Parents—send your teen to Join us for a singular sailing and “worldschooling” Expedition on eye-popping gaff-rig yachts
“There is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” ”
Delight and inspire your teen(s) with a once-in-a-lifetime adventure opportunity. Sign them up to learn the sport of traditional sailing as they set off to make dozens of surprising cultural, historical, and ecosystem discoveries along the postcard coastlines of France and the Channel Islands.
Our classic gaff-rig pilot cutters are a delight to sail. Our frequent ports of call 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.
We even allow our students the latitude to get lost—so we can show them how to get their bearings!
Each expedition includes personalized gaff-rig sailing instruction in addition to visits to:
✅ historic sites
✅ museums
✅ artisanal workshops
✅ cultural attractions
Plus the opportunity to attend local festivals and participate in regattas when opportunity arises and scheduling allows.
Nothing beats the adrenaline rushes, unexpected revelations, and life-elevating personal satisfaction of a QBE maritime expedition. It’s a singular adventure that never leaves teenagers where it found them.
—In 2023, we welcomed three international crews, including young expeditioners from the UK, France, the United States, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Poland, Greece, Canada, Turkey, Switzerland, and New Zealand.
Summer sailing for teens on charismatic iconic yachts—QBE's adventure sailing expeditions for high school students along the postcard coastlines of Brittany and the Channel Islands. Instruction is in English.
ABOUT US: QBE (Qualified By Experience) is a boutique experiential-learning initiative supported by a group of adventure sport enthusiasts who met at a well-known Swiss international school. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were mandatory for all 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—an accomplished outdoor educationalist—came across two rare pilot cutters on the market some years ago, he hatched the idea of making 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 blue-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 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 this past season have already announced they plan to join us again next summer.
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 could be one of the best education decisions you’ll ever make.
Contact 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.
“Everything has been better than I could imagine...
Five-star review!””
Meet Violet, a 2022 QBE sailing expedition crew member.
New skills • new perspectives • new Adrenaline rushes • new confidence
No sailing experience necessary | Staff to student ratio 1:3 | Safety Record: Impeccable