Sudden Closing Of Beloved Sailing Club Shakes Bay Area Sailors

BAY AREA, CA — For generations of Bay Area sailors, the Club Nautique school was a rite of passage. Its abrupt bankruptcy and closure this week left members and instructors reeling — and scrambling to preserve the legacy of a club once considered a crown jewel of offshore sailing.

Club Nautique announced that the Alameda and Sausalito locations would close as of Dec. 31.

The owners, Stephanie and Jason LaChance, wrote in a letter that since the COVID pandemic began in early 2020, operations have been increasingly challenging. "Despite our best efforts to adapt, recover, and explore every possible path forward, we have reached the point where we lack the resources to continue," the couple said. "This decision has been incredibly hard and is truly the last thing we ever wanted." They said any claims related to refunds, unused benefits, or other amounts owed should be addressed through the bankruptcy process.

Club Nautique was one of the longest-lasting clubs in the Bay Area. Today, a handful remain.

"I didn’t see this coming," a long-time member said on social media. "It truly feels like the end of an era, and 2026 will not feel the same."

However, despite the popularity and footprint of sailing in the Bay Area, many of its schools face similar pressures including a challenging economy and rising costs at marinas, which are now dominated by a few operators. Also, sailing's popularity is mixed. Although chartering sailboats is popular, sailing struggles with perceptions of exclusivity and cost, despite efforts by associations, schools, and operators to make it accessible.

"It's sad that they're gone," said Mary Swift, owner of Afterguard Sailing on the Oakland Estuary who worked for Club Nautique's original owners, Don and Judy Durant.

Each school has its own style, she said.

Club Nautique was especially known for offshore sailing classes that taught students skills for long-distance ocean voyaging far from shore.

It was the "crown jewel for offshore, said Arnstein Mustad, a Club Nautique instructor.

Mustad is part of a group of former instructors, students, and members exploring ways to "preserve the legacy" of the school.

"We're kicking up dust trying to salvage what's left of Club Nautique," he said Monday.