Even if your style leans more Popeye than Kennedy, you’ll feel welcome at this unpretentious downtown yacht club. Other sailing schools might possess one of the following key qualities, but Columbia claims all three: first-rate, U.S. Sailing–­certified instructors; a diverse fleet of boats, including easy-to-maneuver J/22s and 420s; and a kick-ass clubhouse (the 7,000-ton icebreaker MV Abegweit, docked in DuSable Harbor). A five-week beginners’ class will set nonmembers back $500.