we have a new selection of truly unique course opportunities on our fresh page

one more chance to explore the WEST COAST of VANCOUVER ISLAND with us this season!

we still have a couple spots left on our AUGUST 4^th trip starting in UCLUELET for 7 days of spectacular cruising along the west coast including stops in the BROKEN ISLANDS & BAMFIELD before making your way back to our PORT SIDNEY location

build upon your existing sailing skills in this MILEAGE BUILDER program or work towards achieving your INTERMEDIATE certification 
it’s up to you what you would like to achieve during this unique experience

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DATES ADDED ~ ADVANCED COURSES NEW DATES ~ after rave reviews on sold out programs on the pure sailing machine that is ALEGRIA, our new DUFOUR 45e, & a spike in interest, we will be adding another 5 day advanced program later this SEPTEMBER 

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SEPTEMBER 11 - cruise with the DREAMSPEAKER TEAM on the DESOLATION SOUND flotilla ~
join COOPER boating and the authors of the DREAMSPEAKER cruising guide series,  ANN & LAURENCE YEADON-JONES, on a trip of a lifetime



LAURENCE and ANNE YEADON JONES would like to make this flotilla a unique experience where clients feel that they are going on a personal voyage with the DREAMSPEAKER TEAM and where they will share some of their favorite destinations & experiences

with LAURENCE as the coach on this MILEAGE BUILDER program, this cruise is with an instructor but the goals are building up experience at your current level without looking at new material. With Ann, you will learn all the history &details of every bay & island in DESOLATION SOUND without turning a page
                                                                                                                                                  
this trip is 7 days, 7 nights starting and finishing in POWELL RIVER Sept 11th, to book a cabin on ANN & LAURENCE'S  boat please contact our office as soon as possible as we are booking up fast ~ this flotilla currently has 6 boats confirmed but we have room to add a few more if you would like to book your own group on your own private charter

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become an INSTRUCTOR


share your passion for introducing others to the art of sailing this program is for you!  dates for the fall INSTRUCTORS' courses have been set with a condensed 6 day option starting in VANCOUVER on NOVEMBER 5th

for many years, we've had the ability to do SAILING lessons on smaller performance keelboats that blast around the bay & as one graduate put it well" "the boat taught me to sail" - the responsiveness of a pure sailing machine accelerates the learning process

similarly, CRUISING lessons like our popular CRUISE & LEARN allow you to venture off to explore our beautiful coast while enjoying a relaxing pace that is the essence of CRUISING



now, we can take that entry level concepts up to our bigger boat programs - with the recent arrival of ALEGRIA, our DUFOUR 45e, we have a giant sporty boat that will respond quickly to the inputs of the crew - taking sail training to a new level

at the same time, a few people want to continue a relaxed pace & don't obsessively tweak the sails - the lessons are as much about learning to unwind and enjoy the simple pleasures of cruising - the flavour is different and rewarding in a different manner - a great option, but not exacty what you'd experience on our new rocketship

our selection in sailing & cruising courses allows you to jump aboard ALEGRIA & push your boundaries - you should brush up past learning experience & prepare to enjoy two instructors - your certified instructor & a boat whose pedigree makes her a big part of your learning experience as well



alternately, you could turn the learning pace to a simmer and enjoy the relaxed pace of beautiful cruising areas like BARKLEY SOUND on BC'S WEST COAST

don't worry about the destination - when you're on these boats "you're already there"

contact our crew today to arrange your spectacular course - we'd love to help you choose from a variety of unbelievable experiences

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QUICK LINKS:

sailing lessons

advanced on ALEGRIA

offshore on ALEGRIA

CIRCUMNAVIGATE VANCOUVER ISLAND on ALEGRIA


cruising lessons

WESTCOAST ADVENTURES

CRUISING CIRCUMNAVIGATION

ALEGRIA, our new DUFOUR 45e, on path to set a new standard for sail training in CANADA, is approaching CANADIAN WATERS - see this morning's AIS plot as she piggybacks aboard the STAR ISMENE - next time she's off the OREGON COAST, she'll be on her own bottom!!



follow her steps to the ocean on her very own COOPER page 

four days down - last one is our new BC FAMILY DAY ~ what a better way to spend family day could there be than to check out the BOAT SHOW?


we've had the crew from the JIB SET & some of our instructors taking out people for boat rides on power boats and sail boats - gettting the best for boating instruction and sailing instruction as well as our fun filled clubs - our fun centre also has the bbq running from 2-4pm so you can grab a hot dog and some snazzy cupcakes courtesy of goodies2go ~



our office is 44 steps from the floating show entrance



in the floating show, check out the many cool boats, especially the new GREENLINE HYBRID through BOSUN'S YACHT SALES


at BC place, we're at booth 523 



last chance is MONDAY - hope to see you there!

legends in their own time or own minds ~ you decide!

FIRST - he literally wrote the book on putting other things aside to chase the dream of exploring by boat



ADRIAN SPARHAM - one of the best instructors we've ever had the delight to work with & the author of the book "SLOW BOAT FROM CHINA" 

NOW he's taking sailors up a notch with their experiences through an instructional exlporation of the beautiful WEST COAST on a BAVARIA 46 "COULL ENDEAVOUR"  - join him and start changing your life ~ an experience that starts by just meeting this fascinating fellow

short adventure - or - all the way around the island


& THEY'RE BACK

DESOLATION SOUND WITH THE DREAMSPEAKER TEAM



SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

CHECK OUT THE DETAILED ITINERARY HERE

We are finalizing our 2012 course schedule at the moment and have some exciting new programs to unveil.  
Some of our programs have a habit of booking quickly, so we are introducing a few of them here so people can get thinking about them and start planning - contact the office today to enrol:
Advanced Sailing - Inside Passage - Vancouver to Prince Rupert starts June 1
Rally Around Vancouver Island - June 17 Multiple Boats - Do CYA Intermediate, Advanced or Offshore
CYA Intermediate (Caribbean) - Grenadines - Starts January 2012 (details coming soon)
7 Day Advanced Sailing - July 21 Vancouver to Ucluelet or August 11 Ucluelet to Vancouver
7 Day Offshore Sailing - August 4 (Start/Finish Ucluelet)
VHF - January 7  or February 18Coastal Navigation - January 16 or February 13
The remaining courses in 2011 still have openings:
Diesel Course (1 Day) November 20Advanced Diesel Starts November 22

One fun filled evening at our Granville Island sailing school classroom for shore based training followed by up to 4 hours on the water for a total of 7 hours of instruction for the world's best pastime!   

 $139 per person

2011  CLASSROOM DATES (6.30pm to 9.30pm)

Tuesday, April 5   Friday, April 8             Tuesday, April 19             Monday, April 25

Monday, May 9              Monday, May 16         Tuesday, May 24           Monday, May 30

Tuesday, June 7             Friday, June 17           Tuesday, June 14           Monday, July 4

Thursday, July 7           Monday, July 18           Wednesday, July 20       Tuesday, August 2

Thursday, August 11      Tuesday, August 16     Monday, August 22      Friday, August 26

Wednesday, September 7 Tuesday, September 13  Thursday, September 15

At any of of these shore based sessions, we will organize folks into subsequent water based afloat sailing sessions, which will be offered evenings from 5pm to 9pm or dusk (whichever is earlier).  Classroom groups will be divided into on the water sessions offered in the 2 weeks following each shore based session.  

To reserve a space in a classroom session above, please go to our course page for this program.

We are unable to book the water sessions through the office - these reservations are only made at  the classroom sessions. 

Afloat sessions are aboard our Martin 244 pocket cruisers - designed and built locally for maximum sailing fun in Vancouver Harbour.

Visit or email Cooper Boating

Congratulations to Marla Hedman and Stephen DesRoches, our first two TOP FUN instructors - celebrated last night at our annual pre-season instructor meeting.   Marla and Stephen have been working - occasionally as a team as you will see here - to generate spectacular courses here at Cooper.  We have to admit some of their feats can only be described as 'magic' - but keep up the great work and here's hoping the magic dust washes over to the 'runners up' and our new instructors!



We also want to congratulate the batch of 'freshly minted' instructors from the January class under the guidance of David West. 



The November class, led by Oliver Woolcock and James Johnstone were a bit camera shy except for this burn around the bay on a Farr 40.

 

Wait a moment - FARR 40? - perhaps this group is well on their way to TOP FUN status?

This was certainly a fun letter to open recently.   It talks about someone far away signing up for a course here.  We will let it speak for itself, but suffice to say a big THANKS to Marla for making the trip so special. 

Text to follow or click on the image of the letter to open the original. 
 

November 29, 2010

 

Cooper Boating

1815 Mast Tower Road

Canada V6H 3X7

Vancouver, BC

 

Forest Gump made the observation that ÔÇ£Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what youÔÇÖre going to get!ÔÇØ

 

Investing in a sailing experience with a company that I had no experience presented a significant financial risk.  Boarding a boat and putting my life in the hands of an instructor/captain whom I had no knowledge presented both a personal and emotional risk.

 

But if every instructor Cooper Boating employees is even close to the outstanding caliber of Marla Hedman all risk is nullified.  In August of 2010, I opened a ÔÇ£box of chocolatesÔÇØ to have one of the best experience of my life.  From the moment I stepped on board the Polaris to the moment we returned to Granville Island my heart was smiling.  The crew whom I had never met composed of an Engineer, a Physician, an Attorney and CEO, and myself: a Professor and President of a leadership consulting company, were all highly educated professionals that knew how to have a wonderful time.

 

Our instructor and captain Marla Hedman was equally as professional and enjoyable.  There was not a moment that I felt unsafe or that I did not believe that she had a keen observation of everything happening aboard the Polaris.  Marla has a wonderful manner of teaching that allowed the crew to maximize the talents and skills each of brought on board while giving us the opportunity to learn in a comfortable non-threatening environment.  Marla is an outstanding sailor with keen ability to both sail and teach.  She is fun, has a genuine nature, is an exceptional listener and outstanding coach, and someone I would be glad to sail with in any sea in any condition.

 

Thank you Cooper Boating for realizing it takes more than just a fine boat to make a great sailing adventure.  Thank you for selecting quality instructors like Marla Hedman.  I have been on other boats in ports in different parts of the world where the captain made the experience a nightmare for his or her crew.  This experience was just the opposite: Marla Hedman made this ÔÇ£Bucket ListÔÇØ moment in my life perfect!

 

Sail on!

 

 

Tim Clipson, Ed. D

Professor of Executive Leadership and Executive Communication

President of Leadership Is For Everyone, Inc. (LIFE, Inc.)

The winter hit us early and promises to be long and cold here on BC's West Coast so we are heading to the other coast ...... and a lot further south!
The British Virgin Islands have long been a favouite cruising destination of all the Cooper Boating sailors and we are planning on being there from the middle of March to the middleof April 2011, coming home just in time for the Annual Easter Flotilla from Vancouver to the Northern Gulf Islands: YOU get to show off your tan!


Stage One - INTRODUCTION TO CATAMARAN SAILING
Boarding Sunday night, March 13th Soper's Hole,Tortola - BVI
Double cabins on 44 to 50 foot boats - get CYA AND/OR IYT certification
Returning to Soper's Hole, Tortola before Noon on the 20th of March.


Stage Two - FLOTILLA SAILING
Boarding Sunday night, March 20th in Tortola at Roadtown or Soper's Hole.
Join as a skipper with your own crew on your favorite size sailboat or catamaran. 7 Day bareboat yacht charters priced per size of boat: call for quotes.
Join as a CREW member on a boat with a CYA/IYT instructor to guide you through your first bareboat chartering experience.  (14 days available)

Returning before Noon on 27th of March, Roadtown or Soper's Hole.

Stage Three - MORE FLOTILLA SAILING
Boarding Sunday night, March 27th in Tortola at Roadtown or Soper's Hole.
Join as a skipper with your own crew on your favorite size sailboat or catamaran. 7 Day bareboat yacht charters priced per size of boat: call for quotes.
Join as a CREW member on a boat with a CYA/IYT instructor to guide you through your first bareboat chartering experience. 

Returning before Noon on April 03,Roadtown or Soper's Hole.

Stage Four - CRUISE AND LEARN 'TROPICAL FLAVOUR' 
Boarding Sunday night April 03 in Roadtown, Tortola - BVI
This 7 day program leads to a Canadian Yachting Association's Basic Cruising Standard and Coast Guard Operator's License.(PCOC)



CONTACT MARLA TODAY FOR PRICING.  Check out her 7 day ITINERARY. To book a charter outside of these dates, check here.   Also stay tuned or get in touch with Marla about the Croatia flotilla coming in September 2011.