Geas Vela Scuola di Mare
Geas Vela Scuola di Mare is a UISP-affiliated sailing school and amateur sports association based at Polisportiva Geas in Sesto San Giovanni near Milan. Its cabin yachts are moored at the port of Gera Lario at the northern tip of Lake Como, close to the Pian di Spagna nature reserve; the nautical base in Sorico offers accommodation, a classroom and a workshop. The programme ranges from cabin-boat courses to skipper and spinnaker training, themed weekends, instructional Mediterranean cruises and fun regattas such as the BeerCup. Since 1982 the focus has been on volunteer-led, inclusive sailing tuition with national UISP instructors, affordable fees and the aim of making sailing accessible to everyone.
History
Geas Vela Scuola di Mare has existed since 1982 as a sailing school and amateur sports association (ASD) under the historic Polisportiva Geas in Sesto San Giovanni and is affiliated to UISP (Unione Italiana Sport Per tutti), affiliation D060645 / CONI D06 0645. From the start the club has relied exclusively on volunteer work by members and instructors; co-founder Valter Fiocco has shaped logistics and organisation since the 1980s. Its philosophy follows UISP SDA Vela: sailing for all, inclusive and person-centred rather than performance-selective. Over the decades a course programme from cabin-boat levels to lake skipper and offshore sailing, instructional cruises in the Mediterranean, Brittany and Normandy, and the fun BeerCup regatta at the Sorico/La Punta base developed. Photo albums and reports document Barcolana entries, Velaintensa trips, the 2007 Po descent and many Croatia cruises. Cabin boats lie at Gera Lario harbour on the Alto Lario; the base at Via la Punta 1, Sorico, hosts course weeks and dinghy and canoe use. More recently the school works closely with nautical scouts who share the former club base, and continues accessible sea cruises – for example the Lavagna–northern Sardinia cruise in September 2025.
Information
Facilities
Cabin boats at Gera Lario harbour (Lake Como); nautical base in Sorico with a semi-detached house, garden, lake access, four rooms, kitchen, classroom and workshop; theory lessons and association meetings at Polisportiva GEAS offices in Sesto San Giovanni
Activities
Cabin-boat courses levels 1–4, Capobarca Lago, spinnaker, coastal cruising (Velaintensa), themed weekends, instructional cruises, fun regattas (BeerCup), dinghy and canoe use for members, themed evening events
Youth section
Courses and summer camps for children and young people; regional scout courses; minors only accompanied by a parent or authorised adult