Aaron Bandstra NAMS-CMS has been working in the marine industry since 1999, first as a shipwright and later as a boatyard manager. In 2019 he began working under the mentorship of surveyor Matt Harris, NAMS Retired Life Member, benefiting from Matt’s extensive experience and thorough approach, later taking over the company when he retired. Aaron has some offshore experience, but mainly inshore sailing experience exploring Washington and British Columbia waters in his Scandinavian 32.

American Sailing is the nation’s leading sailing education organization, dedicated to helping people become safer, more confident sailors. Through expert instructors, trusted certification standards, and online educational content, American Sailing provides practical training for sailors of every experience level.

Teresa Carey & Ben Eriksen Carey are seasoned maritime professionals and co-owners of Morse Alpha Expeditions, a renowned coastal and offshore sail-training program. Teresa is a US Coast Guard licensed captain, educator, and accomplished media producer. Her experience includes captaining diverse vessels—schooners, motor yachts, sailing yachts, and even a lobster boat—and teaching for sea programs like Outward Bound. Teresa’s solo offshore sailing and her work as a science journalist, and experience teaching high school, college, and on-the-water enrich her teaching with practical and scientific insights. Ben holds a 200 Ton Oceans US Coast Guard Master's License and a 500 Ton Mate of Towing credential. His extensive maritime career spans schooners, tugboats, sailing and motor yachts, with expertise as captain, mate, and beyond. A lifelong waterman and marine biology graduate, Ben brings a deep understanding of seamanship and safety to his instruction. Together, Ben and Teresa have sailed thousands of nautical miles, co-founded Morse Alpha Expeditions, and produced engaging sailing media including podcasts, like the Morning Muster Sailing Podcast, and documentaries. Their combined hands-on experience and passion for education make them exceptional instructors for this online class. This past summer, Morse Alpha Expeditions — historically based in the Northwest Atlantic — completed a transatlantic crossing and multiple Mediterranean passages, all with student crew aboard. In 2027, our voyages will carry us across the Mediterranean and north to the UK. Enroll now and come learn by doing. MorseAlpha.com.

Ben Martin is the Chief Operating Officer and a Sailing Instructor for Nautilus Sailing, an American Sailing school focused on liveaboard sailing courses in exotic destinations. Ben grew up in northern Maine, picked up his racing habit Newport RI, sailed up and down the east coast for a while, and bounced around the Mediterranean and Caribbean as a charter yacht captain before focusing on sailing instruction. Passionate about helping his students learn a new sport, or an old salt hone some skills, he loves being on the water watching his students transform into true sailors. A former engineer, he now spends his time with his family at home and traveling when he is not sailing and instructing. His areas of sail expertise are the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexico, and French Polynesia.

Bill Gladstone is the director of education at North U and author of the North U Trim, North U Tactics, and North U Cruising books. Bill has been teaching sailing for over 40 years. Graduates of his courses are sailing with confidence and winning races the world over.

Captain Bob Figular is an experienced mariner and the founder of Mariners Learning System, a leading provider of online courses for obtaining U.S. Coast Guard-approved captain's licenses. After selling a previous business and taking on a life-changing voyage around the world aboard his catamaran, Bob realized the importance of proper seamanship training. Inspired by his own challenges on the open sea, he pursued a 100-Ton Master’s license and later established Mariners Learning System in 2002. His goal was to create a more comprehensive and accessible education platform for aspiring captains, emphasizing real knowledge over rote memorization. Today, his innovative system offers flexible, online-based training for mariners across the country, helping thousands achieve their captain’s licenses safely and effectively.

Carolyn Shearlock has cruised for 17 years. Carolyn is a big proponent of making boat life easier by sharing information with others. Her website, The Boat Galley, focuses on all the "living on a boat" skills that aren't part of learning to sail or operate a boat yet play a significant role in the lives of new cruisers.

Chris Bedford’s career has spanned decades where he has provided his expertise to the best sailors in the world. America’s Cups, around the World Races, Olympics, oceanic Record attempts – Chris has done it all. He is a recognized leader in his industry and was the youngest person to ever receive the American Meteorological Society’s “Certified Consulting Meteorologist” status. His engaging teaching style and wry sense of humor make him a popular speaker in the field. At Marine Weather University, Chris has created a unique curriculum designed for sailors that is at a “university” level.

As the son of a son of a sailor, Chris started out by rebuilding a broken sailing dinghy he found under a tree. As a kid, he taught himself to sail by reading books. As an adult, he bought a Hunter 30 and went sailing on Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho. But that wasn’t enough. He earned his Coast Guard Captain's license, quit his day job, and started teaching Coast Guard licensing. That still wasn’t enough. He became an American Sailing (ASA) instructor, sold everything he owned, and moved to the Caribbean. He taught sailing in St. Vincent and ran the school for a few years before he started LTD Sailing “Living The Dream!” in 2013. His sailing resume includes deliveries from Washington to Alaska, down the coast to Mexico, from the Caribbean to New York, and all over the Caribbean. Living through a Cat 3 hurricane in St. Vincent and a Cat 4 hurricane in Grenada, he has a profound respect and understanding of the elements. Chrystal discovered sailing as an adult. Becoming single and free in 2004, she enrolled in a weekend sailing course just to be able to get out on the water and try something new. She was hooked! While answering an ad for a sailboat listed in the company newsletter, she met Chris. In 2013, she quit her job, sold her house, and moved to the Caribbean to start LTD Sailing “Living The Dream!” with Chris. Now she spends her time sailing up and down the Southern Caribbean, racing in regional regattas, and living the dream!

The Aqua Map Team develops digital navigation tools designed to help recreational boaters plan routes and access useful navigational information while underway. During this class, the team will demonstrate how current information can be incorporated into the navigation process using real-world cruising examples. Ted Arisaka  is an experienced navigator on the Intracoastal Waterway and longtime Aqua Map beta tester. Ted will bring a cruiser's perspective to the class and share practical examples of how navigational information can influence route planning and decisions on the water.

Cliff and Rachael Wilson are the owners of Belize Sailing Vacations, a leading all-inclusive sailing charter company based in Belize City. Cliff, an ASA Master Instructor, grew up in the heart of San Francisco’s sailing scene and has been racing and sailing internationally since 1980, logging thousands of miles from the Pacific to the Caribbean. With more than two decades of experience sailing Belize’s waters, he is known for teaching sailors the skills, confidence, and seamanship needed to explore safely and enjoyably. Rachael joined the business in 2011 after a decade-long corporate marketing career in London and a period of travel through South America that deepened her passion for exploration. She oversees guest services, charter operations, and marketing while also running her Belize travel concierge company, Absolute Belize. Together, Cliff and Rachael share a passion for sailing, hospitality, and helping travelers discover the magic of Belize’s barrier reef, remote cayes, and vibrant marine life.

Craig “Smilie” Smith is PredictWind’s weather routing specialist. With over 120,000 offshore miles as a former Round the World Ocean Race sailor, offshore racing champion, and seasoned delivery skipper, Craig brings decades of practical experience helping sailors make better decisions at sea. He works closely with cruisers around the world, helping them use weather forecasting and routing tools to plan safer, more enjoyable passages.

With over 10 years of Marine Insurance experience, Curtis McKeon is an independent agent with a primary focus on Commercial Marine and Yacht Insurance. With his knowledge of coverage and market conditions, Curtis structures custom insurance solutions for his clients tailored to their unique operations and risk. Curtis resides in Newport RI. You will commonly meet Curtis while attending various industry events and boat shows across the country connecting with his clients and industry partners. The Hilb Group was founded in 2009, Hilb Group is a Top 25 middle market independent insurance broker. Hilb Group offers expertise in property & casualty, ocean marine, employee benefits, and retirement services to business and individuals throughout the nation. The HILB Group is the Program Manager for the HarborGuard Insurance Program. HarborGuard is designed for Boating Schools, Charter Fleets and Boat Clubs. HarborGuard is the insurance solution for many of American Sailing Association Schools Nationwide

Darren and his wife Amanda have racked up over 40,000NM, sailing the Viking route across the Northern Atlantic to Greenland and the U.K., navigating to the edges of the Mediterranean Sea, and completing two circumnavigations of the northern Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the Caribbean. In these sailing expeditions, they have grown an appreciation for and love for the sea. Now they share that love with their sail training business Outer Passage, where they host adventurous souls who are multihull curious aboard a Balance 526 performance sailing catamaran.

Dave Perry is a North U Coach & 2024 US Olympic Sailing Team Rules Advisor and has been racing and coaching his whole life. He was a two-time collegiate All American and National Champion, and is a five-time US match racing national champion. He has coached Youth, Women and Open Adult sailors of all levels, including Youth World Champions, Women’s Olympians, and several America’s Cup teams. He is the chairman of the US Sailing Appeals Committee, and was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2020. He is the Rules Advisor to the 2024 US Olympic Sailing Team.

Dimitris Bampakos is a former Captain of the Greek Navy. Most of his 26 years of service in the Navy was at sea as a captain, executive officer, and deck officer on board frigates and fast patrol boats where he did more than 200.000 miles all over the world. He first learned how to sail when he was a midshipman at the Greek Naval Academy. After his last command on board a warship in 2006, he started cruising and racing every summer in the Aegean and lonian Seas in Greece. When serving in the USA from 2013 to 2016, he completed successfully all the American Sailing certifications and became an ASA instructor up to the offshore ocean passage level (ASA 208). Since then he has become an Instructor Evaluator. Dimitris has cruised and raced in Chesapeake Bay as well as in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific Ocean. He has been an instructor at Flagship Sailing School located in Ruskin, Florida and he has taught sailing, seamanship, and navigation. In March 2019 he founded Fair Winds Sailing Greece which is an official American Sailing School based on the island of Corfu Greece. Captain Dimitris Bampakos also holds a masters in Electronic System Engineering and has taught radar and naval communications systems at a postgraduate level since 2000.

Ed Tillett is a lifelong sailor, yachtsman, and explorer. As editor-in-chief of Waterway Guide Media, his background in instructional design and media have served to help transition the 80 year old publishing company into a leading provider of information and content that promotes safe boating, travel, and adventure. His informative and lively treatment of the topics offer an easy to understand and meaningful experience for Attendees.

Elbert Ashbaugh is a Physicist and Computer Scientist who has sailed and taught sailing for over 30 years during his US and European career in high technology and management. Retired from Silicon Valley, he is the Director of Field Operations for American Sailing where he works worldwide coordinating ASA with the owners, instructors, and administrators in the sailing schools who all contribute to keeping the sailing education profession first rate.

Erica Georgaklis grew up sailing in New England and later settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she now manages Port Townsend Sails. With extensive cruising experience on both coasts, and offshore miles in Mexico and Scotland, Erica brings a rich background in sailmaking and seamanship. After working under legendary sailmaker Carol Hasse, Erica continues to share her deep knowledge of sail construction and trim with passionate cruisers around the world.

Gio & Julie Cappelli are both graduates of Skagit Valley College’s Marine Maintenance Technology Program and are USCG licensed Masters. They have sailed more than 20,000 miles through the Pacific aboard their Malӧ 39 and are both owners of Pelagic Blue Cruising Services, where they help cruisers prepare themselves and their boats for offshore cruising. In addition to running Pelagic Blue, they teach offshore cruising workshops with John Neal of Mahina Offshore Services. When they’re not at sea you can find them planning their next big offshore cruise and helping their clients get ready to set sail for distant shores. Gio is an ABYC certified Marine Diesel Engines and Marine Systems Technician. He’s been working on cars, boats, and houses for decades and previously worked as a fish biologist and motorboat operator instructor for the Department of Interior. He loves a good mechanical or electrical challenge and is a champion spearfisherman. His life goal is to spearfish in every ocean on the planet. Brrr! Julie used to be terrified of electricity but is now ABYC certified in Marine Electrical and a NMEA certified Electronics and NMEA2000 Installer. She’s been trying to grow a set of gills her entire life, and has worked as a marine biologist, scuba instructor, and expedition leader. She loves a good electrical or cruising logistics challenge and is an absolute genius when it comes to tracking down the gremlins hiding in your boat’s networks. Her life goal is to meet every species of whale in every ocean on the planet. There are about 94 currently recognized species and so far, she's got 16!

Captain Harley has extensive experience working on a variety of vessels, including sailing vessels, government research vessels, fishing and crabbing vessels, SCUBA diving charters, and commercial luxury yacht charters. He owns a boating education company, called ‘How to Boating’, teaching new boat owners how to properly handle, manage, and care for their new boat. His expertise spans a wide range of sizes, from 10-foot sailing crafts to 130-foot yachts. He is passionate about sharing the knowledge he has gained with anyone eager to learn the ins and outs of the boating industry.

With three young children, Behan and Jamie sailed Totem, their Stevens 47, South from Puget Sound in 2008. Trading a hectic suburban life for family adventure cruising in Mexico and the South Pacific was meant to be for 3 to 5 years; but 16 years, one circumnavigation, 48 countries, and 65,000 drama-free miles later, they are still cruising full time. Along their way around the world, Behan has developed her informative blog at sailingtotem.com into a leading resource for cruising inspiration and know-how. She also co-authored the acclaimed guide, Voyaging With Kids. Meanwhile, Jamie's mechanical expertise complements Behan's lifestyle communication. Serving as a proficient sailmaker, designer, and rigger, he is also well-versed in various other onboard technical skills. Together, Jamie and Behan present on multiple topics at Cruisers University and other boat shows and are frequent contributors to Cruising World magazine, all while also managing a coaching service to support thousands of fellow cruisers. Their expert guidance is broad ranging, from boat selection and cruising economics to routing, provisioning, and technical troubleshooting post-departure.

Jeff has been actively sailing for over 45 years and Jean has been sailing since she was 12 years old. Both Jeff and Jean have extensively cruised the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida on their Skye 51. Jeff holds an Electrical Engineering degree and has worked with almost all forms of electronic navigation from B-52 Inertial Navigation systems to modern integrated Nav Suites. Jean is a retired Accredited Marine Surveyor, and was a member of the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors and ABYC Standards Certified. Both Jeff and Jean are 100GT Masters and ASA Certified Sailing Instructors. Over 15 years ago, Jeff and Jean founded Two Can Sail to address the unique needs of couples cruising and to assist in couples realizing their sailing dreams. Together they help couples gain the perspectives and tools needed to safely pursue the cruising lifestyle while having fun and staying together!

Jeffrey Isaac, PA-C is a veteran offshore sailor, outdoor educator, and medical professional with decades of experience in emergency medicine and remote rescue. He is the author of The Outward Bound Wilderness First-Aid Handbook and Wilderness and Rescue Medicine, both used worldwide by Wilderness Medical Associates International. Jeff is the lead instructor for The Offshore Emergency Medicine Course, now in its 30th year of training sailors and marine professionals to confidently manage medical emergencies at sea.

Accomplished Sailor and Best Selling Author, Jimmy Cornell has sailed over 200,000 miles in all oceans of the world including three circumnavigations as well as voyages to Antarctica and the Northwest Passage. Thousands of sailors have fulfilled their dream of blue water sailing with the help of his books. As the founder of the ARC transatlantic rally, Jimmy Cornell is credited with having devised the offshore cruising rally concept. In the last 35 years, Jimmy Cornell has organised 36 transatlantic, two transpacific, five round the world rallies and one round the world race with over 4,000 boats and 18,000 sailors having participated in his sailing events. Besides the ARC, which continues to be the largest transocean event in the world, equally successful were the America 500 Columbus anniversary rally in 1992, the Hong Kong Challenge round the world race in 1996, the Expo 98 event commemorating the historic voyage of Vasco da Gama in 1498, the Millennium Odyssey in 1998-2000 and the Blue Planet Odyssey in 2014-2017. His latest project is the World Odyssey 500 round the world rally due to finish in June this year. Jimmy Cornell is the author of 20 books, some of which have been translated into several languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian and Japanese. Thousands of sailors have fulfilled their dream of blue water cruising with the help of Jimmy Cornell’s books, among them World Cruising Routes. Now in its 9th edition, it is described as the bible of long-distance voyagers. With over 250,000 copies sold to date, this is one of the best-selling nautical publications in the world.

John Neal’s 400,000 offshore miles include six Cape Horn roundings plus expeditions to Antarctica, Africa, Australia, and Spitsbergen. Since 1976, John’s passion has been sharing his ocean cruising knowledge through 204 sail training expeditions aboard Mahina Tiare III, a Hallberg-Rassy 46 and various other yachts. John is author, co-author or contributing author of 17 books including Log of the Mahina. When John’s not at sea leading sail-training expeditions he teaches Mahina Offshore Cruising Workshops and offers boat purchase consultation services. Details on mahina.com

John is a Senior Marine Specialist at Garmin International with extensive experience in marine electronics and navigation technology. Drawing on his deep knowledge of Garmin’s products and real-world boating applications, he helps boaters make the most of modern navigation tools through practical instruction, expert insights, and hands-on guidance that builds confidence both at the helm and on the water.

Kim Walther, an instructor at St. Augustine Sailing, boasts a 100-ton near coastal (offshore) USCG captain’s license with sailing and towing addendums. With 33 years of teaching experience (having taught over 3,000 students), she attributes her mastery to diverse experiences and continual skill refinement. Recognized as an ASA instructor of 101, 103, 104, 105, 114, 116 and 118 and honored ASA Instructor of the Year, Kim has refined her expertise through an impressive accumulation of over 10,000 practice hours. Her passion for sailing extends to classes, charters, deliveries, and races (both inland and offshore). Kim has experience operating various vessels including, currently, 21'6" Hunter sloops as well as Jeanneau 349 sloops, Jeanneau 41’ and 44’ sloops, a Lagoon 44 catamaran, and even a 49-passenger pontoon boat with twin 200 hp engines.

Kristen Berry is a performance sailing coach, North U instructor, and Director of American Sailing Performance — with years of experience turning sailors into faster, more confident racers on the Chesapeake Bay and beyond. He has competed at the club, regional, and national levels and brings a coach’s eye and a sailor’s instincts to everything he teaches. Kristen’s approach blends technical precision with real-world application: he doesn’t just explain what to do, he explains why it works — and what to do when it doesn’t. When he’s not on the water or in front of a classroom, he’s probably trimming something on some boat somewhere.

Captains Andy Batchelor and Lisa Batchelor Frailey are both life-long sailors and retired military officers. Andy served in the Royal Air Force in aviation and intelligence, and Lisa served in the US Navy in aviation, meteorology and oceanography – a combination of skills which have proved very useful to sailing and passagemaking. They founded and operated Sail Solomons ASA school and charter base, receiving numerous awards for ASA Outstanding School and Outstanding Instructors.Andy and Lisa wrote ASA’s textbooks for Bareboat Cruising and Catamaran Cruising, and are the primary contributors to ASA’s Advanced Cruising and Seamanship text.

Margaret Pommert is V.P. for Safety at Sea for The Sailing Foundation, which developed the Lifesling. She chairs the Hanson Rescue Medal, a national award which recognizes lifesaving at sea. Margaret has gathered lessons learned from hundreds of boaters directly involved in man-overboard incidents. She has partnered in overboard research with leading boating organizations, and her expertise is featured in a variety of publications. Margaret’s credentials include: Master Instructor for both Sail and Power, Vessel Emergency Drill Instructor, Boat Rental Safety for Charter Companies, Life Jacket Wear Rate Observational Study team leader, Lifesling Master Instructor.

Nick Olson has sailed for 40 years, including dinghies, olympic classes, 2-handed offshore racing. Nick has worked at PredictWind for 8 years and has been involved with the software development of the Offshore App and customer education over this time.

Nicolas Authier began his sailing journey in June 1977, navigating an Invitation dinghy at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. He later sailed a 1984 Kelt 8.50 on Lake Champlain in upstate New York. Over the years, he became an avid windsurfer on the lakes around Montreal, later expanding his skills to the Caribbean and Maui. During this period, he also sailed high-performance 20-foot catamarans. There is never enough sailing in Nic’s life. After 11 years of service as a CC-130H pilot in the Canadian Air Force, he purchased a brand-new Bavaria Cruiser 40 in 2013 and set off on new adventures. He has extensively sailed the U.S. East Coast and the Mediterranean Sea, from Sicily to Gibraltar. His voyages include a North Atlantic crossing and a Pacific journey from Panama to California via the Galapagos Islands. And countless trips from California to Mexico and the Sea of Cortez In 2019, after completely refitting Paradigme 2.0 and waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic to subside, Nic embarked on a voyage from Mexico to French Polynesia, then to Hawaii, and finally back to California. Throughout his oceanic journeys, Nic has leveraged his robust sailing skills, honed through years of small boat and windsurfing experience, combined with his professional aviation background, to accomplish safe and successful ocean passages. He loves sharing his knowledge and experience through online classes and onboard sailing lessons.

Nigel Calder and his wife, Terrie, have built or owned a succession of boats on which they have cruised extensively in the Caribbean, the U.S., and Europe, with Pippin (now aged 38) and Paul (37) augmenting the crew along the way. For decades, Nigel has experimented with advanced electrical and propulsion systems, with funding from the European Union, the UK government, and a large U.S. corporation. Nigel has partnered with OceanPlanet Energy in Bath, Maine, to continue the development of advanced solar panels, alternators, and controllers. Nigel is a thirty-year veteran of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) which writes the standards for recreational boat electrical systems. He is best known for his Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual, now in its 4th edition, and his Marine Diesel Engines, in its 3rd edition. In addition to hundreds of magazine articles, he has also authored a Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean, Cuba: A Cruising Guide, Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook, How to Read a Nautical Chart, and a memoir of his family’s first long cruise titled Shakedown Cruise. His most recent venture is a partnership to provide detailed and accurate online marine technical education at www.BoatHowTo.com. Currently available are courses in Basic Marine Electrics (BE 101) and Advanced Marine Electrics. Just released is a course on Diesel Engine Maintenance. Jan co-founded BoatHowTo.com with Nigel to share comprehensive knowledge about boat electrics and mechanics with a broader audience. Holding a PhD in computer science, Jan brings valuable expertise to this online class as a moderator. His experience as a full-time liveaboard and operator of an online boat supplies shop in Germany will add practical insights to the discussion.

Nikki is one of the most experienced and influential offshore and ocean skippers you will come across. For over a decade, Nikki has coached, skippered and led amateur crews in the most extreme offshore and ocean races in the world. That includes leading her team to a victorious 2nd place in the Clipper Round the World Race, just two days after her 25th birthday. She then sailed halfway around the world again, this time skippering the infamous Maiden throught the pirate infested waters of East Africa on the first leg of her world tour. You might have seen her on Sailing La Vagabonde’s Youtube Channel, where she supported the couple on their unseasonal Atlantic Crossing to deliver young Greta Thunberg to the climate conference in Europe. Or maybe you followed her on one of her numerous other ocean adventures: 12 Atlantic crossings, a Sydney Hobart, three RORC Caribbean 600 races, 2 Rolex Fastnet races and even 2 entries into the Race-to-Alaska’ races, one of which she won. Nikki is a passionate teacher, inspiring leader, motivating speaker and head turning author. She often hosts episodes of On the Wind with 59 North. You can enjoy her regular column in Yachting World in which she steers the hearts and minds of the sailing community. Stay tuned for her upcoming debut book. Be sure to check out Nikki’s most recent project: SALTED: her new ‘learn to sail’ subscriber platform which she describes as: “An unpretentious, upbeat community inspired by sailing. A newsletter that will empower you, and educate you, to think differently about not just how to sail, but also how to live your life.”

Peter Isler is 2x America’s Cup winner, former ESPN commentator and a best selling author. He is a co-founder of the ASA and is the chairman of ASA's Educational Committee. A lifelong teacher, Peter loves sharing his broad knowledge about the sport. His world class sailing experiences around the world have made him an expert on many topics.

Rick Robey is a US Coast Guard Licensed Captain and American Sailing Certified Master Instructor with years of experience teaching sailors how to stay calm and capable when things don’t go as planned. His teaching style focuses on practical skills and clear thinking, helping sailors replace fear with confidence. His goal is simple: prepare you to stay in control of your boat when it matters most.

Samantha Strott & Holly Stringer bring decades of combined experience in recreational and marine finance. Samantha has spent more than 30 years in the marine finance industry, with expertise spanning underwriting, sales, business development, and partner programs that expand financing solutions for power and sail boaters nationwide. Holly brings over a decade of experience in recreational lending across powersports, marine, and RV financing, and is known for building strong customer relationships through clear communication, responsiveness, and a customer-first approach. Together, they are dedicated to making boat ownership more accessible by helping customers navigate the financing process with confidence.

Steve Hunt of San Diego, CA is a professional sailor and coach. With success at the Junior, Collegiate, Olympic, Coaching, and Professional level he has won three World titles and 17 National and North American championships as a sailor. After earning Collegiate All-American twice and winning the College National Championship his senior year, Steve undertook a 7-year Olympic campaign as part of the US Sailing Team in the 470 class where he won multiple National and North American championships in addition to a Bronze medal at the World University Games. He then transitioned into professional sailing and coaching high school. Steve is proud to be the all-time winningest high school coach with 12 national titles in fleet and team racing, and leading individual club teams to championships in the 420 class and Youth Championships. In addition to championships, many of Steve’s sailors have gone on to earn All American honors, College Sailor of the Year titles, and an Olympic Medal.

Tibor Van Den Wildenbergh is the owner of Victoria Sailing School (located in Denver, CO), and actually learned to sail in Colorado. He has over 5000nm of offshore sailing experience and races on J/22s on Wednesday nights. He has been teaching Victoria Sailing School’s Diesel Engine Maintenance course for over 7 years and performs all the maintenance on his own diesel engine (plus ~15 outboard engines). He also winterizes and stores his 12 sailboats every Fall.

Tim Geisler is the founder and lead instructor for Nautilus Sailing, an ASA school focused on offering premium live-aboard sailing courses in exotic destinations around the world. Nautilus Sailing specializes in catamaran courses which have been featured in Cruising World, Yachting World, Sailing World, Forbes, Outside Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, CNBC, and other leading publications. Tim has sailed in cruising grounds all over the world and spends a large portion of his year teaching in Tahiti, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Grenadines, Mallorca, and Croatia. He recently took a 6-month sabbatical to explore the Caribbean on a catamaran with his wife and two kids. He currently calls the little mountain town of Crested Butte, Colorado home, where he enjoys an active lifestyle with his family.