Personalized Sailing Instruction in Vancouver
Experience personalized sailing instruction with our professional Sail Canada and IYT Instructors
About Us
Our courses
Why choose Sailing Vancouver
Why choose Sailing Vancouver
We provide basic cruising, intermediate and advanced cruising, along with specialized sailing courses in coastal and celestial navigation.
Our International Yacht Training (IYT) programs include yachtmaster offshore, yachtmaster ocean, and coastal navigation master certifications, along with the international certificate of competency and Cevni for European inshore navigation.
Train on true bluewater boats,
the Oyster Heritage 37, a proven round-the-world blue water cruiser,
the Alberg 37, which recently completed a 20,000 mile Pacific circuit,
and the Contessa 32, a world-girdling offshore beauty.
These vessels are not marina boats; they are offshore boats with real ocean history, ready to prepare you for your sailing adventures.
We deliver sail and power vessels internationally, with recent deliveries including a Leopard 46’ catamaran from Fiji to New Zealand and offshore monohulls across the Pacific, along with private yacht deliveries worldwide.
Our instructors actively skipper offshore passages, ensuring that your training reflects current, real-world experience, making our sailing courses in Vancouver the perfect choice for aspiring sailors.
Why choose Sailing Vancouver
Why choose Sailing Vancouver
Why choose Sailing Vancouver
Who is this training for
*Beginners who want strong foundations
*Future yacht owners
*offshore passgemakers
*Sailors upgrading to Yachtmaster
*ICC candidates
*Those preparing for extended cruising
If you want more than a weekend sailing experience- we’re built for you
Train locally, sail anywhere
From the Gulf islands to the open Pacific
from GPS to sextant
from first lesson to offshore passage
Great seamanship is rarely self taught
it is passed down
In thre 1960’s. Lars ( Larry ) Hansen, our chief instructor, Lived aboard a Columbia 40 in San Francisco bay.
Lars was taught passage planning, weather routing, and celestial navigation by Durand Keifer, an American Naval Admiral- the vessel’s owner.
Durand entrusted the boat to Lars for extended periods, allowing him to sail the California coast and beyond, using the principles that remain foundational to our offshore training today.
After moving to Canada Lars was mentored by Dominique Prinet, at the time the only Celestial Navigtion instructor in Western Canada. Dominique later retired and passed that instructional role to Lars.
This was not simply a course transfer, it was a continuation of a teaching linege leading to the Yachtmaster Ocean certification
Our Mission
Why choose Sailing Vancouver
Our Mission
Today our training blends:
modernGPS,AIS,
radar systems
offshore weather routing principles
traditional paper chart navigation
celestial navigation techniques
Technology enhances seamanship,
it does not replace it
Our instructor team
Lars ( Larry ) Hansen
Raised on the Chesapeake, sailing since childhood, navigating offshore before GPS, Lars assisted in editing the coastal navigation book used by Sail Canada instructors on the Pacific coast, waters known for strong currents, fog, rocks, floating debris, challenging passes, and rapid weather changes. His experience and seamanship were honed over decades And over 20,000 miles offshore
Ben Laird
.Ben recently completed a Pacific circuit aboard the school’s Alberg 37- a 20,000 mile 2 year voyage from Vancouver to Mexico, Polynesia, the Salomon Islands,Japan, and the Aleutians before returning home.
Vitali Didenko
Vitali sailed from Vancouver to Polynesia aboard a 50’ steel schooner and assists with offshore deliveries
vitali is an electrical engineer
Sarah White
Masters degree in non destructive technology marine surveying.
she and her partner Mike have sailed and raced extensively worldwide.
Pierre Richard
Pierre owns the school’s Contessa 32 berthed in Nanaimo BC
he is an emergency room physician, calm under pressure, practical,and deeply safety oriented.
Pathway to Offshore Skipper
from first lesson to Ocean Passage
Whether you want to:
learn to sail for the first time
charter internationally
purchase your own yacht
prepare for offshore passages
earn yachtmaster certification
Step 1
Basic Cruising
5 days zoom classes- theory
3 days live aboard afloat
$800 Canadian
Step 2
Intermediate cruising and ICC
6 days zoom class theory
6 days afloat
$600-$1200 Canadian( depends on individual experience )
International certificate of competency - charter vessels up to 24 meters weorldwide
Recognized by insurance companies, power and sail
Step 3
Coastal — Offshore—Ocean
ten days classroom
up to 14 days afloat
$2400 Canadian
We depart Victoria, sail west into the Pacific, train using modern electronics—then
return navigating by DR , paper charts, and celestial fixes
This is real offshore training
Contact us
604-315-6733
To discuss your goals
