About Nautilus Sailing
Nautilus Sailing is an award-winning American Sailing Association school.
We pride ourselves in having excellent instructors, using the best sailboats available, and offering our courses in some of the most spectacular cruising locations in the world. We prefer getting a little off the beaten track, and leaving room for adventure, as we help people learn to sail.
Nautilus headquarters is currently located in Crested Butte, Colorado. “Colorado?” you might well ask! Yes, we know there isn’t an ocean in Colorado. The beauty of the internet is that offices can be based anywhere. We spend our time teaching sailing in tropical destinations around the world, so decided to run things from a little mountain town, high in the Rockies. When we not working we love enjoying skiing, mountain biking, fly fishing, backpacking and all the amazing outdoor pursuits this area has to offer!
7 Reasons Why Future Captains Prefer Nautilus
- We teach on the newest sailboats in production, so students are learning in small groups, on beautiful new vessels.
- Our top-rated instructors are all excellent teachers first and foremost, and wonderful people to share the week’s adventure with.
- Our trips are great fun. Yes, you are learning, but we make sure that you also get a chance to enjoy the ocean, coves, beaches and wildlife. Every itinerary is packed with amazing experiences.
- We build it around you: if you have a particular date and destination, just ask. If we can put a trip together for you, we will!
- Learning to sail with Nautilus is just the start! Become part of the Nautilus family and join us for alumni trips, flotillas, sailing adventures, and explorations around the world every year.
- Nautilus Sailing is the official and exclusive sailing school for Dream Yacht, the largest sailing company in the world, with 1200 charter boats in over 55 countries. All students receive special discounts off their charters with Dream Yacht Charters!
- There are so many exciting ways to continue your sailing education and to advance your sailing experience. We just want to give you the perfect start.
Janet M
2024-09-25
Nautilus Sailing certification program in Mallorca, Spain
My husband and I did a live-aboard instruction on a 42 foot catamaran Fountaine Pigot (Artemis) with Lindsay Moore through Nautilus Sailing to earn our American Sailing Association certifications 101 (basic) 103 (coastal sailing) 104 (bareboat) and 114 (Catamaran) in Mallorca, Spain 8/24-8/31. It was FANTASTIC! We studied the four books in advance, watched videos and were ready to learn everything Lindsay had to teach us. She was clear, a great teacher, calm, safe and very well prepared. She booked moorings in advance at Cabrera, a gorgeous national park and we had a blast! Mallorca beaches were gorgeous, Lindsay was awesome, and Nautilus Sailing’s programs were very well organized and thoughtfully programmed. Will definitely return to Nautilus sailing programs and would love to be with Lindsay again!
Ed M
2024-09-14
Learning to Sail and Bareboat Charter Catamarans.
Nautilus Sailing was a great choice for my wife and I to learn to sail. Tim and our Captain/Instructor, Lindsay Moore, were fantastic through the entire experience of deciding which courses were right for us, and Lindsay was an excellent and knowledgeable teacher and instructor. She did not just go through the motions, she was invested in making sure we learned the content, technically and practically. We worked and tested daily, and still had a fantastic time around Mallorca and the coast and islands. Lindsay exposed us to everything from calm, beautiful seas to rough seas, big swells, and high winds, all of which were great for learning realistic sailing and decision-making. We will definitely join Nautilus flotillas, and look to do more advanced studies on navigation, with Nautilus, and hopefully with our Captain/Instructor Lindsay Moore. Great experience, great people.
Cruiser36590841603
2024-09-03
Sailing Croatia w/ Nautilus Sailing
I found Nautilus Sailing through a Google search for liveaboard sailing courses and I took a leap of faith by joining a class in Croatia. It turned out to be an amazing experience. I went feeling insecure in my sailing know-how and wanting to come away with new skills and confidence. The instructor and captain, JJ, was terrific. He was able to distill concepts down to layman's terms and make them easy to grasp - both the theory and the doing. The Dalmatian coast was a lovely area to explore by boat for both its nature and history but the highlight was the learning. I just loved every minute of it and can say that I feel like my sailing journey has just begun. Thank you to everyone at Nautilus.. I will be back!
Walid F
2024-09-01
Experience of a lifetime
Wondferful experience, so unique and I learned so much. I went in with literally zero sailing experience and after just one week, I feel so comfortable and confident knowing my way around a sailboat.
Reagan M
2024-07-19
10/10 - Loved Every Minute
We had such a great time with Nautilus. We learned so much and the locations were insane! Our captain was patient, kind, and extremely knowledgeable.
Mike A
2024-05-08
Set Sail with Confidence!
If you're interested in learning to sail, I highly recommend Nautilus Sailing. I approached this adventure with high expectations, aiming to gain enough competence and confidence to begin chartering catamarans. Nautilus not only met but exceeded my expectations. Our instructor, Captain Vinny Mattiola, brought an impressive sailing resume and world-class teaching skills to the course. More than just an instructor, Vinny is an exceptional human being who made the learning process both educational and enjoyable. He possesses extensive knowledge of the Bahamas, including its history, people, and marine life. Additionally, he shared detailed insights into other popular sailing destinations around the world whenever prompted.
Passport62163738011
2024-04-26
Learning how to sail.
Simply an amazing trip. It you want to learn how to sail a catamaran, this is it. The bonus is you get 4 ASA certifications.
Karen A
2024-04-15
Amazing Sailing Course
This was actually our second time to go sailing with Captain Lindsy - she taught our sailing course in Grenada which was spectacular - so we booked another trip to keep learning and requested Lindsy as our captain - We spent a week sailing around BVI Lindsy is the best for teaching and traveling with- she's become a friend and we are already thinking of where we can sail together next !! We have learned so much and have enjoyed our trips. We would recommend Nautilus and sailing with Lindsy - we have confidence in our sailing skills following the course - and the alumni support has been a fantastic bonus as well - it is a fabulous experience you will not regret.
Paul A
2024-04-13
You chance to choose a once in a life time experience.
Beyond expectations. I've been a part of a local sailing school for a while now and Nautilus blew them out of the water. The location, the learning and the camaraderie just made this a lifetime learning experience. I can't recommend Nautilus Sailing enough, if you are on the fence about which school or where to learn, just pull the trigger, it's worth it. This won't be a vacation or a 5-star boat trip, so of that's what you are wanting or expecting then save their time and yours and go somewhere else. If you want to lice and learn the real ins and outs of sailing, then choose Nautilus.
Tonya P
2024-03-05
Fantastic sailing instruction experience
We had such a wonderful time on the Nautilus Sailing live aboard catamaran sailing course. We did the course in the Exumas which were amazingly beautiful. Our Captain, JJ, did a fantastic job teaching us all the sailing basics. He was extremely knowledgeable and patient. He was also a fabulous guide to the area. He showed us many incredible things including a mangrove stream with sea turtles, a sunken plane that had belonged to Pablo Escobar, and Boo Boo Hill.
