Best Captain, Randy and Deck Hand, Gunner!! We went out to the islands for a private memorial, they…read moregave such attention to every detail to assure we enjoyed the day. They provided muffins, fresh fruit, coffee, juices, snacks and drinks!! They even had fresh flowers for our departed loved ones!! Really???!!! No one does that, WELL Randy does!! Give them a call, you will be pleased!!

Hired Captain Randy for Boating Lessons for a 32ft Cruiser. Very patient and an excellent…read moreexperience learning how to handle the boat, docking, salt water safety, radio communications and navigation. If you buy a boat without proper training, you are crazy. Very reasonable and well worth it. Captain Randy thank you for flexibility in our schedule and overall great training. VP and AP

This place is good for anyone that wants basic, fun experiences with sailing but not as useful for…read morethose who want more serious and rigorous sailing skills and knowledge. Cheap but very slow. Some college kids (volunteers?) Instructing the lessons.."no kidding" It would really take years to get real sailing skills and certificates to enjoy sailing...LOL. I highly recommend though young kids try the summer camp programs there; kids would love it and be inspired for the ocean activities

This is the single best experience in the area. Learning to sail has been a lifelong dream, and the…read moreinstructors at Leo Robbins made that dream a reality. My wife and I took the Intro and Small Boat classes, and both were fantastic. A big 'hi' to John and Dave and the whole gang. They're all amazing.

Cruisin' for a Bruisin'…read more The only way to get to Channel Islands National Park is by boat. And, unless you're Captain Stubing, Jr. and own your own vessel, then Island Packer Cruises is the official partner of the NPS to transport visitors between the mainland and the island. The Good: * Currently offering services to Anacapa Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and San Miguel Island. * Staff was friendly and helpful based on the minimal interactions we had with them. * Covered and uncovered seating on the boats, but you'll want to bring a hat regardless. * If you're lucky, you'll spot some dolphins and/or whales along the way. * Manage bookings online through their website. * They do send out emails updating you on the weather status and such in case there might be a chance of cancellations. * Prices vary depending on what you want to do, but they range from $15 per person to several hundred per person for 12-hour cruises. The average is probably around $70-100 each, though, which isn't bad for a round trip. * They do have a snack bar complete with beers on tap on the boat, so if you need some extra goodies to take along with you, now is your chance. I'm sure the prices are obscene, but you're in the middle of the ocean; you pay or you don't. The Meh: * They noodge you for tips on the way out. Listen, I get it. Times are tough, but maybe raise prices a touch instead of noodging customers for remuneration. The Ugly: * No service currently to Santa Barbara Island due to dock damage. * If you are visiting during the storm season, then there's a very good chance your trip might get canceled, at which point you can choose to get a refund or take a credit for a future trip. This happened to us this past December, but luckily we're only a few hours away, so it wasn't a big deal to rebook for this summer. Conclusion: The only way to the Channel Islands and it's a fun ride. Book it!

This was an amazing ferry and crew! Laura, Marc, Danny and Felisha were listed as crew. We stopped…read moreonce on the way to Santa Cruz Island as we saw a breach whale. Amazing to witness. Santa Cruz Island was beautiful. The air here is pristine. I felt sick when I woke up with a headache and a little weird on the ship but the second I stepped onto that island the fresh air took me to 100%, and I was totally fine on the way back. We hiked the trail to the right as you get off and had amazing views at the top. Unfortunately it was difficult to get a reservation to be able to go, stay a few hours and leave on another ship. Everything was booked like 2 weeks out. The only availability was a boat in that arrived late because we stopped for the whale (worth it!) at 3:45, and we had to board to get back on at 4:30. Wish we had more time, but it was worth the trip. They must be a popular ferry because it's difficult to book what you want unless you book way in advance. The ferry stopped again on the way back to Ventura to pick up a balloon so the dolphins don't eat it, and when we took off again a pod of dolphins were surfing in the waves from our boat... SO COOL!!! Some of them right next to the boat. We would definitely use this company again, maybe book in advance next time we travel here, but we would try to see another island next time. An excellent experience.

We were on Island Fox today and had a great experience! The deckhands were very helpful, and…read moreCaptain was also incredibly attentive. We stopped at several different fishing spots, and Captain also took his time to move us around and made sure everyone on board was having a great time. He was always checking in to see if anyone needed help, and the crew was quick to assist with tangled lines and reeling in fish. It was an amazing day, and we caught plenty of fish! My husband was especially thrilled to hit the jackpot. We couldn't have asked for a better trip. We will definitely be coming back to Island Fox again. I highly recommend giving them a try. July7, 2026

3/31/18 Captain did a good job to put us on fish was not…read moreafraid to burn some gas. Captain and crew where very helpful and had some good tips. Captain was also fun and had some good jokes about my friends skinny sweatpants.

I have been so amazingly impressed with Gary Swenson and the Ullman Sails Ventura California loft…read morethat I have to share my enthusiasm. Living on the east coast I had many options for my new head sail, including some great local lofts. After speaking with local sail makers, reading on-line reviews and several conversations with Gary Swenson, owner of Ullman Sails Ventura, the choice was clear. What convinced me? The great reviews highlighting the customer first service approach from Gary and Ullman Sails. Several calls from me, a first time sail buyer, to Gary simply confirmed what I had read in the reviews. Gary was great, fielding my questions and helping in my decision to upgrade to a 140 Cruising Genoa for my Catalina 36 MkII. What followed was even more impressive! I had asked Gary if he could apply spreader patches with the dimensions and location from my old sail. Sure he said. Gary gave me a call a few weeks before the sail was due to ship and said "Dave, something doesn't look right so my guys and I took the sail down to marina and hauled it up on a Catalina 36. Are you sure you don't have a tall rig?" I couldn't believe that these guys took the extra step and went above and beyond to actually take the sail down to a sister ship. Well, I purchased the boat in 2012 and there was no documentation or mention during the sale it was a tall rig. Gary suggested I take some measurements of my old sail. "Sure enough", he said, "definitely a tall rig!" Now, this was clearly my screw up and the sail was made. Without skipping a beat, Gary said, "No problem, I'll get a 140 tall rig in the shop right away." My new sail showed up, on time and despite several offers, Gary would not take any more money to cover my faux pas or even for the upgrade from a Standard Rig to a Tall Rig. This is customer service and support like I've encountered very few times in my life. It makes Gary Swenson and the Ullman Sails Ventura loft a real standout! The only thing that made me smile more were the beautiful lines, great shape and accolades from fellow club members as I sailed by with my new Ullman Sails Tall Rig 140 Genoa! Thank you Gary and thank you Ullman Sails Ventura loft team!

This group of people are the best!!! Can't say enough great things about them. They are so…read moreskilled. We were helping a fellow boater with his sail and Gary came down to our dock, vintage marina, in Channel Islands and he could clearly see what the issue was. He needed to make some adjustments on the sail. He did it and brought it back a few days later. He insisted on installing and making sure it worked. It was perfect!!! We have purchased a new mail sail from him fir our Catalina 387 with partial battens, to use on our furling mast. Perfectly done, work great!!!

Did three dives in May off Anacapa island from the Spectre dive boat. It was great diving and my…read moreguide Matt was awesome. He showed me all sorts of amazing sea life and underwater curiosities at our dive sites. Highlights include giant lobsters, leopard sharks, humongous crabs, an old shipwreck, and large kelp forests! I'd highly recommend diving with DGCI, they made the whole experience very easy and fun!

Great weekend get away . Beautiful clean and quiet . Family atmosphere as well as it can be a…read morecouples atmosphere.

"JUST LOVE" I bought…read morea 1985 Pearson 36-2 sailboat in Ventura, and I'm so glad I did because I discovered Ventura Harbor Boatyard. And now if I ever need major work done or a haul-out, I'm coming here even if I have to motor all the way from my home port, Long Beach. Why? Well, there's some obvious superficial reasons such as the fact lay days are less expensive, and the yard lets you DIY. For the last, not only do they LET you DIY, they ENCOURAGE it. From what I've heard and seen, every other yard in SoCal at the very least discourages it, while many simply don't let you do any of your own work blaming their insurance. But the REAL reason VHB is so great is the people: everyone I encountered that worked at the yard--and I was there, working and living aboard my boat, for about two and a half weeks--was helpful, professional and friendly. Here's the list: -Mike, head of customer service. -Dale, foreman of paint and fiberglass. -Jose, head mechanic on the big boat side. -Brad, head mechanic on the small boat side. -Karen, head office administrator -Dale, main lift operator -Harry, supply guy -Nico, mechanic -Andy, mechanic -Chris, paint and fiberglass -Ibo, paint and fiberglass Hope I didn't miss anyone. A couple of examples of how great the people are there-- -Mike, head of customer service, steered me away from GPU packing when I ran it by him that that's what I was going to use for repacking my stuffing box. Sure enough, I looked it up and the graphite can react with some metals in drive shafts causing electrolysis (a kind of dissimilar metal corrosion). His many years in the boat repair business saved me a potentially expensive and even dangerous mistake. Plus, his interpretation of lay days was always in my favor. Just an all around good dude. -Dale, the paint and fiberglass foreman gave me a masterclass on fiberglass and HELPED ME patch my built in water tank. I'm an English teacher and his clear instructions and patient manner had me taking notes on ways I could improve in the classroom. A masterclass by a master craftsman at no charge. And both Dale and Mike showed me around the yard, gave me a tour of the yard's boat that they completely restored (keeping the original name because the previous owner explained to them he'd named the boat after his mother), and told me a bit of the storied history of the yard (some of it involves restoring famous classic wooden boats as well as helping big time YouTubers refit). I got an education and an irreplaceable experience. Their motto on their t-shirt says it all, "Just Love."

If you are looking for something unique and fun. This is an amazing ride through Oxnards Mandalay…read moreBay canals. We had the best time ever our gondolier Robert even serenaded us with his guitar!!! This hour was just magical

I went thinking it would be boring, but this was the best boat type of thing of my life. This guy…read morewas so nice to talk to as well. Thank you