Sailing on the Alster

Does anyone have any experience with sailing on the Alster? Some friends and I would like to get started but we don't really know what we are getting ourselves into. Most of us have sailing and yachting experience, but this being Germany and all, I assume its quite heavily regulated and probably at least hundred or so laws in place for Alster sailing. Here are a few question I have been trying to answer:

1) Where is a good place to take the sailing classes (segelschein)?

2) Where would be a good place to moor the boat and approx. how much is a slip? (and are any usually available)

3) What type of sailing boats are allowed on the lake? (i.e. length restrictions, cabin, catamaran, etc...)

4) Does one need insurance as well for the boat? (germans love to have insurance for everything so I think this one probably answers itself)

These are the ones off the top of my head right now. If anyone could help me out with these or anything else I should know, I would appreciate the help. I have done some homework on the subject and found it to be much cheaper than expected, (this worries me, too easy kinda thing) so I turn to the international crowd of scholars for help. Thanks in advance...

Most importantly, what are the legal ramifications of sailing under the influence of alcohol?

they might be able to answer your questions

or basic infos here: http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/sailing.html

There's a place run by a guy called Bodo near the American Embassy. There's a ferry S-bahn station right next to it and he has a coffee shop attached.

He's a nice chap and rents out lasers quite cheaply.
It's quite tricky sailing on the Alster though because the winds gusts between the surrounding buildings meaning that one second there's hardly any and the next second it capsizes you.

Don't worry though there are people in safety boats watching and they will drag you out if you're in trouble.

Does anyone know of a local place that you can take the classes in English?