Sailcraft
The Sailing School / Adventure Cruise Centre

Who are we:
We are an established, professional Sailing School in Vancouver B.C. providing Adventure Cruises and Sailing Instruction in exquisite locations along the West Coast of Canada.  Sailcraft, a CYA and ISPA member school, was founded to provide a smaller, more personal format of individualised sailing instruction while we explore areas of B.C. that few charterers ever see
     We are an owner operated sailing school  making available Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Offshore, and Racing sailing instruction. It is our goal to provide everyone aboard our yachts with the best sailing experience of their life.  We specialise in introducing people who have never been on a boat before to sailing and in addition, can challenge all abilities with programmes up to and including Ocean Racing.
     Our company is somewhat unusual in that we do not sail “charter” boats.  When you sail with Sailcraft, you are not  just a student or client but rather a guest aboard our yachts TURICUM, a C&C 44  and CREW’S CONTROL, a Windward 32.  These yachts were purchased because they are very fast, comfortable boats built to the highest standards of strength and safety.   Both yachts are equipped with full electronics, freezer, hot & cold pressure water, diesel heater, and the very latest sailing equipment and safety gear. 
     Our Skipper / Instructors are professionals. Sailing is not their summer or holiday job -- it is their full time job. Both have been sailing for more than 25 years and have logged more than 60,000 sailing miles.
     At Sailcraft, we take pride in building our programmes around our clients.  Within our cruises, we put together the course that you need.  It is not a matter of you having to go to a specific location when you are doing a Basic or Intermediate.  You decide where you wish to go and it is our job to see that you obtain the appropriate instruction.  
     Our programmes are all inclusive.  We supply – at no extra cost – towels, pillows, bedding, and sheets.    The only extras you may wish to bring would wine/beer for your evening meal.  Even when providing all inclusive cruises, the cost of our programmes is very competitive.   With Sailcraft you are often sailing for several additional days compared to a course with another company at the same cost.
     Our courses are liveaboard courses. We think that the best way for learning about sailing is on a boat rather than in a classroom. In addition to the instruction on the water, informal discussions and reviews take place in the social context of the evening. Over a period of a week or more, this additional information provides a wealth of background for further cruises.

Warren Hale, (Hale) first became involved with boats at the age of 6 when he "borrowed" a 14ft. canoe. Although he was unable to sit down for a week, his passion for boats was undiminished. He spent most of his summers on a large lake in B.C. where he learned how to rebuild outboard motors and built his first boat.

Hale was introduced to the world of sail in 1961 and made the transition by crewing on various boats for about 10 years until he got his first sailboat. He also moved into the area of boating instruction at this time proctoring and instructing with Canadian Power Squadron.

In 1975 Hale founded Windward Marine Ltd. where more than 120 boats between 24ft. and 45ft. were built over 8 years.

The next several years were spent crewing on boats of various sizes, the construction of a new boat, and getting into the racing scene. In 1992, after a 2nd trip to Alaska, he started the process of obtaining his formal teaching certificate by qualifying for his Basic Instructors level. 1993 brought Intermediate Instructor's certification, an instructors position with a large boating center in Vancouver, the founding of Sailcraft and the start of a new racing programme which was highlighted with a division win in the Swiftsure International Yacht Race.
1994 saw the racing programme flourish with wins in virtually every race ending up with Vancouver Rowing Club, Boat/Skipper of the Year. Hale also earned his Advanced Instructors certificate.

The last several years has seen the steady expansion of Sailcraft, the acquisition of Turicum, our C&C 44, several Vic-Maui races, and ISPA certification to Offshore and the Instructor Evaluator level.

Total Coastal Miles 52,000+
Total Offshore Miles 30,000+