Whether you're a seasoned sailor (like my husband and mother-in-law) or a land girl like me, you'll have an incredible experience with Captain Max and Jolly Sailing. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Captain Max is both an expert sailor and a gracious host. From the start, communication was prompt and clear, the boat was clean, comfortable, and impeccably maintained, and departure and arrival were exactly on schedule. Throughout the trip, he balanced professionalism and safety with a warm, welcoming presence that immediately put us at ease. What stood out most was how thoughtfully Captain Max tailored the experience to make it truly meaningful for our family. We wanted to commemorate the first anniversary of my father-in-law's passing by visiting the location of his burial at sea. I shared the coordinates with Captain Max beforehand, and he kindly agreed to take us there and welcomed us to bring flowers to place in the water. By happy coincidence, our destination brought us near a sailing race, and watching all of the sailboats glide by on such a beautiful day made the moment even more special. Captain Max helped us capture photos and videos of both the memorial and the race and later shared them with us so we could preserve the memories. There were other meaningful coincidences as well. Captain Max's boat is a 32-foot Ericson--the same type of boat my in-laws once owned--and we discovered that he had grown up in our hometown. We enjoyed exchanging stories and found him to be engaging without ever being intrusive. He listened with genuine empathy, gave us space to reflect, and even cut the motor so we could sail quietly back to the slip. It was a magical day that our family will never forget. Thank you, Captain Max, from the bottom of our hearts. read more

I'm always on the lookout for unique experiences to make special occasions truly memorable, and my recent Valentine's Day outing with Jolly Sailing went above and beyond my expectations. I can wholeheartedly say the experience with Captain Max offered unparalleled value that far exceeded my expectations. Captain Max, the very essence of "Jolly" in Jolly Sailing, melds his infectious cheer with unparalleled nautical skill to make every moment on the water special. The ability to customize our journey, from selecting our own route to choosing idyllic spots to enjoy the sunset, transformed our sail into a personalized adventure. What truly sets Jolly Sailing apart is not just the breathtaking views of our coastline from a fresh perspective but the intimate and personalized service that makes you feel like the only couple in the world. It's more than just a sailing trip; it's an opportunity to create lasting memories against the backdrop of Long Beach's stunning scenery with every precaution taken to ensure a serene and secure experience. A massive thank you to Captain Max for making our evening not just unforgettable but truly priceless. read more

My husband and I decided to charter, so instead of booking a tour on a large boat, we found this unique sailing experience with Jolly Sailing. Captain Max is professional, experienced, knowledgeable and fun. I felt safe and cared for. He catered to our desires to learn and gave us a mini immersive lesson. We saw marine life including sea lions, seals, pelicans, a school of dolphins who were fishing and other birds. Captain Max gave us information about the different sail boats out practicing for the Transpac 2019... we saw Disney's Pyewacket, and others. The two hours was fun, breezy and memorable. I am so glad we asked Captain Max to recommend the best time to leave. Our two hour tour left at 5 p.m. which gave us the best winds... prevailing winds. I have never sailed and having the wind carry us was calming. There was no motor sound just us, the wind and the ocean currents. Wonderful! I highly recommend. read more

Captain Max and his beautiful sailboat Bushmans Friend were the perfect combination for a wonderful afternoon on the water. Captain Max was friendly, helpful and fun to have as a captain on our sail. He showed us how and allowed us to steer the boat, help with putting up the sail etc, which was exciting for us. He took pictures for us, and did whatever he could to make our jaunt onto the water a memorable one. My boyfriend surprised me with a marriage proposal and a beautiful ring and we couldn't have had a better experience. The boat, captain Max, the water were all perfect. He even pointed out a dolphin baby and mama swimming in the distance. It was a Wonderful day! we look forward to coming back for another sail with Captain Max on the anniversary of our engagement! Thank you Captain Max! read more

We (my wife and three daughters) celebrated part of my oldest daughters 30th Birthday with Max. He truly made us feel like we had a "friend with a sailboat". He was cognizant of our safety but ensured we had a relaxing and exceptional time. The weather was not the greatest (cloudy and a little rain shower) but because of his experience and personality he made it a "very brilliant" day for all of us, as we took turns at the helm. We even added an extra hour to the planned 2 hour sail. His Ericson 32-3 boat is in great shape, well maintained and has new sails. Would love to spend another afternoon with my family and Jolly Sailing in the near future. No need to look further if you'd like to spend some time sailing near Long Beach, Jolly Sailing is the way to go. read more

Captain Max is a very competent sailor and excellent host. We were delighted to get a chance to sail in warm sunny weather in May, 2019, while our boat awaited sailing weather in the Northeast. We brought and shared both light provisions and mutual tales of sailing. Max was an engaging and humorous participant, while keeping a close eye on all aboard as well as local conditions. Whether you are an experienced sailor or just interested in seeing what it is like to feel the power of the wind on the sails, take a sail with Captain Max. It will lift your spirits! read more

Flew into LA for work but wanted to get out on the water if I could before work started. Capt. Max was the only one who would accommodate me on same day notice. It was just me and I booked a 2 hour cruise. Weather was great, Capt. Max was thorough in going over the boat nomenclature and allowed me to help out with what experience on a boat I had. Overall it was a great sail, Max was friendly and courteous and allowed me to take the helm for as long as I wanted. Boat was in great shape for its age and sailed beautifully. read more

I live in Long Beach and I had some family visiting. We needed something to do and my dad always sailed when he was younger so we gave Jolly Sailing a go. Needless to say it was awesome. My Dad was impressed with the boat especially the new sails. Captain Max let him steer 95% of the time. Max was patient, funny, and friendly, providing input when needed and was truly excited to take us out. The price was fair and overall the experience was one to remember. Jolly Sailing really is "your friend with a boat." read more

My friends and I booked Jolly Sailing and did not know entirely what to expect, but we came away absolutely in love with it. The boat was perfect, the views were perfect, and the entire experience was great. We also really enjoyed Captain Max's company. He was extremely friendly, helpful, answered all of our questions, and provided us with a lot of great information. I have already begun recommending Jolly Sailing to friends and family. If you're thinking about booking, go ahead and do it. You won't regret it! read more

Jolly Sailing was so much fun and the best thing to do in Long Beach! So affordable! This was my second time with Jolly Sailing and it will not be my last. You play your own jams, bring a spread (we went with dips and crackers and fancy cheese and heaps of Rose wine) and your favorite 5 people. Being out in the open air with the sunshine and water was what we all needed after lockdowns, shutdowns and just a super hard year. I feel happy again. Thanks Jolly Sailing! Cant wait to sail again with you! read more

Highly recommend this EPIC sailing experience! Captain Max made us feel so comfortable and safe (and the boat was very clean). He clearly has a lot of experience on the water, was punctual, and fit in with our silliness from the get-go. The dolphins must have sensed how much fun we were having, because they swam alongside the boat almost the entire time we blasted our karaoke jams! What an experience! Thanks to Captain Max for an unforgettable birthday. We will be back soon! read more

I booked a sailing charter for my birthday recently with my wife, and it was absolutely an incredible experience. Captain Max is fantastic and great to talk with during the trip, especially if you want to get more details of the harbor. He is extremely knowledgable and professional. If you are a local, or from out of town, I highly recommend Jolly Sailing if you want a nice peaceful and relaxing adventure outside of the Long Beach harbor. read more

Are you serious !!! There should be a 6th star option for this. Jolly Sailing took my friends and I out for a few hours on the open water and had the most amazing, beautiful time ever. Max is a great captain. He's the perfect combo of knowing what he is doing like the professional he is and being g part of the fun. Don't hesitate to book with him. He even let my man the ship for a while !! Thanks Max !! read more

The last time I stepped on a sail boat 30 years ago I was so sea sick. My wife finally got me to go after 10 years of asking. Captain Max made sure that I was not going to have a repeat experience, we stayed in the break water, but we still were able to put out the sails. We had an amazing time with the sunsetting to cap it off. Captain Max wish you were around 30 years ago!!! read more

This was a fabulous couple of hours on the water. if we're ever in LA again we are definitely booking this. Max was amazing we learned loads, had the best time, jumped in the Pacific saw seal ions and got to drive too. our 15yo had the best time, led the music and smiled for a full 2 hours (always unusual in a teen!). get it booked Max and Jilly Sailing were amazing! read more

I booked with Jolly Sailing for two hours to take engagement photos and we had the BEST experience! The energy of the captain was amazing and we had a great time on board. He was super helpful with making sure we got the sun on this sunset cruise. I cannot wait to see the photos. Thank you Jolly Sailing! read more

Great day! We rolled into town and Max's boat was the best on the water! Max took us out and we watched a buddies friend in a sailing regatta. Was an amazing afternoon. Would 100% do it again and plan to do it again sometime soon! If you want a solid day with an honest captain this is 100% the place to go!! read more

Jolly Sailing was the perfect date night for my boyfriend and I! Max is very friendly and we had an awesome evening out on the water! I highly recommend Jolly Sailing for your next date night or to sail out with your friends! Must try, we definitely will be going again! read more

So fun! What a wonderful experience! I am a local and would recommend this experience to everyone. Captain Max took my family and friends on a sunset cruise and it was amazing! We got to cruise the marina, stop at Island White to jump in, and ate dinner on the sailboat. read more