I got hooked on keelboat sailing thanks to Diamond Waters Sailing instructor Larry Woolner – beginning with the Discover Cruising course, then Start Keelboat Sailing and now my most recent accomplishment, the Basic Cruising Course. Prior to taking these courses with Larry, my sailing experience had been limited to dinghies, and very patchy at best. I knew just enough to know that this would be a meaty challenge, and that in order to be successful I’d need an instructor who would be patient, supportive and knew how to break down the more complex, technical aspects of sailing. Larry, who is a mechanical engineer, was all that – and more: his ‘secret sauce’ is his infectious passion for sailing and his enthusiasm for his students. Thanks to Larry and Diamond Waters Sailing, I can now competently “head up” and “bear away” when at the helm; I can “ease” and “harden” sheets as crew; I am learning to read the wind, water and clouds… If you’re thinking about learning to sail a keelboat I highly recommend Larry Woolner’s Diamond Waters Sailing – and there’s no better place to do it than on beautiful Georgian Bay. Fair winds!

In the summer of 2019, I took the “Discover Cruising” followed by the “Basic Cruising” sailing courses with Larry Woolner from Diamond Waters. The ‘Discover Cruising” course helped me to review many of my points of sail and basic sailing skills that I had learned in sailing school. This first step made me very enthusiastic to continue to master the more detailed aspects of this wonderful sport and to eagerly spend three full days in obtaining the “Basic Cruising’ standard. I can honestly say that those two courses were among the best experiences I have ever had from an educational standpoint. Larry has exceptional capabilities with his ability to keep his students engaged and focused. His method of instruction helped me to retain even the more complicated information and made it easier for me to put theory into practice. Larry was very patient with all of us on the boat as we practiced our sailing skills on the beautiful shores of Georgian Bay. His friendly nature made us feel very welcome on his beautiful yacht, the Blue Pearl. I would highly recommend Larry Woolner to anyone who would like to spend the day on the beautiful waters of Georgian Bay learning to sail.

As an experienced sailor I took the opportunity this summer to challenge the Sail Canada Basic Cruising course with Larry Woolner of Diamond Waters Sailing. It was a fabulous 3-day course of both practical and theoretical instruction on the beautiful waters of Georgian Bay. Larry is a dedicated and passionate instructor and made the whole experience very memorable. He is very talented in his ability to deliver lesson plans and in helping his students put theory into practice. For any seasoned sailor looking to refresh their theoretical knowledge and improve their sailing techniques, I would highly recommend Diamond Waters.

We just completed the four day Basic Cruising Standard with Larry aboard Blue Pearl. Diamond Waters is the perfect venue to gain confidence on a majestic sailboat with a patient, details-oriented instructor. Clearly, Larry’s life as a professional engineer and sailor combine to raise the skills of the entry level sailor to crew on the world class waters of Georgian Bay. I highly recommend this course to anyone wishing to set sail on Georgian Bay or anywhere else in the world.

I recently completed my Basic Navigation Course with Diamond Waters Sailing. I must say under challenging times, Larry was able to successfully deliver the majority of the course virtually. Further, Sue and Larry were instrumental in understanding and accommodating my learning needs. Sue’s overall approach to teaching and outside of the box techniques was instrumental in my success.   I look forward to further developing my skills with Diamond Waters.

My husband and I bought a 26’ sailboat in 2019 and after doing a bit of sailing with it, we took our Basic Cruising course with Diamond Waters Sailing. 

This summer and fall, we took our Intermediate Cruising course again with Diamond Waters. We can’t say enough about this business. There is quite a bit of course content in each course, and it was covered in a way that helped us learn and remember and also put into practice everything we learned. The sailing vessel used, Blue Pearl, is extremely well maintained, comfortable and fun to sail on. The water around Parry Sound is second to none to learn cruising skills on – there is no end to the places you can go, near and far. This business puts a major focus on growing a life long passion for sailing as well as care and respect for our environment. The skills we have learned from Diamond Waters Sailing have made my husband and I comfortable enough to take our kids on long trips sailing all around Georgian Bay, down the St. Lawrence Seaway, around Florida and we are planning our next adventure as I write! We would highly recommend this professional and personal team of instructors to anyone looking at taking any sailing courses.

Our Basic Cruising course with Larry and Diamond Waters Sailing exceeded expectations. We felt safe and well taken care of, and the sailing instruction was exceptional. Larry provides a great combination of sailing theory and on the water experiences and exercises to introduce concepts and hone them.

I would highly recommend to anyone. Also, the sailing scenery in and around Parry Sound is amazing!