UCLA Marina Aquatic Center

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The UCLA Marina Aquatic Center (MAC) is UCLA’s waterfront recreation facility in Marina del Rey, at the northeast end of the Entrance Channel. It is owned and operated by UCLA Recreation. Opened in 1965 to house UCLA’s rowing and sailing programs, the MAC now offers recreational classes in small-boat sailing, surfing, rowing, kayaking, windsurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding for UCLA students.

Construction began in 1965, replacing a wooden boathouse on Ballona Creek with a new cinder-block building. A dock was added in 1967, and in 1984 new trailers (formerly used for the Los Angeles Olympics) were installed. The MAC currently offers sailing classes for small boats under 16 feet; the keelboat program is no longer active. Beginner classes use Capris, while intermediate classes use Lasers or RS Visions. The UCLA Learn to Sail Manual is free to the public.

MAC is home to the UCLA Sailing Team, a recognized collegiate club that competes in the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference and the Intercollegiate Sailing Association. Recreational kayaking is taught there, using sit-on-top and sea kayaks, and the center hosts the UCLA Kayak Polo team. UCLA Women’s Rowing is an NCAA varsity sport based at the MAC, while UCLA Men’s Rowing is a club sport also housed there. Surfing classes are offered, though the UCLA surf club is separate. Windsurfing runs in the summer, and stand-up paddleboard rentals and instruction are available year-round.