Go Sail + American Sailing Alumni Exclusives

During the height of the pandemic, many people hunkered down and stayed home. However, for Matt Krull, this seemed like a perfect time to get away from the stresses of COVID by learning to sail in the clean, fresh air of the Virgin Islands.    “It is something I always wanted to do and I…

William Whitacre found his way to sailing through the military. Not through a deployment but instead, through a veteran’s yacht club. The Chaos Bay Yacht Club. It all began a handful of years ago, one of his military friends invited him out to the invite-only yacht club for a sail to see if he would…

Donna wouldn’t recommend how she learned to sail to any of the students she teaches now. “I learned how to sail by myself,” she laughed. “I put the sails up within a couple weeks of buying [a sailboat in Connecticut] and just figured it out on my own. I bought some books and just tried…

Are you born a sailor or do you become one? Edwin van Es thinks his sailing trajectory may have been destined. “I am Dutch so it’s in the blood, if you will,” he joked.  In 2007, his fate was sealed as a sailor when he met his wife and married into a sailing family. “From…

Merrilee Hertlein had her first introduction to sailing as a young teenager. Her mother had grown up on a sailing lake and made the decision to buy a twelve foot Butterfly sailboat with the hopes of reigniting her own passion for sailing.  At first, the sailboat just sat propped up against the side yard of…

Christi Grindstaff had heard enough about sailing from her friends— it was time to try it herself! “We have friends that have done sailing in the BVI,” she said. “Just hearing their stories and [hearing] how beautiful it is really piqued our interest.” So Christi signed herself, her husband Rick, and her son Lane up…

  Dave Work started sailing about seven years ago and immediately fell in love.  “I went with a buddy of mine, who took me on a charter, and then since that first charter I’ve just kind of gotten hooked,” he said. “I think it was love at first sail. I just loved it.”  Since his…

Nina is all about throwing her husband, Jake, head first into new adventures. “I have never been on a sailboat in my life,” Jake said. “We lived out of a little airplane, a little Cesna, for a while – you know… I had just gotten used to that— and she’s like, ok I think I…

Claire DeDeckere had never stepped foot on a sailboat before her boyfriend, Jalil, invited her down to see him at work in the Virgin Islands.  “I hadn’t ever been sailing as a kid. I grew up in Michigan,” she said. “The sailing culture there is more racers— and powerboats. Mostly powerboats in Michigan.” At first,…

Captain Bob LaBine has been with Go Sail Virgin Island’s since the spring of 2025. However, he is not new to the Go Sail family and he certainly is not new to sailing!  Bob got his start sailing at a family summer cottage six decades ago.  “Everyone had small sailboats and thought that would be…

Nancy Hendrick had always loved kayaking, however, it wasn’t until 2012 that she found her love of sailing.  “That was just the start of a wonderful hobby that just grew and grew,” she said about her first time sailing on the Chesapeake over a decade ago.  One of her friends had told her about a…

Rob Parke is no stranger to catamarans— but sail-powered catamarans? That was a new one for him. “My wife and I had essentially no sailing experience,” Rob Parke said about life prior to sailing with Go Sail Virgin Islands. Rob grew up powerboating with family and friends on lakes in the Midwest and Puget Sound….

Haley Zapal knew she was a sailor long before she ever took the helm of a sailboat. “I’ve always been a lover of nautical fiction and history — I even have a Moby Dick tattoo on my arm,” she said. However, it wasn’t until her late 30s that her love of sailing stories led her…

In college, Thomas Powars found himself lined up as a counselor for a summer camp in Massachusetts. As a kid, Thomas had never been to a summer camp so he didn’t exactly know what to expect but he certainly didn’t expect to find himself sailing.  “I didn’t know it was a sailing camp,” he laughed….

Many sailors start out young but how many sailors have you met that are already aboard a 44 foot yacht as teenagers? “It’s the best boat that I’ve ever been on because… I haven’t been on many boats,” 17 year-old Christian said about sailing with his step dad, Go Sail’s Captain Jalil, as first mate…

Giving Tuesday is a relatively new tradition, but it is catching on in the Virgin Islands and across the world. Sailing charities encourage sailors to help local communities and protect Mother Earth by donating their time or money to various organizations on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.  Now, more VI charities are joining in on the…

The Basics The boat: Phoenix, a 2020 Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 Crew: Captain JT (instructor)   ASA Students: Jeremy, Brenna Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Anchored in Adventure Jeremy and Brenna are all about family adventure with their two daughters,…

The Basics The boat: “Endless Joy”, a 2024 Lagoon 46 Crew: Captain JT (instructor)   ASA Students: Ron and Larien (with Lynn and Lois along for the ride) Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Along for the Ride Captain JT met…

The Basics The boat: Phoenix, a 2020 Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 Crew: Captain JT (instructor)   ASA Students: Andy, Elaine, Daniel, and Sally Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Two Couples’ Cruising Dream Daniel and Sally and Andy and Elaine all…

The Basics The boat: Lucky Fin, a Bali 4.0 catamaran Crew: Captain Trevon (instructor) and First Mate Stephanie   ASA Students: John, David, Doug Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Shared Goals John, David, and Doug were all meeting for the…

The Basics The boat: Lucky Fin, a Bali 4.0 catamaran Crew: Captain Trevon (instructor) and First Mate Stephanie   ASA Students: Jeff, Angel, Kathy, Fred Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic Keelboat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: YouTube Educated Captain Trevon and First Mate Stephanie spent the…

The Basics The boat: Sea Monkeys, a 2002 Fountaine Pajot Elba 45  Crew: Captain JT (instructor)   ASA Students: Brian, Amy, Deanna, Rory, Robert, Seok Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Big Sailing Dreams All three couples arrived at Compass Point…

The Basics The boat: “The Happy Heifer”, 2023 FP Elba 45  Crew: Captain Trevon (instructor) and First Mate Stephanie   ASA Students: Lori, Peter, Jill, Tyler, and William Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Boat Buying Aspirations The crew on…

When you take sailing courses with Go Sail VI, we offer itineraries in both the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. If you plan to visit the BVI, the easiest way to get there is by taking a ferry—once you get to Tortola, you can meet your sailing course instructor at Nanny Cay…

The Basics The boat: Beau Budd, a 2022 Lagoon 46  Crew: Captain Trevon (instructor) and First Mate Stephanie ASA Students: Christi, Rick, and Lane Courses Completed: ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: A Family Affair The students met with Captain Trevon and First Mate Stephanie at Nanny Cay. Christi, Rick, and…

The Basics The boat: Lagoon 46 Crew: Captain Trevon (instructor) and Stephanie (first mate) ASA Students: Dave, Jake, and Nina Courses Completed:   ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Big Sailing Dreams The crew met up for dinner and drinks at Compass Point Marina and swapped…

The Basics The boat: Calypso, a 2023 Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42 Crew: Captain JT (instructor)   ASA Students: Alex Courses Completed: ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran)   Day 1: Staff Trip This trip was a unique one— the crew was all Go Sail VI staff and their families!…

The Basics The boat: Speculation, a 44′ Leopard catamaran  Crew: Captain Jalil (instructor)   ASA Students: Michael, Eric and Crystal  Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: From Powerboats to Sailboats This crew has no shortage of boating knowledge! Captain Jalil spends…

The Basics The boat: Vesper, a 2023 Lagoon 46 catamaran  Crew: Captain JT (instructor)   ASA Students: Rob and Angela Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Settling In Captain JT met Rob and Angela at the Compass Point Marina at 5pm….

The Basics The boat: Good Times & Tan Lines, a 2023 Lagoon 42  Crew: Captain JT (instructor)   ASA Students: Axel, Dina, and Paul Courses Completed:  ASA 101 (Basic KeelBoat), ASA 103 (Basic Coastal Cruising), ASA 104  (Bareboat Cruising), ASA 114 (Cruising Catamaran) Day 1: Touring Good Times & Tan Lines Axel, Dina, and Paul arrived…