January 8, 2017

Meet Kevin Thornton of L.A. Sailing

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Thornton.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kevin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Kevin Herink and I started our sailing careers ten years apart, but we were each drawn to the sea on our first sail. After sharing ownership of a sailboat and inviting friends along the way, we quickly realized that there were many other people that shared our passion for being on the water. We came up with the idea for L.A. sailing while on a crossing to Catalina Island to create a sailing club that could provide regular access to boats in Los Angeles.

We were sailing often and started asking ourselves why the other boats were always sitting in the marina. From what we could tell, there were several prominent reasons people struggled to get out:
– Scheduling crew to join them
– Maintaining a safe and ready-to-sail vessel
– Purchasing a boat before being ready to take it out

We thought if we could build a club that sails multiple times per week, we could solve many of the above problems while creating a fun, informative and inviting community. L.A. Sailing was founded on the simple principles of regular access to sailboats at an affordable price point. Our members appreciate our model of easy access to boating without a large financial commitment and our community continues to grow.

Has it been a smooth road?
We have discovered we are really in the business of building boating awareness. Right at the doorstep of our city is the scenic Pacific ocean; with its tranquil waters teeming with marine life, we have some of the best sailing conditions in the world. Our primary challenge has been educating Angelenos that boating is a unique and accessible entertainment option.

Like us, many of our first-time sailors quickly found a connection with the ocean. For those that have not experienced sailing it is hard to describe the feeling, but there is a euphoric and tranquil balance with nature that is hard to find elsewhere, but can be found right around the corner.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
At its core, L.A. Sailing is a boating club that specializes in providing regular, affordable access to everything sailing in Southern California has to offer. We are known for our friendly, hands-on approach to instruction; we believe the boat is your classroom and strive to create a fun and informative sailing community. We sail multiple times per week, cruise to Catalina six or seven times per year and participate in a handful of local regattas in both Marina del Rey and Redondo Beach.

The primary difference between L.A. Sailing and many of the other sailing providers in Los Angeles is our focus on the club atmosphere. With group sails going out regularly, club members have ample opportunities to “learn the ropes” and develop their sailing skills. Experienced members have the ability to take our boats out on their own, whether it is with other club members or their friends and family.

Our club members range from beginners looking for a new hobby to people interested in buying their own vessel for local or long distance cruising. We have folks that have owned boats in the past and no longer want to deal with the hassles of ownership. We’ve had members build resumes for obtaining a captain’s license, members go on to purchase their own sailboats and even have former members cruising in far off lands.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Santa Monica Bay provides some of the most reliable sailing weather on the West Coast, so it serves as a perfect training ground for beginner to intermediate sailors. We are able to sail year round, our local waters provide beautiful views, and they are teeming with whales, dolphins, sea lions, fish, and many sea birds.

We believe the City of Los Angeles should begin promoting the boating community with the same level of enthusiasm as it does our beaches and let Angelenos know they have access to scenic sailing grounds in their own backyard.

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