If you want to learn how to sail, why not do it on an exceptional classic boat?
Give your confidence and high-school CV some love. Learn gaff-rig sailing on a singular maritime expedition along scenic European coastlines.
Explore world-famous heritage sites like this…
And postcard ports like this, guaranteed to enchant young visitors…
You can gaze at a dazzling display of stars, away from urban light pollution…
And make new friends: some on your boat and, if you’re lucky, some alongside your boat.
And who wouldn’t seize an opportunity to load up a fork with some of this: a Breton dessert crêpe!
Where else can you learn so much, do so much, and only unpack once? Make plans now to join us in Saint-Malo next year for a small-yacht expedition along some of Europe’s most photogenic coastlines. You and a few new friends will decide (…with some oversight and a few suggestions) where you want to go, how to navigate to get there, and how to get the cutters to take you there—the Socratic teaching method applied to yachting instruction. Interestingly, we’ve actually learned a thing or two from students applying their own ingenious solutions to sailing challenges. So it’s fair to say we won’t take you sailing as much as you’ll take us sailing.
At the end of the day, a QBE expedition delivers one transformative experience after another. It’s an outstanding sailing course, a life-elevating summer enrichment opportunity, and a treasure trove of winning university application essay ideas. The language of instruction is English, but (as you’d expect) French is also spoken. No previous sailing experience is necessary.
Reserve your place now for June, July, or August 2023.
—In 2022, we welcomed crew members from the UK, France, the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, and Croatia.
ABOUT US: QBE (Qualified By Experience) is an internationally known experiential-learning initiative supported by a group of adventure sport enthusiasts who all attended the same Swiss boarding school. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were mandatory for students, and through the years, skiing, mountaineering, cycling, and sailing were the preferred outdoor options.
So when one of the school’s former expedition masters came across two rare pilot cutters on the market a number of years ago, he hatched a plan to make one of the school’s most transformative teen experiences available to young adults from a broad range of backgrounds.
When it comes to boosting self-esteem, challenging outdoor adventures (like small-yacht open-water sailing) can be fairy dust, especially when participants are given the reins to make many of their own expedition decisions. That’s why so many top schools have adopted, and now swear by, expeditionary learning activities.
As for QBE sailing, there’s nothing quite like the exhilaration of cutting through the water on a traditional boat, unless it’s the pride crew members feel when pulling into port after a busy day on the water. And unlike, say, a wilderness trek, there are also the daily revelations that come from discovering our sailing area’s vibrant ports, cultural sites, and regional cuisine.
Participants go home feeling they’ve taken their lives to a new level… because they have.
It’s simply a fact that self-esteem is a powerful catalyst for academic and career success. You’ll be amazed at the difference a great adventure can make in a young adult’s life trajectory.
And what’s more, teens love it; many of our crew members ask to come back and do it again. Several of our students last season have signed up to join us again this summer. One has even asked if he can be a QBE ambassador—and has referred a friend!
Expeditions are in June (two weeks), July (three weeks), and August (three weeks).
You may never have even considered sending your teen on a summer sailing expedition, much less one along the French coast. But no matter where you live, you should. It’s not only a mind-expanding adventure, but a small-team sport where nobody sits on the bench; every crew member plays an important role.
Contact us. Or drop in to see us. Let’s talk. We’d love the opportunity to discuss our unique expeditions and explain what makes QBE’s European Leadership School (ELS) special. References on request.
Trusted by parents since 1992