Pensacola Yacht Charters & Lanier Sailing Academy

Sometimes I can’t believe how much more adventurous and amazing my life has become since FINALLY going in to sign up to learn how to sail in the Basic Keelboat 101 class at Lanier Sailing Academy. Not long ago, weekends consisted of sitting around drinking in one loud, obnoxious place or another with other people just sitting around talking about the same old nonsense, but since I’ve graduated and joined the Buccaneer Sailing Club at Lanier in Pensacola, things have taken on an entirely different level of social coolness. People call me from all over to see if they can go sailing with me when they visit — I’ve taken tons of people out to show them what John and Kathy have patiently taught me. Never felt safer or more confident out on the water, and to know that I can pick up the phone any time to ask questions or access their vast knowledge and experience, engage in continuous sailing skills training, and enjoy the comradery and experience of my fellow sailing students and club members is wonderful. Taking classes at Lanier Sailing Academy is not just an opportunity to get some interesting skills in your repertoire — it’s an opportunity for a life of expanded adventure. Thank you, John & Kathy!

My wife and I had been sailing for a while and we had years to consider the right place for finally earning our ¹⁰³⁄₁₀₄ certification for coastal cruising to take our dream to the next level. On multiple occasions, experienced sailors referred us to John in Lanier Sailing Academy in Pensacola, FL. We kept hearing that not all courses are created equal in quality of instruction and practical time on the water. There were cheaper options out there, and some that offered couples deals. In the end we went with LSA and my wife and I couldn’t have been happier. More details…
Of the two of us, I’d always spent more time at the helm and it was important to us that she received enough instruction to master the fundamentals and ultimately pass the certification test. John is truly an amazing instructor, with an almost eerie awareness of everything happening aboard, while also ensuring that each student receives individual attention and passes each incremental step along the way. There were 4 total students, and everyone received ample time at each maneuver and position. To John’s dismay, we even had the opportunity of kedging off after running aground … twice … can’t always trust the charts ;). Good wind and a variety of weather and scenery made the trip feel like half vacation, half sailing school, but very busy for 5 full days.
Another plus for couples, the forward cabin of Spirited Adventure has its own head, which was a bonus for the queen’s comfort & privacy amongst a crew of males. We had no idea what to expect from the experience, and I can say that my wife left with a tremendous sense of accomplishment and a new level of confidence handling a larger boat. Believe me, there’s a real sense of pride when your wife successfully passes a test on diesel engine components :)
We both highly recommend John and Kathy at LSA Pensacola, and wish you luck pursuing your cruising dreams! We’ve just booked our first charter for later this year and couldn’t be more excited.

We had a great experience learning the basics of sailing here. Kathy was a fantastic instructor! Highly recommend the «learn to sail“‘cruising course to anyone wanting to learn to sail on the water.

This is a great charter operation conveniently located to Atlanta. They have reasonable charter rates, excellent boats, and are superbly located on Pensacola Bay, one of the most beautiful sailing areas ever.
John and Kathy are great people. They know their boats inside and out, and care for them meticulously.
In addition to the charter service, you can take sailing lessons here and they have a club for smaller keelboats. I took lessons here, and boy am I glad I did! John was my instructor, and he made every day feel like a relaxed day on the water, sailing and talking about boats. When I took the test, I realized that I had learned all the material from those activities and conversations.
Chartering a sailboat is a great way to enjoy blue water sailing without spending a fortune… at least until you add up the cost of everyone flying down to St. Martins or Belize or whatever paradise you sail. Imagine being able to simply drive 5 hours from Atlanta, spend the night on your boat, and set out for blue water the next day. That’s what you can do in Pensacola.
This is also a great area to learn mid-​level sailing. That stuff in the textbook about buoys a color codes and channel markers and currents and whatever — that’s not just on the test, here. It’s on the water, too. After a week of living on their 40 foot Beneteau, you’ll be able to read the signals on the intracoastal waterway like you read the signals in a car. This is very confidence inspiring!
This area is wonderful to explore, too, with old coves and marinas with spanish moss and all the charm you can handle.
Finally, it’s just a blast to take a large, high performance sailboat and run her flat out. :D
I am confident you will have a great time with Pensacola Yacht Charters.