Members Emory Heisler and Bob Labine have been chosen to receive the American Sailing Association (ASA) 2023 Outstanding Instructors Award! This award honors the top 1% percent of all active-status ASA Instructors as determined by surveys submitted by their students. Of the 2,566 Instructors in 2023 who had active status, 943 taught at least one ASA class and became eligible for this ASA Award. SailAZ is the only school with two instructors who received this honor, and of the 30 awards for 2023, two are from AYC.
Captain Emory has been sailing for over 30 years and began his journey after being aboard a sail and dive boat. He likes to share that he showed up as a diver and left as a sailor.
Emory began teaching small boat sailing for ASF in 2008 and earned his USCG Near Coastal (6-pack) license and ASA instructor certifications nine years later. Since then, he has signed off on over 250 ASA certifications on waters ranging from the BVI’s Drake Channel to Southern California’s San Pedro Channel and Resurrection Sound in Alaska.
In addition to owning Southwest Sailing, Emory teaches for the Sailboat Shop at Scorpion Bay, and Marina Sailing in Southern California; Emory recently began teaching for San Juan Sailing in Bellingham, WA.
Captain Bob is an experienced ASA instructor and Master Instructor with the Sailboat Shop Scorpion Bay. He bought the school in 2023 from the previous owner, who was looking to retire. While instructing, Bob says he likes to bring props, models, and physical examples to the classroom before setting students loose on the boat— where he waits for his favorite part of every ASA class: a student’s “aha” moment. He adds that many “experienced” long-time sailors who have never taken lessons are amazed at what they learn.
Bob started sailing at his grandparents’ cottage on a small lake in Michigan during the summers. His first boat was a wooden Sailfish that came in a kit that he built himself. He saved money to buy the boat kit from newspaper routes, mowing lawns, and shoveling snow.
Bob’s favorite place to sail is Abaco Bahamas. “The clear waters are warm, winds are fairly consistent, and island life is great.” One of Bob’s favorite sayings is, “I would rather be lost at sea than found at work.”
Please join us in congratulating Bob and Emory on their hard work and dedication to helping others learn to sail.
