QBE’s European Leadership School (ELS) offers off-the-beaten-path European sailing expeditions for high-school students. Each small-group cruise includes dozens of life-elevating experiences and cultural discoveries along the scenic coastlines of western France and the Channel Islands.

Our 14m/46ft gaff-rig boats are a delight to sail. Our frequent destinations are right out of a lavishly illustrated coffee-table book. And each expedition is largely organized by crew members who take ownership of most of the everyday tasks, including navigating, trimming the sails, and taking turns at the wheel.

After an initial orientation, our instructors are there to make some suggestions, answer questions, and make sure our crews are never in danger. Think of the QBE teaching approach as the Socratic method applied to yachting. In fact, it’s fair to say we don’t take our crew members sailing as much as they take us sailing.

(Read about Will Sutherland and his unique “learning by doing” philosophy in an article that appeared recently on the Bateaux.com website, one of France’s most popular boating publications. Here is an English translation.)

Nothing beats the camaraderie, daily adrenaline rushes, and game-changing personal satisfaction of small-yacht team sailing in our magical corner of Europe.

Give your teen the opportunity to experience what others just dream about. Go find those deck shoes and apply now for a decidedly unique sailing expedition that beats just about any other summer adventure opportunity hands down. The language of instruction is English. No previous sailing experience necessary.

—Over the last three seasons, we’ve welcomed young expeditioners from the UK, France, the United States, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Poland, Greece, Canada, Turkey/Portugal, Switzerland, Brazil, Angola, China, and New Zealand.

Where challenge, adventure, and purpose come together

About us:

QBE (Qualified By Experience) is a top-shelf expeditionary-learning initiative supported by a group of like-minded outdoor enthusiasts who taught at or attended the same Swiss international school. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were always mandatory for us, and through the years, skiing, mountaineering, cycling, and sailing were the outdoor activities of choice. So when one of our former expedition masters came across two classic pilot cutters on the market a number of years ago, he immediately started working the phone to raise funds to purchase them. His idea was to make one the school’s most transformative teen experiences available to a broader cohort of youngsters.

When it comes to boosting self-esteem, challenging outdoor adventures (like small-yacht blue-water sailing) can be the secret sauce, especially when participants are given the reins to make many of their own expedition decisions. That’s why so many top schools now have adopted and swear by expeditionary-learning activities.

As for QBE sailing, there’s nothing quite like the exhilaration of cutting through the water on a gaff-rig yacht, unless it’s the pride you feel when pulling into port after a challenging 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 renowned 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. Parents and educators are constantly amazed at the difference a great adventure can make on a teenager’s life trajectory. And what’s more, youngsters love it. In fact, many of our crew members ask to come back and do it again—some as many as three times! Eight out of twelve crew members on our August 2025 expedition have sailed with us before.