Koa Sailing School was founded for adventurers by adventurers. We have worked, played, and survived on every continent on earth. We love to learn from people with a variety of experiences and share new adventures.

Our vision is to prepare you to explore our earth with the tools necessary to be self-sufficient. While we enjoy teaching ASA 101-104 (basic keelboat through bareboat cruising), we specialize in medical training for mariners. With over 40 combined years as military flight surgeons and nearly 10,000 sea miles together, we can teach you ways to manage common illnesses and injuries when you are at sea or away from medical care. Our medical curriculum can be tailored on your individual needs and goals across a variety of platforms (webinar, classroom, liveaboard and more) or added to one of our ASA courses.

At Koa Sailing School, all of our sailing courses are conducted in accordance with ASA standards. What makes us different? We have small classes, custom options and combinations. We appreciate that prospective students approach sailing with a variety of backgrounds and expectations. Therefore, we offer private courses tailored to your needs as well as couples-only, women-only, or team-building sailing familiarization. Let us help you build your own adventure!

For medical professionals, we offer courses accredited for up to 18 hours of AMA PRA Category 1TM continuing medical education (CME) and credit toward the Wilderness Medical Association’s Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM). Why learn in a traditional classroom? Take the helm and turn a life-altering week on the water aboard Koa into your next hands-on CME adventure, or combine a CME event with sailing instruction.

Koa is a graceful 51-foot Jeanneau sailing yacht with large aft cabins. Come learn and play in the trendy Tampa Bay area. Our classroom is located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, walking distance to an array of restaurants and entertainment and just a few blocks from Tampa Bay. Koa’s slip is nestled nearby in a protected corner of Boca Ciega Bay, which can provide a more sheltered sailing option when Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are rough.

What we have found through all of our experiences is that a sailboat is a classroom like no other. It teaches teamwork, self-reliance, critical-thinking, and management of complex systems.

The rewards are enormous:

solitude, beauty, peace, and priceless shared experiences. Join USCG-certified Captains Cheryl Lowry and Brian Pinkston on your next adventure.

Koa Sailing School is veteran-owned; we are honored to participate in the ASA Veterans Sailing Education Program. We have taught medicine and survival skills to adventurers from over 30 countries… we look forward to sharing the water with you!