Help & F.A.Q.
Need Help? Find Answers Here
How does Find a Sail work?
- Search and Filter: Find and filter sailing courses easily based on your preferences.
- Book Your Course: Select and book the perfect sailing course for you.
- User-Friendly: If you’ve ever used platforms like Booking.com or Airbnb, you’ll be right at home.
Are there any additional fees for using Find a Sail?
Find a Sail is entirely free to use. When you book through Find a Sail, the school may pay us a commission, but it doesn’t affect your price.
Is Find a Sail available in my region?
Find a Sail is available worldwide, connecting sailors from across the planet.
Does Find a Sail organize their own sailing courses?
No. Find a Sail helps connect sailing schools with students. We are not a sailing school, and do not organize courses. However, one of our founders, Patrik, is an active instructor – you might well find him teaching your course through a Training Centre.
How do I create an account?
Creating an account is simple. Click the ‘Sign In’ button in the top right corner and sign up using your email, Google, Facebook, or X account.
Is my personal information secure?
We take your privacy seriously. For detailed information on how we handle your personal data, please refer to our privacy policy
How can I contact customer support?
Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions through our ‘Contact Us‘ page. We’re here to help.
What types of sailing courses are available?
Find a Sail offers a variety of sailing courses globally, focusing on RYA, ASA, and IYT standards.
You’ll also find courses aligned with various national schemes.
All schools undergo a vetting process to ensure top quality.
Our courses cater to all levels, from beginners to experts.
If you’d like more information on the differences between the courses, please check our Learning Centre!
I'd like to report an issue.
For platform issues, please contact us directly. We’re here to help and value your feedback.
If the issue is with a sailing provider, please contact them first.
If needed, we’re here to assist further.
How do I ensure the safety of my sailing experience?
Sailing courses are conducted by accredited sailing schools with trained instructors and safety protocols in place.
To ensure your safety, follow the instructions and guidelines provided by the school.
While sailing activities carry inherent risks, adhering to safe practices can minimize these.
Find a Sail actively promotes safe boating.
What should I pack on my sailing course?
Your sailing school will provide a packing list, but here’s our general guide:
- Bag: Soft, collapsible backpack/duffle bag.
Suitcasesare impossible to stow onboard! - Clothes: Thermals, swimsuit, warm socks, sun hat, scarf, wind and waterproof jacket and trousers, non-marking shoes, comfortable lightweight clothes
- Gear: Headlamp/flashlight (red light option), snorkeling gear, ear plugs, sailing gloves, refillable water bottle, hammock
- Essentials: Towel, sunglasses, book, passport, currency, insurance, personal medications, first-aid kit
- Extras: Marine-friendly sunscreen and products, bug spray, camera
Climate Considerations: Use common sense based on the climate. A winter course in Scotland will be wetter and colder than a summer course in Greece.
I'd like to delete my account.
No problem! Send us an email at info@findasail.com, and we will delete it straight away. Please note that this action is irreversible, and you will need to create a new account if you change your mind.
Can I invest in Find a Sail?
Thank you for your interest! We are currently not fundraising. However, if you’d like to be kept in the loop, please drop us a line. We’d love to talk to you.
How does the booking process work?
Booking Process
Book your sail in a few easy steps!
Make a Reservation
- Choose your course/experience and click “Make a Reservation.”
- This sends a Reservation Request to the school.
School Review
- The school reviews and Approves or amends your Reservation.
- This typically takes less than 1-2 business days but can vary.
Your Final Confirmation
- Once the school Approves your Reservation, you’ll receive a prompt to make the Final Confirmation, which includes an Obligation to pay.
- You will sort out the payment directly with the school.
Connection & Payment
- Upon Confirmation, we will connect you directly with the Sailing Provider.
- Bookings are finalized and paid directly with the school or provider, who will send you an invoice to your registered email address.
- Bookings are finalized and paid directly with the school or provider, who will send you an invoice to your registered email address.
Throughout the process, we’ll keep you updated via email and dashboard notifications. Check your spam folder if unsure.
What payment methods are accepted on Find a Sail?
Find a Sail does not handle any payments directly.
Payments are made directly with the respective sailing provider.
Most accept card payments, PayPal, or bank transfers.
For international bank transfers, we recommend using Wise for its ease, reliability, and cost savings.
What happens if I need to cancel or reschedule a booking?
If you haven’t made your final confirmation and payment, you can cancel your reservation through your dashboard, free of charge.
If you have already booked with the school, please follow their booking processes as per their terms and conditions.
Are there any additional fees for using Find a Sail?
Find a Sail is completely free to use, ensuring you get the best price possible.
While schools may pay us a commission, this helps keep us afloat and does not cost you anything extra.
What should I do if I encounter an issue or have a dispute?
If you find an issue with the platform, please contact us directly.
If you have a dispute with the sailing provider, contact them first as they are responsible for the booking. If you feel we could help in the process, please let us know.
Can I leave a review?
Yes, and much appreciated! You can leave a review after your sailing experience. We will send you an email with instructions, or you can leave a review directly under the listing.
Thank you!
What is the deposit policy?
Deposits are governed by the respective terms and conditions of the provider. You can view these details on the listing page and booking widget.
What is the Refund policy?
Each Provider sets their own refund policy & specifies it in its Terms & Conditions. These are visible on the listing page and the Reservation Request widget.
Please make sure you check & agree to these before sending a booking request.
How do I become a provider on Find a Sail?
Please visit our Provider Page.
Or send us a message with details of your school. We’ll set up a meeting to walk you through the platform and sign an agreement. After that, you’re good to go!
We’re always here to support you if you need any help with listing on Find a Sail.
How do I list my courses and experiences?
Please see our Provider Tutorial. To list your courses, click “Add Listing” at the top right and follow the process. This option is available only to providers. If you can’t see it, please contact us.
What are the fees for providers?
We designed Find a Sail to be free to list for providers, with commission rates well below industry standards. (We mean it. Please contact us to learn more.)
We strive to make Find a Sail a win-win-win scenario for students, schools, and – if we do a good job – us. Our commission is due only if we help fill your bunk. No risk, win-win.
How do I manage bookings and listings?
Please see our Provider Tutorial.
Use your Dashboard to manage listings, booking requests, bookings, messages, and more.
If you need assistance, please reach out—we’re always here to help.
What support and resources are available for providers?
We’re here to help you succeed! Soon, we’ll publish resources and tutorials on:
- Using Find a Sail effectively
- Promoting your sails
- And more helpful tips
In the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact us for any support you need. We’re always here to assist you.
Can I list Shore-Based Courses like Theory or Engine Maintenance?
As of now, our primary focus is on practical sailing course. However, we recognize the value of shore-based courses like theory, navigation, and engine maintenance. If you’re interested in listing such courses, let us know! If there’s enough demand, we’re open to introducing a dedicated section for these offerings in the future.
Can I list Day Sails on Find a Sail?
Currently, Find a Sail supports multi-day sail formats exclusively. However, we understand the appeal of shorter sailing experiences, and we are monitoring interest in this area. If there’s enough demand, we’re prepared to create a dedicated section for Day Sails & Short Experiences in the future. Your feedback is invaluable, so please let us know if this is something you’d like to see!
Addressing Your Concerns
Is this going to be a hassle to set up and manage?
We respect your time investment. The onboarding call can be as short as 15 minutes. Inputting a new course can take just over a minute—our record is 1 minute and 31 seconds; can you beat it? If you run the same courses repeatedly, you can clone them with just one click!
Clients need to communicate with me; doesn't an agent add an extra step?
No agent involved here—you have a direct, open, and uncensored messaging channel with the prospective client. If the client decides to proceed with a booking, we connect you directly via email.
Is Find a Sail holding any booking money? It would affect my cash flow.
Unlike other platforms, we simply facilitate the connection and do not charge or hold any money. You charge the student following your regular booking and payment process. If a confirmed connection is made, we then invoice you for commission.
Are there any hidden fees or unexpected costs?
None. We only invoice for commission if we fill your bunk. That’s it.
Will I need to learn a new system or software to use your platform?
We have been complimented on how easy our listing management is for users. If you’re comfortable with basic computer use, using Find a Sail will be a breeze for you.
Who is behind this?
We get asked this a lot—and the answer is no, there’s no big corporation behind Find a Sail.
It’s just the three of us: Patrik, and enthusiastic sailing instructor; Petr, an expert software engineer; and Sarah, a sailor and marketing professional with a creative spark.
Add thousands of hours of sweat and enthusiasm, and here you have us.
Learn more about us here.
It's a new platform; will it work?
We’ll be honest—Find a Sail is venturing into uncharted waters. We believe the sailing education industry has long deserved a platform like this, and we’re excited to step up to the challenge.
We’re tackling this with:
- Expertise: Created by seasoned sailors, instructors, business owners, and an expert software engineer, we’ve designed solutions to make your life easier.
- Fresh Marketing Strategies: Leveraging modern marketing techniques, we connect motivated students directly with your school.
- No-Risk Model: Listing on Find a Sail is free, and commission is only due if we help fill your bunk.
We’re committed to doing our very best every step of the way and would love for you to join us on this journey. Together, we can shape the future of sailing education, creating a win-win for schools and students alike.
I don't have time to input a hundred courses.
We understand—you are busy running your business. If you offer the same courses regularly, you can easily clone them with one click. If this is still too much and you’d like to give Find a Sail a try, get in touch—we can even input your schedule for you.
How do you handle cancellations and refunds?
If a client cancels on you, simply follow your standard process and then let us know so we don’t invoice you for commission incorrectly. We do not hold any payments.
How are you different from other platforms?
We built Find a Sail because we found that a functional marketplace solution was missing in the market. We are deeply enthusiastic about sailing education. Compared to similar platforms, here’s how we differ:
- Our primary focus is sailing schools, not charters.
- We walk the way. We are sailors to the bone—instructors and sailing business owners passionate about this industry.
- We have incredible marketing talent with fresh and effective ways of promoting your sails.
- Our commission is significantly lower. We do not take a 15–25% cut like other platforms.
- We do not interfere with your booking process.
- We do not take or hold any money, unlike other platforms. We know how important cash flow is for a school, especially in the off-season, and we don’t touch it.
- You have a direct line of communication with the prospective client.
- We do not play the middleman. We aim to give you the tools to connect with students more efficiently.
How do payments work, and when will I receive funds from bookings?
We do not hold any money—you follow your own booking and payment procedures.
How do you ensure sailing association compliance?
This is an excellent question. We deeply respect the hard work sailing associations do to ensure educational quality. We have met with ASA and IYT, who were supportive of our efforts. As part of onboarding, we verify sailing schools against association recognition.
Regarding the RYA, we fully comply with TG20-16, which regulates the Agency-RTC relationship. Our Agency Agreement will be part of your RTC’s yearly inspection.
Who "owns" the client? What if they want to come back for another course with me?
You have earned the loyalty of your client—and your repeat business is another benefit of Find a Sail. If they choose to take subsequent courses directly with you, we, of course, don’t charge any additional commission.
Do I have to sign a long-term contract or commitment?
If you decide Find a Sail is not for you, you can walk away anytime.
What are your motivations?
We’re passionate about sailing and education, and we built Find a Sail to bridge the gap between schools and students.
Our goal is a win-win: making connections simple so both schools and students can spend more time on the water.
How secure is my business and client data on your platform?
We only collect the absolutely necessary information and fully comply with GDPR and security standards. Our data is stored in secure, password-less cloud data centers.
Are you planning to raise your commission rates in the future?
No, we don’t plan on that. We believe we’ve set it at a level that is cheaper than other marketing channels for schools, yet sufficient to support the platform.
Will listing on Find a Sail affect my existing marketing efforts or SEO?
Think of it as another avenue of discovery, complementing your own efforts. We hope you’ll eventually find it more efficient than traditional in-house methods.
How will you promote my courses differently than I already do?
We promote the platform, which significantly simplifies client discovery. Think of hotels—most people don’t Google individual hotels and call the front desk anymore. Some still do, but most use an aggregator. We put you on the map.
Will I get access to student contact information for future marketing?
Yes, you will connect directly with the client.
What support is available if I encounter issues or have questions?
We will do everything in our power to help you; please just reach out or give us a call. You can also use our Discord community to discuss with us or other users.
How do you ensure the quality and seriousness of students booking through your platform?
We are working hard on being a leading resource for sailing education. We hope that our users will be highly motivated and serious about their sailing journey.
What happens if there's a dispute between me and a student?
You follow your own standard process—we only facilitate the introduction. Should Find a Sail be involved, we will cooperate fully to resolve any issues.
Is there any exclusivity requirement, or can I list my courses on other platforms as well?
No exclusivity required. However, we’ve built Find a Sail to be something schools and students love to use, and we’ll work hard to earn your loyalty! 😊
Will your platform favor larger schools over smaller ones in search results or promotions?
No. Clients have the freedom to sort and filter search results. There is an option for promoted sails, but it has nothing to do with the size of the school.
How does Find a Sail handle taxes and VAT for international bookings?
The booking follows your standard procedure; we do not interfere—we just facilitate the connection.
Can I opt out or leave the platform if I'm not satisfied?
Of course! We promise to work hard to earn your trust, though.
What are your long-term plans, and how might they affect my business?
We are committed to becoming the #1 sailing education resource that both students and schools love to use. We believe this will be a win for your business.