Make next summer special. Join us in France For an epic Live-aboard sailing expedition on classic boats.
QBE’s worldschooling sailing expeditions: Europe’s rich cultural patrimony presented in a surprising, engaging way
Next year, inspire your son or daughter with a small-group adventure sailing + “worldschooling” expedition along postcard European coastlines on eye-popping gaff-rig yachts. It’s an extraordinary educational and personal development opportunity for any teenager.
Our fabled pilot cutters are extremely safe and a delight to sail. Our frequent destinations are right out of a lavishly illustrated coffee-table book. And the itineraries include historic sites, museums, local festivals, cultural attractions, artisanal workshops, even regattas when opportunity allows. It’s off-the-beaten-path Europe—away from all the tourist-trap chaos—where students not only can absorb some of the continent’s authentic history and culture but also develop a love of learning (including perhaps a sudden itch to acquire another language). While our three-week expeditions aren’t intended to replace traditional classroom instruction, they provide a “worldschooling” or “travelschooling” component guaranteed to unleash a sense of wonder and latent curiosity.
Each expedition is largely organized by an international group of 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 sailing instructors are there mainly to make some suggestions, answer questions, and make sure our crews and boats 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 crews sailing as much as they take us sailing. We even allow them the latitude to get lost! As for enrichment, we let new daily experiences work their own magic.
Nothing beats the camaraderie, daily adrenaline rushes, and game-changing personal satisfaction of small-yacht team sailing in our special corner of Europe. Too, there are few other places that can provide more '“Wow!” revelations in just three weeks. So why not let your teen(s) experience first hand what others only dream about. Go find their deck shoes and book their tickets to join us for a unique live-aboard sailing expedition that beats just about any other outdoor adventure and cultural enrichment option hands down.
Each crew member gets considerable personal attention. Instruction is in English.
ABOUT US: QBE (Qualified By Experience) is a top-shelf experiential-learning initiative supported by a group of adventure sport enthusiasts who all attended the same Swiss international school. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were mandatory, and through the years, skiing, mountaineering, cycling, and sailing were the most popular 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 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. 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. 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…”
Meet Violet from Scotland, an August 2022 crew member.
—PRAISE FROM a QBE PARENT—
“Thank you! Thank you for everything! That was a life-changing trip and he hopes to return next year!”
—J. Anderson, Montana USA (Parent of a July 2022 crew member)
—Praise for QBE Director Will Sutherland from A former colleague—
“I am fully confident in recommending [QBE executive director Will Sutherland] very highly to you.”
—Didier Boutroux, former Head Master, Verbier International School, Switzerland
—Praise from former students—
“Will is a tremendous organizer and inspiring leader who is highly adept at facilitating this type of endeavor. I would wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend any program that he is involved with….and would sign up in a heartbeat if I were 18 again!”
—Dariane Hunt, Concord, MA, USA
Click on/tap the button below to learn more, or you can call us to discuss the many advantages of our worldschooling sailing expeditions. (You can use WhatsApp to reach us free from anywhere. But remember, we’re on Central European Time: New York +6)
No previous sailing experience necessary | Competitively priced, even when factoring in international airfare
