Women Centered Training & Coaching

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Marla Hedman is widely recognized as one of the region's most sought-after sail, power and catamaran instructors. She has taught hundreds of students who now sail and power boat on adventures throughout the world.

For more than 20 years, Marla has taught, coached and lead flotillas in B.C., Washington State, Turkey, Corsica, Sardinia, Croatia, British Virgin Islands & the Sea of Cortez. Focusing on creating "conscientious skippers" - her goal is to create a happy & safe mindset for everyone aboard. 

Marla is an active member of the women's sailing community, including Women Who Sail, and appears as a frequent speaker and trainer throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Marla is available for speaking engagements, flotillas, deliveries, coaching for teams & new boat owners, & instruction at all levels on sail, power & catamaran.

 Elizabeth started sailing with her husband Max with RYA while in the UK as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. After 23 years in the military, they decided it was time to begin an adventure they could share with their two young children. Selling their house and purging their possessions, they set sail from Anacortes, WA to Victoria BC - via the South Pacific - adding a long-awaited third baby to the family along the way. Over the course of their 7-year family adventure - with the new baby born in Mexico turning 6 when they returned to Sidney, B.C. - they visited French Polynesia, Fiji, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, and ten other countries, traveling some 36,000 nm together.

As engineers and former cruisers, Elizabeth and Max understand the attention to detail necessary to coach buyers through the selection process, helping to clarify requirements and mitigate risk at each step. With clients in 18 different countries, states, or provinces (and counting) they have a proven track record of helping people get that once in a lifetime boat, at the right price, in the right condition, anywhere in the world. 

Today, she and Max focus on helping others turn their sailing dreams into reality.  Max is a Certified Professional Yacht Broker and Elizabeth is a popular speaker and seminar leader.  

Learn more about them at their podcast  and blog. 

Tracy is the founder and principle of Voyage Makers Coastal Adventures Ltd.. She became a passionate sailor, delivery skipper and instructor based on her own journey in sailing, vessel deliveries and boat ownership that began in 2000. 

Since that time, she has owned three sailboats, is the current owner of an offshore cruising sailboat Valerie May (named after her mom), a Hylas 54 that she cruises with friends and family throughout the Pacific Northwest. 

Since 2020, she has worked with hundreds of clients seeking to purchase power and sailboats and bareboat charter to gain competence and confidence. In addition to speaking engagements and seminars, Tracy is an  active member of the women's recreational boating community, including Women Who Sail, where she works with many others to promote women boating and community.  

Tracy is available for speaking engagements, flotillas, deliveries, coaching and instruction worldwide.

Shirline Wilson leads our Executive Leadership programming, infusing all of our programming with best-practice principles of leadership trainings to ensure that our students become confident and competent skippers who bring out the best in their crews.

Shirline also leads programs focused on the needs of executives, business owners and others seeking to make long-lasting change within themselves, their businesses and their communities.

Her success in developing strategic thought partnership centers on emotional intelligence research to shape business and policy strategy for corporations and organizations of all sizes. 

We welcome inquiries to create a custom program for you and your team at locations throughout the Pacific Northwest.