“The Sail Nelson Basic Cruising Course was just what I needed. It gave me the terminology, theory and, above all, the practical experience I required to be confident in sailing my own 22 ft Catalina sailboat. Penny Caldwell is an excellent instructor. She explains things clearly, shows you how to do them, and then lets you take over and learn by doing. We spent about 80% of our course out on the water, and by the end of it we could sail a 24 ft boat by ourselves. Including tricky operations like changing and reefing sails in a strong wind. Wholeheartedly recommended!” ~ David, Nelson BC
“Sailing with Penny Caldwell of Sail Nelson was an absolutely thrill. Not only did I feel very at ease on the water, I was amazed at how much I was able to learn and absorb during the lesson and all while having so much fun! I will be sure to join Penny on the water again.” ~ Astrid, Nelson BC
“If you would like to become a certified boat operator (both motor & sailing), recognized by Sail Canada, look no further than Sail Nelson. Instructor Penny Caldwell is steeped in sailing, and offers a thorough, well-paced course that, after 30 hours of on-shore and on-board practice, has students confidently taking the helm.” ~ Joan, Christina Lake BC
“It was summertime of 2003 when I took my CYA Intermediate course, sailing out of Kingston. I remember arriving to the boat with my friend Georges, we were greeted by the instructor and we were both smiling… but deep down, I was feeling sick inside with worries. I was afraid to make mistakes, I was afraid to fail the course, I was afraid that the career that I was planning for myself will go down the drain if I don’t pass this course. Why? well, because I wanted to be in the shoes of that instructor… ” read more of Criss’ story ~ Criss, Ottawa ON
“I really enjoyed taking the course with Penny at Sail Nelson. I especially appreciated being with other women and getting to ask lots of questions. Penny provided a safe and fun environment to learn sailing. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn more about getting out on the water! ” ~ Fée, Balfour BC
“Penny is a fantastic instructor. Just completed the docking and anchoring course last night. New to sailing I was very nervous. Penny’s instruction and guidance is complete and calming and by end of evening had successfully docked!” ~ Leanna, Nelson BC
“I took the Boater’s license course that Penny instructed at Selkirk College. I was a bit delinquent in acquiring my boaters license due to a lack of instructors in the area and the fact that I don’t do well learning at a computer terminal. I found that Penny had tailored the course to the Kootenay Lake West Arm and Main Lake which helped out a lot. I feel very comfortable recommending this course to anyone and in particular to local sailors and boaters. Taking this course in a classroom setting will give you the advantage of getting local information and connections via other students. And she is a very personable instructor.” ~ Gil, Nelson BC
“All four of us were impressed with her [Penny’s] abilities, knowledge and skills as a sailing instructor, and we would strongly recommend her to other students. As a former flight instructor myself, I am well positioned to appreciate an instructor’s abilities when I see them.” read more of Georges story. ~ Georges, Ottawa ON