Live the ocean.
Lead with confidence.
Lead with confidence.
Our philosophy is simple.
Live the ocean.
Lead with confidence.
The Short Story
Saltline was founded by two lifelong friends, Drew and Matthew, who transformed their love of the ocean into a mission to teach sailing a better way.
After meeting in South Africa during a 7-day mountain bike race, and later sailing together across the Caribbean, they gained firsthand insight into what strong seamanship requires, and where many training programs fell short.
Their own experiences as students showed clear opportunities to improve the quality, consistency, and overall standard of sailing education. Armed with a mutual commitment to teaching others, they created Saltline: a place where instruction is structured, reliable, and designed to build genuinely competent, confident sailors.
Our Core Values
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Safety First, Always
We start every day with safety at the forefront, teaching sound judgment, strong decision-making, and practical skills so students can handle real conditions with confidence.
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Respect for the Ocean
Our training promotes responsible seamanship: protecting marine environments, reducing impact at anchor, and navigating with a genuine respect for the waters we love.
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One-On-One Instruction
Our trips stay intentionally small, ensuring every student gets meaningful time at the helm, individual guidance from the instructor, and the focused support needed to build real, lasting competence.
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Work Hard, Relax Harder
We balance structured training with time to swim, walk, eat ashore, and enjoy other activities such as hiking, biking, snorkelling and beachcombing. From helm skills to harbour nights, we show you how to enjoy the cruising life you’re chasing.
40 years of sailing experience combined
40 years of sailing
experience combined
Meet the Captains
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![A man wearing an orange jacket and a black cap steering a boat on the ocean. The sky is cloudy with sunlight breaking through.]()
Drew Bell
FOUNDER
Sailing since 2005
Drew is an experienced sailor with a long history of training in the Caribbean and beyond, having sailed in over 15 countries with co-founder Matt. His early years on the water fostered a deep respect for the ocean and a strong commitment to helping others build their confidence and capabilities. With a calm, supportive teaching style, he guides students through real-world conditions and develops practical, dependable seamanship.
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![A man steering a boat at sea, wearing a black Arc'teryx jacket and white shorts, with cloudy sky background.]()
Matt Hillhouse
FOUNDER
Sailing since 2005
Matthew brings a background in aviation instruction to his work on the water, having trained and examined more than 125 pilot candidates before shifting his focus to sailing. His analytical approach, structured teaching style, and extensive sailing experience across multiple regions help students build competence through clear guidance and hands-on practice. His goal is to make learning organized, safe, and confidence-building.
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Eric Penn
INSTRUCTOR
Sailing since 2010
Eric Penn took a deep dive into sailing in 2010, starting with a World Cruising Club offshore seminar and later coming full circle by crewing a 56-foot monohull from Virginia to the BVI in the Carib 1500 with his friend Captain Matthew Hillhouse. A trial lawyer by trade and teacher by instinct, he loves passing on the skills and judgment needed to cross oceans safely, and finds that instructing keeps his own seamanship sharp. For the past decade he has kept a boat in the British Virgin Islands, where steady trade winds, warm water, and a chain of diverse islands make it his favourite place to sail.
What Makes Saltline Different
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Saltline runs courses in regions selected specifically for their sailing conditions, natural beauty, and navigational diversity. Students can train in environments ranging from the steady trade winds and warm waters of the Caribbean to the tidal routes and rugged coastal passages of Vancouver Island. Every location is chosen with intention to support skill development and create a memorable on-water experience.
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Saltline trips are structured as real voyages, not simple out-and-back day sails. Students plan routes, move between anchorages, manage changing weather, and live aboard for the full duration of the course. You learn how to operate a boat in the context of an actual journey, with real decisions to make and real responsibilities on the water, rather than repeating the same drills in sight of the marina.
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Your time with Saltline is designed to feel like a complete voyage, not just a training schedule. Depending on the destination, you might swim or snorkel in sheltered coves, walk along beaches, hike to a viewpoint, or explore harbours and villages on foot or by bike. Students often end the day discovering local cafés or restaurants, or browsing small markets before returning to the boat. These activities add variety, help you reset between training blocks, and show you what a balanced cruising lifestyle can actually look like.
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Saltline limits each trip to a small number of students, creating a focused and supportive learning environment. This ensures every participant receives significant time at the helm, direct feedback, and hands-on practice with essential skills.
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Saltline delivers only 6–8 trips per year to maintain quality and focus. This ensures that each program receives appropriate preparation, planning, and attention to detail, and that instructors are not overextended across too many courses.
Our Safety Culture
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![Two men on a boat, one is sitting and writing, the other is standing at the helm, with a coffee mug, a plate with a snack, a map, and a radio on the table, with open sea and cloudy sky in the background.]()
Instructor Calibre & Qualifications
Your instructors are professional captains and ASA-certified educators with thousands of miles and two decades of experience under their keel. They teach you not only how to handle a boat, but how to read a forecast, assess risk, and make the call to slow down, turn back, or stay put when conditions demand it.
Both Captains are certified in:
ASA 101 Keelboat Sailing, 103 Coastal Cruising, 104 Bareboat Cruising, 105 Coastal Navigation, 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising, 107 Celestial Navigation, 108 Offshore Passagemaking, 114 Cruising Catamarans, 117 Celestial Endorsement, Instructor rating for 201 Keelboat Sailing, 203 Coastal Cruising, 204 Bareboat Cruising, 205 Coastal Navigation, 206 Advanced Coastal Cruising, and 214 Cruising Catamarans.
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![A blue sailing yacht with white sails on calm water near a distant shoreline on a clear, sunny day.]()
Never Skimp on Quality
Our training boats are maintained to exceptional standards and inspected regularly, and for overseas voyages we charter only modern, top-of-the-line vessels from trusted fleets that meet or exceed those same safety and equipment standards. Before we ever leave the dock, you will walk through the vessel’s safety gear, learn where everything is stowed, and practise how to use it: PFDs, radios, harnesses, jacklines, fire extinguishers, and more, so you know exactly what to reach for when it matters.
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![Dark storm clouds over a body of water, suggesting an approaching storm.]()
Weather-aware, not Weather-afraid
Weather is the living puzzle of every voyage. From your first introductory ASA courses, we slow down and show you how we read forecasts, watch the sky and sea state, and talk through real go or no-go decisions.
In ASA 104 and our more advanced cruising courses, that grows into full passage and contingency planning: weighing wind shifts against tide, choosing safe bail-out options, deciding when to reef early or stay in harbour, and what to do when the forecast does not play out.
We favour learning and safety over “sending it,” and we explain every choice in real time so you leave with a clear, repeatable way to make sound weather decisions on your own voyages.
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![Three men standing on a white sailboat with the sign 'LAND ESCAPER,' docked at a marina with other boats in the background. The men are smiling, wearing casual clothing, and sunglasses, with one in a red shirt, one in a black and white checkered shirt, and one in a black t-shirt.]()
You Are Part of the Safety Team
A strong safety culture depends on every voice, and small groups make sure yours is always heard. From day one, your instructor knows everyone by name, watches how you move on deck, and has the time to check in, correct, and coach until the skills feel natural.
You are encouraged to ask questions, call out concerns, and say if something does not feel right. There is no bravado here. We would rather reef too early, slow down, or repeat a manoeuvre until the whole crew is competent and comfortable than push past anyone’s limits. That personalized time and attention to detail are what keep everyone safe.
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![Marina harbor at sunset with several sailboats and yachts docked, including a large white yacht with a red life preserver, a small inflatable boat, and a view of distant hills and palm trees.]()
Safety Is A Practised Skill
Prepared for “what if” so you can focus on “what’s next.”
Throughout your course, you will run over realistic scenarios: a fouled prop in a crowded channel, a failed tack in tight quarters, a dragging anchor in the middle of the night, even a crew overboard or sudden weather shift. Then we slow everything down and walk through what happened, what worked, and what you would do differently next time.
That habit of calm analysis runs through everything we teach. It is taken even further in ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising, where safety checks, emergency procedures, and sound judgment under pressure are cemented as core skills. By normalizing this kind of debrief, we show you that good sailors are always learning, never guessing.
ASA Recognized
Globally Respected
But what does that mean for you, and for Saltline?
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ASA is an international network of over 400 sailing schools, charter companies, and certified instructors across the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, and beyond. Since its founding, it has trained and certified hundreds of thousands of sailors through a structured, tiered program that begins with entry-level courses and progresses into advanced navigation and cruising skills.
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Saltline delivers training through the American Sailing Association’s proven curriculum and certification pathway, providing students with industry-recognized, top-tier training. These certifications are widely accepted by charter companies and sailing organizations worldwide.
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Being ASA-Certified and providing ASA Certification means Saltline is not just “any sailing school.” It’s part of a global standard for safe, competent, and responsible sailing education for the next generation of sailors.
My first time sailing wasn’t a simple day trip; it was a whole week in the British Virgin Islands with a few friends who were always up for an adventure. I’d never been on a sailboat before, but the moment we left the dock, I knew I was in. The clear water, quiet anchorages, and the sense of heading somewhere new every day made a real impression on me. That trip is what started everything.
When we got home, a few of us wanted to understand how we could keep doing this on our own. So we booked an instructor, flew back to the Virgin Islands, and spent a week earning our bareboat skipper certifications. From that point on, sailing became a steady part of my life. I’ve sailed throughout the Caribbean, across parts of the Mediterranean, and along the west coast of Canada. Over the years, I’ve shared trips with friends and family, met people who became part of my life, and continued to learn wherever I could.
One moment in particular stands out. Matt and I were finishing a sailing trip and spending our last night in Antigua. A group of young Canadians were heading out the next morning, and it didn’t take long to see they were in over their heads on a larger boat. We stepped in and gave them a quick rundown, more of a safety briefing than anything, but it turned into a whole evening of teaching and helping them get comfortable. After they left, Matt and I talked about how much we enjoyed it and how natural it felt to share what we knew. It was clear that if we could make someone’s first steps safer and more enjoyable, we should.
That night solidified our path into instruction. Sailing has given me a lot over the years, and teaching is a way to pass that on by providing new sailors with the skills, confidence, and support they need to enjoy their time on the water.
How it all started.
Drew Bell
FOUNDER