The University of Southern California Varsity Sailing Team sails out of its home base at the United States Sailing Center, Long Beach, California.
The Sailing Center is located on Alamitos Bay, and is a short thirty minute drive from the Main Campus at USC. The Sailing Center itself evolved as a result of the sailing competition of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The Olympic sailing village was on the beach, close to the Sailing Center’s present location, and the organizers of the Olympic regatta had the vision of creating a lasting legacy to the Game’s sailing activities, which ultimately evolved into the current U.S. Sailing Center.
The Sailing Center is located right in the heart of sailing activity in Southern California, and where some of the best sailing in the world occurs. Sharing Alamitos Bay with the Center is the renowned dinghy regatta host and facilities (CISA Clinic) of the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, and world match-race Congressional Cup host Long Beach Yacht Club.
The Sailing Center itself is a very modern facility, with all the amenities that make it an ideal location to run a top sailing team out of. The Center is housed in a just over 4,000 square foot building which contains offices, a formal lobby, a conference room, complete workshop, multi-media classrooms and even a kitchen. Onsite there are also separate men’s and women’s restrooms, changing areas and showers.
The Sailing Center itself is a very modern facility, with all the amenities that make it an ideal location to run a top sailing team out of. The Center is housed in a just over 4,000 square foot building which contains offices, a formal lobby, a conference room, complete workshop, multi-media classrooms and even a kitchen. Onsite there are also separate men’s and women’s restrooms, changing areas and showers.
As previously mentioned, Long Beach has some of the best sailing conditions found anywhere. The wind is very consistent and usually blows hard (Spring to Fall regularly 15-18 knots). Within a minute of leaving the Sailing Centers basin, the Sailing Team can be practicing on the protected waters of Alamitos Bay. A further five minute sail away is a larger basin within the Bay, and ultimately within an easy 15 minute sail, sailors can be sailing on the semi-protected waters of the inner Long Beach Harbor (created by a 7 mile breakwater). These varied venues allow for great practice and regatta conditions.
The year round mild climate (averages of about 68º in the winter and 78º in the summer), great breeze, and super “sailing town” infrastructure makes us one of the luckiest sailing teams in North America. Please come visit and see for yourself!
