People That Make a Difference

Motivated by the needs of racing and recreational offshore sailors looking for personal survival skills while at sea, David Sutcliffe has been the driving force behind ensuring quality delivery of a Safety at Sea program in Canada.

An Offshore racer from the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, Sutcliffe built program resources and established minimum standards for instructor qualifications and facility & equipment requirements. The program was first launched in British Columbia to suit sailors’ entry requirements for the annual Vic-Maui Race.

To suit the growing national market for the program, Sutcliffe readily agreed to devote to the training of Instructors from across Canada. As a result of his work and that of the skilled and experienced team that he has built, the World Sailing-approved Sail Canada Safety at Sea Course will be more widely available across Canada.

Be it on Sail Canada’s Offshore Committee, facilitating the next course delivery, or committing to the highest possible standards of Safety at Sea, David Sutcliffe continues to devote countless volunteer hours and expertise to the benefit of Canadian sailors.

Source: Sail Canada