Have a question or need more info?
Telltales Sailing School, Sailvancouver.ca
Hugh Blackman
778.839.4705
Hugh Blackman has been a CYA, Sailing instructor for 20 years and professional educator M Ed.
He is available for consultation to guide you through your plans for sailing, ensuring a safe, fun boating experience.
email for more info: mailto:[email protected]
Sailing lessons in Vancouver, BC aboard a Catalina 30. Courses follow the Canadian Yachting Association Standards and also the Pleasure Craft Operators Card. Learn to Sail confidently and safely and have a lot of fun!
See what a few of the 'crews' have said:
“ Big thanks for getting this motley crew through the exams and providing an excellent
platform to sail on and launch our burgeoning careers.
I for one learned a tremendous amount and am sincerely grateful for that. GoTelltales!”
Jonathan ( April 2010)
"I just wanted to let you know that I had a great time over the last couple of weeks. You are a very patient and understanding teacher. I would really like to get moving on my intermediate cruising standard.: Alex 2011
"I just wanted to send you an email to thank you for being such a great instructor. Ryan and I learned a lot and had a blast doing it. I really enjoyed the trip over to Bowen Island. Thanks for being so calm and helping me get over my fear of docking a boat." Melissa
"Thanks so much for helping me get to the next level.. on finding an appropriate boat (and slip!) to hone my skills! See you soon." Mei
Hi Hugh, I can't imagine how you could make it better. I appreciate everything you did to help me learn how to sail. Your patience, thoughtfulness, and consideration were very apparent throughout. I had a blast, and the lessons I learned were worth every penny!!! Thanks again." Al
"Best three Sunday's of my life!" Kelly
"Was a great three weeks and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of Telltales Sailing and in comparison to my last experience this was an amazing experience. Although had some confidence with sailing after this course made me aware of what I ultimately want to be doing which is to sail more." Michael
"The classes were excellent... great value, and you even managed to get us a sunny day or two out there :) Thanks again." Garrett
I loved the course! it helped me become more comfortable and knowledgeable about the boat and boating... I'd often crewed and been a passive passenger, but being behind the wheel and trimming the sails was the best feeling... especially when it all came together and the boat hit the "sweet spot" and took off! lots of fun, and I can't wait for the Coastal Navigation Course...
“Lets see, we had great weather, great instruction and a great time. Is that redundancy using great over and over. Well it describes the experience wonderfully. Patient instructor who provided clear instructions, easy to follow. Talked us through each step of the basics (and then MADE US DO IT...learn by doing). Next step is buying a boat and putting my new skills to use EVERY WEEKEND. I feel confident enough to actually take a boat out of its slip now, instead of just wishfully looking at them in the marinas. Look forward to Coastal Navigation this fall, Intermediate Sailing in the spring. Hey why not go all the way to Advanced and Offshore ! ! !
I know which school I will be going to.”
Adrian April 2009
“There wasn’t enough space on the comment form to accurately describe our experience . . . you put together a most enjoyable and educational package! Tracy and I are very excited to put our skills to use on our own boat and begin a life-long journey of making memories on the water. The instruction was very organized and well-paced; it was amazing to see everything come together on our final day on the water, as we became a cohesive crew. Your knowledge and experience allowed us to develop the necessary confidence to embark on our own sailing adventures . . . I look forward to teaching my kids the basics, and providing them with some west coast inspiration. We will certainly recommend you to anyone who asks, and maybe a few who don’t as well. Hopefully you will schedule some intermediate classes in the future (maybe we would be the first students to enroll).
Take care, Jake and Tracy”May 2008
Thanks for a great weekend. I really appreciated the course, and can't wait to get out there again next weekend on our own boat!! Mike (May 2008)
Hi Hugh, I Can't imagine how you could make it better. I appreciate everything you did to help me learn how to sail. Your patience, thoughtfulness, and consideration were very apparent throughout. I had a blast, and the lessons I learned were worth every penny!!!!, Thanks again, Al (May 2008)
Hugh: Thanks. I learned a lot and it will come in handy in the future when I go sailing. I have more confidence in my ability to handle a sailboat. I am sending you pictures that I took when we were sailing. . Jack
Thanks again everyone, for a great learning experience. Thanks Hugh for sharing your amazing knowledge with us.
Cheers, Rosario
Paul and crew July 08
- Everybody learned a lot about sailing and we feel comfortable taking a boat out on our own.
- We all can't wait to charter boats and explore the region around Vancouver per water.
- Your approach of teaching theory in combination with practical hands on the water worked really well.
- Marie and I are seriously interested in moving forward with some intermediate courses, we will check out your website frequently.
To sum it up: We really enjoyed the weekend and thank you for teaching us how to sail!
I had such a good time on board with you guys.
Thanks Hugh for the excellent teaching and sharing your experience with us.
Bon vent et bonne voile,
Fabrice (April 2010)
Big thanks to Hugh for getting this motley crew through the exam/s and providing an excellent platform to sail on and launch our burgeoning careers. I for one learned a tremendous amount and am sincerely grateful for that. Go Telltales!
Kind regards,
Jonathan ( April 2010)
Thanks for that Hugh, and thanks everyone for a great time.
The classes were excellent...great value, and you even managed to get us a sunny day or two out there :)
Thanks again,
Garrett. ( April 2010)
Was a great 3 weeks and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of Telltale Sailing and in comparison to my last experience this was an amazing experience.
Although had some confidence with sailing after this course made me aware of what I ultimately want to be doing which is to sail more. Michael (April 2010)