We want your experience to be safe and enjoyable. Please take a moment to read our policies and guidelines below.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. See you on the water!
Cancellation and Rescheduling
To reschedule a lesson with more than 48 hours advance notice, please email us at soulsailingnyc@gmail.com. We will do our best to accommodate rescheduling requests but cannot guarantee that your request can be fulfilled. We do not reschedule lessons based on projected weather conditions or failure to appear on time for the lesson. The 48 hours must be prior to the day on which the sail begins. (Ex. You must contact us by Thursday 9am for a Saturday 9am sailing lesson.)
To cancel a lesson with more than 48 hours advance notice, there’s a 3% cancellation fee. Any refund will be processed to the account used to make the initial payment. The 48 hours must be prior to the day on which the sail begins.
Full refunds are only given in extreme cases on a case by case basis. Normally, in those extreme cases, a voucher for a future sailing lesson will be issued instead of a refund. Any refund will be processed to the account used to make the initial payment.
Please arrive on time or early to your lesson. We understand that traffic and public transit delays happen. However, please note that late arrivals may result in shortened lesson times or require us to cancel or reschedule your lesson.
Weather
Only SOUL Sailing can cancel a lesson for weather-related reasons. We do not issue refunds for failure to appear for your lesson on time.
If a lesson is cancelled, SOUL Sailing will contact the participants using the phone/email information provided in their registration to notify them and reschedule the lesson if possible. If rescheduling is not possible, SOUL Sailing will issue a refund for our cancellation to the account used to make the initial payment.
Lessons are cancelled if the conditions are deemed unsafe by SOUL Sailing. Examples of these conditions are steady downpour, imminent lightning/thunder that will hit our sailing area and sustained high winds or strong gusts. Rain, cloudiness, and uncomfortable temperatures do not constitute unsafe conditions unless deemed so by SOUL Sailing – dress appropriately!
Safety
As per our waiver agreement (signed at the point of booking), all participants must wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD) while aboard any SOUL Sailing vessel. PFDs will be provided at your lesson. If you prefer to bring your own PFD, SOUL Sailing reserves the right to require use of one of our PFDs if we feel that your device is not sufficient.***Please Note: If you are a larger individual (Size XXX or greater) or will be sailing with children, please contact us prior to booking your sail to ensure we have appropriate safety gear available.
“One hand for you, one hand for the boat” – You will be aboard an actively moving vessel. Please store personal items prior to boarding as you will need your hands free to maneuver about the boat.
Appropriate attire must be worn at all times. Please do not wear bathing suits, loose fitting sleeves, or other articles of clothing that may catch on rigging or boat hardware. While sailing, footwear is particularly important as you will be aboard a moving vessel. Sneakers, boat shoes, or other closed-toe rubber-soled non-marking shoes should be worn. ABSOLUTELY NO FLIP FLOPS will be allowed aboard any SOUL Sailing vessel. Please see the additional guidelines below for further considerations on appropriate attire.
Additional Guidelines
Your personal items and clothing may get wet. A splash of salty water is one of the thrills you may experience while sailing, but your iPhone may not be so thrilled. We strongly encourage you to store your personal effects in a water safe bag or don’t bring them aboard. Items in your pockets may fall out and be lost to the sea so zippered pockets are recommended if you must bring personal items aboard. SOUL Sailing will not be responsible for damage or loss of personal effects.
We want you to look your best when you come aboard but we also don’t want you to ruin that brand new shirt you borrowed from your sister. We recommend wearing clothing that may become damaged or stained as you will be aboard a working vessel with many moving parts.
There is no restroom on the boat. Please be sure to use the restroom prior to your lesson.
Looking forward to learning to sail! Sounds like a blast!