STERLING CRUISING CONSULTANTS
STERLING BRYSON
I have been teaching sailing to adults for the past 20+ years through both US Sailing and ASA affiliated schools, primarily cruising, coastal navigation and passage making classes. In between stints as a sailing instructor, I also worked on old schooners and traditionally rigged tall ships doing sail training programs with kids. Peppered in that time were sailing adventures in the western Pacific, North American west coast, US eastern seaboard, Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
As a result of teaching the latest influx of cruisers new to boating, I have developed a fast track to competency curriculum focusing on basic seamanship and the fundamentals of life onboard. The lessons are designed to help empower people to sail into their hopes and dreams.
MY HISTORY
I was blessed with outstanding parenting that developed my sailing bug early in life. I have been in, on, and around boats since early childhood. Growing up in Miami, family weekends were spent cruising the Florida Keys and as well as a couple summer voyages to the Bahamas. By high school, we found ourselves living in the sailing mecca of Pittsburgh, PA, only a four and a half hour drive away from Annapolis and the astounding Chesapeake Bay. Nonetheless, we made the drive many weekends for less than 48 hours of sailing and cruising. My parents were hooked, and so was I. Once I graduated high school, my parents quite simply said, “Way to go son. We are really proud of you. See ya!” They sold their house and took off on their sailboat. Family holidays from then on were spent in some new tropical locale. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I didn’t want to work for 25 years and only then go do what my parents were doing... So I didn't.
After experiencing a handful of sailing adventures (and misadventures!) in the Pacific, I began working professionally on the water as an educator teaching sailing to adults in Charleston,SC at Ocean Sailing Academy. A couple years later an old wooden schooner sailed into the harbor and the lure of a little more canvas pulled me away to sail aboard traditionally-rigged sailboats, mostly on the West Coast.
The opportunity to captain a new tall ship, the Spirit of South Carolina, ultimately pulled me back to Charleston. After that ran its course I “settled down,” and once again became a full-time sailing instructor, this time with ASA and the Charleston Sailing School. For nearly a decade I shared my experience and knowledge with clients new to sailing by teaching classes from Basic Keelboat through Coastal Navigation and Advanced Coastal Cruising.
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In the past few years cruising boats in the 50 to 70 foot range have become more popular, even for people new to boating. As a result I have spent more and more time providing custom training on larger sailboats, both monohulls and catamarans. I enjoy sharing the techniques that I have learned through teaching and empowering people to live into their cruising dreams.
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I can often be found on the water, enjoying my love of the sea with my daughter and my lady, like my parents before me.
LICENSE AND CERTIFICATIONS
USCG - 100 Ton Master / 200 Ton Mate Near Coastal license
American Sailing Association - Instructor Trainer
US Sailing - Certified instructor through Coastal Passage Making
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NOTE - If certifications are desired or required, I can certify you through an affiliated sailing school. I cannot certify you directly.
If you require training in order to meet insurance requirements I can sign off on that directly.