Captain Dan Watson stands behind the wheel of the 10-meter sailboat Dixie. "Prepare to jibe," he shouts to the three SF State students on the deck above. They crouch down as the booms swings by. The boat dips and turns suddenly around the mark. The sails fill with wind and the race begins.

Jack Tuner, 24, Paul Sladek, 20 and Lucien Moore, 19 go out sailing on Fridays and Sundays to hone their sailing skills and to race. The races are part of the Ballena Bay Yacht Club's Friday Nite Grillers Series.

"The races can be real laid back," Turner said.

Moore, Sladek and Turner began sailing together only a few months ago. Moore, an experienced sailor, was telling a story about the sport when Turner mentioned that he would like to learn to sail. A week later Sladek had found a way to make it happen: someone in the Alameda Marina needed crewmembers.

"Our first race, the weather was bad," Sladek said, "we were going through four or five foot waves and the boat was rocking hella hard. It is intense but super fun."

While now they are just out there to learn and improve their skills, the novice sailors all seemed interested in pursuing more professional sailing in the future.

"Lucien told me once that sailing is a little like life," Sladek said. "Whenever you go out you never know what to expect."