Sign Up Here - https://www.nauticed.org/instructor/signup

There are plenty of certifying bodies out there — but this episode isn’t about collecting logos. It’s about the instructor mindset NauticEd looks for: people who genuinely care about building real competence, not just issuing a certificate and moving on.

We’re building a competence-first culture, and we want instructors who take the responsibility seriously — because the end result isn’t a “card,” it’s a skipper who can confidently take friends and family out (including complete beginners and kids) and keep everything safe, calm, and under control.

In this episode:

• What “best” means to NauticEd (as an instructor standard, not a brand comparison)
• Why we prioritize competence + care over fast sign-offs
• The real responsibility of teaching: preparing someone to carry others safely
• The culture we expect instructors to uphold inside the NauticEd platform

Sign Up Here - https://www.nauticed.org/instructor/signup

NauticEd runs instructor operations differently than the traditional sailing-school model. In this episode we explain the two pathways: Sailing School vs Private Instructor—and what each one actually means in day-to-day teaching.

A sailing school is the classic setup: multiple instructors working under a school structure. A private instructor is more like an independent operator—teaching one-on-one on the water (using their own boat or a student’s boat) while NauticEd handles the platform, software, and administrative systems behind the scenes. The instructor focuses on coaching, tracking progress in the app, and signing off competence—while the system takes care of the rest.

We cover:

• What a “sailing school” model looks like inside NauticEd
• What a “private instructor” model looks like (solo operator)
• How the NauticEd app/platform supports instruction and sign-offs
• Who the instructors “work for” in each model and how the structure differs

Looking to master offshore knowledge check out the complete guide (Captain Offshore Bundle)

A ditch bag is your grab-and-go upgrade to a life raft equipment pack—especially for the things people forget until it’s too late (meds, glasses, documents, comms). Keep it organized, keep it accessible, and don’t overpack past the bag’s flotation capacity.

In this episode, we walk through a practical ditch bag loadout: signaling, comms, medical, documentation, and survival basics—plus the difference between a coastal vs offshore setup and why “more stuff” can become a problem if the bag won’t float.

Quick checklist:

• Signaling: flares, dye markers, whistle/air horn
• Comms/Location: EPIRB, handheld VHF
• Medical: basic kit + your medications
• Personal must-haves: eyeglasses, passports, copies of licenses
• Practical survival: emergency blankets, seasick bags, batteries, flashlights, food rations, water (sometimes a desalinator)
• Organization: use zip bags/pouches so you can find items fast

If you don’t want to build your own, LRSE offers purpose-built coastal and offshore ditch bags—check lrse.com or call their team with questions.