have the right size jacket on or if we put them on to begin with (there were signs saying it is illegal to paddle board with no life jacket on). So given that we are complete novices, we just watched others and learned where to go and what to do. $ 15 an hour and you get to float on the water, paddle board and enjoy the beauty of Seattle. It was a fun afternoon and I enjoyed every minute of it.
The only downside is the profuse presence of dog feces right by the beach and considering that everyone is barefoot and ready to step into the water, it can be a little uncomfortable to bypass the feces, otherwise, I enjoyed my time here.

Awesome place with awesome staff. Those two things don’t seem to occur simultaneously anymore. We took the adult beginner course met by Lena, Mariah, Tate, Caylin and they are just great. Very nice, very helpful.
The lessons are mostly on the water so you don’t have to have a lot of classroom time. The boats are Flying Juniors which are nice and light and fiberglass.
The help you get is amazing, you get a lot of time to ask questions as the instructors are out on the water in a powerboat. Also, bring a friend to take the lesson so that you will have more fun.
Overall, great place, great staff and very reasonable prices. The Magnusson park area is really nice and I wish I bought an unlimited rental pass here.

The place has been all fixed up and gotten bigger. It’s still a great place, but in my opinion it’s lost something in the process of becoming «all grown up». It used to have a really fun, relaxed vibe. Now the lawyers and insurance adjusters and accountants seem to have taken control. In the past you’d see lots of families, teenagers, and kids down there hanging out and enjoying access to the lake. Now there are «No Swimming, No Diving» signs all over the place. That’s a shame, and not a trivial loss to the community. It’s still a great place to learn to sail, and they have probably upped their safety standards, but something has been lost. It’s just not as fun and friendly as it was before. I know safety is important, and liability and insurance coverage is no joke in our litigious world. But people, especially young people, really need to learn to make decisions on their own, without always being told what to do and what not to do. In my opinion, teenagers NEED some risk in order to grow up. So if you are have teenagers and want them to have some good healthy fun in a permissive environment, without «safety nazis» watching their every move, forget about Sail Sand Point — send them on down to your local friendly meth dealer instead.

Thanks to sunny weather and the Unilocal app, I found Sail Sand Point recently.
A friend and I were in Lake City and looking for something to do while the sun was out. We searched for «kayak rentals» on Unilocal and the app pointed us to some stellar reviews of Sail Sand Point located at Magnuson Park. Not too far from us, we hopped in my car and headed that way.
It’s hard (ish) to find but basically you’re looking for a business that’s literally on the water. So drive through the main entrance of the park, turn left and drive towards the lake. There were a few sandwich boards leading the way and then we came to an open parking lot and the business sign. They’re undergoing a remodel so we saw both the old and new space and it looks like when they’re done with construction this new business space will be stunning.
A friendly young guy answered questions and showed us information on the business, what they rent, the costs, the rules, etc. It’s pretty simple, actually! We decided to buy annual memberships to kayak and that also includes renting paddle boards. For just $ 135 we can come back to Sail Sand Point and rent a kayak or paddle board at any time and take it out for hours and hours to have fun on the lake. The only rules are to check-​in so they know you have their equipment out on the lake, to not take the equipment too far from the business area (so it doesn’t get lost or stolen) and to use a life vest. Then when you’re done you just head back, return the rental equipment and tell them you’re done for the day. Super easy, super hands off, and super fun.
Not ideal for someone who’s brand new to either sport because we didn’t get a lesson or any instructions, but we also didn’t ask. So if you’re new, expect this to be slightly more hands-​off but I’m sure they will go over tips and safety if you ask.
We kayaked at least about ¾ a mile north and then south a bit and then back to the loading area. Going in groups seems best because I couldn’t carry my kayak to the water all by myself. My friend and I each carried one at a time and helped each other launch.
For kayaking bring waterproof gear and expect to get a little wet. I wore jeans, shoes, and a windbreaker. Don’t forget sunscreen and sunglasses too! For paddle boarding you’ll want to go full waterproof and wear a bathing suit or wetsuit/​rash guard. You could end up a lot wetter than someone in a kayak.
The life vest rack has sizes for kids and adults and the equipment was in good shape. In fact, a lot of it was brand new!
There are also sailboats for people to check out and sailing lessons to take. I’ll definitely be back as the weather warms up again.

You like sailing? Take their test and nothing (fine, except a more-​than-​reasonable purchase of 5 rentals for $ 75) stands between you and some glorious trips on the water.
I sail the Hobie Wave boat and have a great time every time. It’s dead simple and great for brushing up on sailing fundamentals.
I only wish sailors were allowed to go as far as Kirkland for a real mini-​trip. But it’s probably a good thing for you stay in distant sight of SSP.
Tips:
— Make sure there’s some wind before you go.
— Don’t capsize if your friend brought his camera aboard (ask me how I know)

Take your life or your kids life into your own hands.
I was planning on bringing my kids here after scheduling a group outing with adults, but after experiencing the lack of professionalism, I will go elsewhere.
The equipment and facilities are nice, and the people friendly. If you know what you’re doing, you should have a good time. However, if you are a novice or are thinking of sending your kids to this place, you should really think twice.
The staff was very young and seemed to not care/​know much about boater safety. I was amazed that nobody on the staff bothered to ask if anybody in the group could swim. They didn’t check life jackets to see if they fit. No mention of the dangers of being hit by the boom or hypothermia… all real risks on small boats run by novices on a windy and cold day. They said you’d be safe as could be because you had life jackets.
If you’re an experienced boater as I am, these probably aren’t too concerning, and you can have a great time. Same goes if you are just lucky and happen to stay dry. But I felt compelled to share this with those people who are hoping to have a fun, safe day on the water, as this place is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

I’m from Hawaii and grew up on fishing boats. Sailboats? Not so much. I had no idea anything like this was available because I never looked into it. I’m not a sailing expert so you’ll have to excuse my lack of sophistication around terminology and such.
This summer, a group of us went and it was fantastic! We had planned on going for a leisurely ride (which we did) but a faster boat became available and we got to experience that as well. Riding on each had it’s benefits. While on the leisure boat, a number of folks fell asleep! Relaxation at it’s best. On the faster boat, we got to do a bit of work. It was a little strenuous since we weren’t used to it and definitely got splashed with water (compared to the leisure boat where you could stay dry). All in all, it was a great day.
I cannot say enough about the staff. They were so nice and helpful. They provided information in a clear, understandable way. I enjoyed the experience and the staff was a big part of it. Suffice to say that when I left, I already wanted to come back.

The best deal out there for small boat owners! On-​land, mast-​up moorage for an entire year for not much more than you would pay for one month of in-​water moorage anywhere else in the area. And the new ramp at the north end of the center is awesome. It’s great to be able to tie up after launching while you put your trailer out of the way.

Woohoo! As good as it gets!
I just came back from an exhilarating sail around the Sand Point area
Wind blowing waves chopping; the Cat was flying across the like my own Hydro!
Woohoo! As good as it gets!
Yes you have to demonstrate sailing ability with each type of boat you sail
Yes you have to right a capsized Cat to use it.
Sail Sand Point will teach you to do this in one or two lessons.
Then you can sail all year for $ 175.
On nice days you will not get a boat without out a long wait, but there are plenty of kayaks to paddle while you wait! :)

SSP is a great place to learn sailing and spend time on the simply beautiful Lake Washington. My kids are asking everyday when we can get our season pass for this summer. The instructors are great, all US SAILING certified and very good at what they do. It is pretty clear that they too love where they work. I recommend SSP for anyone who wants to learn sailing or just go free-​sailing!!!

Sail Sand Point is a gem in Seattle’s boating community. It offers small sailboat rentals and lessons for both kids and adults. They also offer outrigger paddling and dry storage. For those who want to learn to sail (or refresh your skills) they offer lessons. If you know how to sail and just want to get out on the water they offer open sailing (after showing them that you can actually sail, of course).
SSP is also home to the Sand Point Youth Sailing Team (SPYS) and the UW Sailing Team. They have been a gracious host to a large number of youth and college sailing regattas over the years. Seattle is lucky to have a community boating center like SSP.