CAPTAIN: EMORY HEISLER

Southwest Sailing Chief Instructor

• >25 Years Sailing

• >15 Years Teaching Sailing

• >250 Students Certified

Rated 3.94 out of 4 STARS on over 200

student surveys.

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 -USCG Licensed 50T Master-NC

  with USCG Sailing Endorsement

 

 -ASA Instructor 201, 203, 204, 205, 206, 214

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 -NauticEd Level V Captain Rank Instructor

 

-US Sailing Small Boat Instructor plus 

  Teaching, Coaching, SafeSport trained

 

-PADI Advanced Open Water Diver 

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Over 13,000nm and >500 days at sea and on ocean passages including numerous 10+ day passages.

Over 20 years racing, cruising and delivering monohull and catamaran sailboats ranging from 18' to 56'.

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FIRST MATE: DEBBRA HEISLER

ASA101, 103, 104, 114 Certified

Adult Education and Learning Specialist

Over 8 years and 5,000nm of sailboat racing and cruising.

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OUR PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO YOU

Whatever your sailing goals and wherever you want to sail you can count on us at SW Sailing to give you our best to help you and your crew reach your goals safely and with smiles on your faces. WE LOVE SAILING, and will share that joy with you along with the knowledge and experience earned during our years of sailing and sailing education.

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We are "lifetime learners" and will reach into our extensive sailing and life tool kits to customize your learning experience using: 

• formal sailing and boating instruction training

• advanced instructional techniques and leadership education methods

• hands-on experience from racing, cruising and delivery voyages in locations around the world

• proven sailing performance theories and techniques from literally thousands of sailboat races.

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Together we'll combine these tools with YOUR knowledge experience to tailor a learning journey to meet you where you are and get you on your way to where you want to go.

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On your mark! Get set! LET'S GO SAILING!

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Your Captain, Emory Heisler, has been teaching sailing since 2008. And although he's lived most of his life in Arizona, he's been ocean sailing since 2001 including racing, chartering and delivering sailboats around the world including: Whitsunday Islands (Australia), U.S. & British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Canada BC Gulf Islands, San Juan Islands (WA), San Francisco Bay, Southern California, Catalina Island, Sea of Cortez, Puerto Vallarta, Newport RI, Long Island Sound, “DelMarVa” Coast, Chesapeake & Delaware Bays, the Florida Keys, Nova Scotia, the Gulf of Mexico and multiple Gulf Stream crossings. 

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Also several times he's sailed 10+ day, 1000+nm sailboat deliveries between US Atlantic Coast and the Caribbean and recently crossed the Atlantic from Spain to Grenada in the 2022 ARC+ rally.

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Are you looking for a boat?  Emory has experience sailing over 30 different types of sailboats, hundreds of days on and around boats big and small, especially his favorite the Buccaneer 18. And with thousands of ocean miles on "big boats" like Swan 56s, Volvo Open 60s and Lagoon 45 catamarans he can help guide you toward the boat that will achieve your goals and dreams.

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Along with sailing together Emory & his wife Debbra enjoy hiking, camping, snow skiing, traveling and spending time together with their family in AZ, TX and MI.  Emory is retired from a career in Healthcare Information Systems. Like many retirees, he and his wife are busier now than ever.  ​