Fun, Learning and Safety! We know that everyone requires all three to grasp the sailing fundamentals and want to come back for more.
We are experienced sailors and ASA Outstanding Instructors who know how to tune in to each sailor's individual learning style. All of our instructors have taught previously in other areas than keelboat sailing. Many instructors and instructor evaluators firmly believe that a good instructor should be able to teach couples, families and children effectively. So we teach everyone who will sail together to be a team, together on the sailboat, not separately.
Our sailboats are well maintained and equipped with safety and navigation equipment well in excess of the requirements. Our Hunter 295s have depth sounders, DSC/AIS equipped VHFs and moving map GPS chartplotters. PFD use is mandatory dockside and on the water. We utilize checklists to assure that nothing important is overlooked just like with the airlines. All our sailboats have towing arrangements so that we and our sailors don't have to press a bad situation because of the worry of the cost of assistance.
Our goal is to provide superior training and sailing experiences for couples, families and solo sailors. We understand that we must ensure safety, learning and fun as the core of our operations to promote improvement of sailing skills and the desire to excel. In St. Petersburg, Florida we offer year-round courses and charter. We standardized on Hunter 295 sailboats to provide stable, easy-to-sail platforms without sacrificing comfort or speed. We also typically include other items not found in this class of sailboats to provide additional comfort and safety.
Gary Wall is SmarterSail's owner/chief instructor and was recognized as one of ASA's Outstanding Instructors for 2014. Gary was previously a professional pilot and flight instructor. He brings many of the teaching methods that work in that demanding environment to sailing. He teaches ASA courses from Basic Keelboat Sailing to Advanced Coastal Cruising (ASA 101-106). He has sailed extensively in the Caribbean, coastal Atlantic and Gulf as well as captained sailboat deliveries ranging from the Caribbean, New York Harbor to the limits of the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways. He always states that, "if you need one, you have to have two".
At sailing’s peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s, more than 5 percent of Americans sailed, and 78 percent of the time it was in family groups. Today, fewer than 2 percent of Americans sail, and less than 10 percent of the time it is in family groups.
The current trend shows that many of those in youth sailing programs give it up when they hit the job market. And many continue or begin their sailing when those economic pressures subside in later life. At SmarterSail we want to get and keep the family sailing. Whether that is on a family vacation in Florida or a week-long cruise in the Virgin Islands we want to provide the skills and confidence to take you loved ones sailing in safety.
We believe the American Sailing Association (ASA) training format allows efficient, focused and relevant training to be a safe sailing Captain. Our mission at SmarterSail is to train Captains, not just Sailors.
You’ll notice that all our pictures are of our sailboats, sailors and destination sails. We work with the reality of sailing to reach your dreams. We do have fun with dock-n-dines and you can stay aboard your sailboat. Sunset and wine in the cockpit is a great way to wind down from a day sailing. Besides, you came to get the whole experience.