Steve Hunt has built a remarkable career at the intersection of professional sailing and elite coaching. With years of experience competing at the highest levels and a passion for helping others improve, he’s become a trusted resource for sailors around the world. Through his platform, Steve Hunt Sailing, he shares practical strategies, expert insights, and a deep love for the sport.
Article by Ty Christopher Olsen, April 18, 2025.
Inside the World of Steve Hunt: Racing, Coaching, and Elevating the Sport
TCO: Steve, to start off tell me a little bit about how you started sailing and how you got to the level you are now.
SH: I grew up in Virginia and started sailing J/24s with my dad at a young age. Like a lot of kids, I thought I was pretty good—until I got to college and quickly realized that I had a lot to learn. Most of my teammates had grown up sailing dinghies and had way more time on the water. It was a humbling moment, but it lit a fire in me. I committed to training five days a week for five years at the College of Charleston. I loved every minute of it and was proud of the work I put in. I was on a mission to become the best.
My persistence paid off when I won my final collegiate regatta, the College Nationals. That victory gave me the confidence to move into an Olympic campaign in the 470 Class. I trained for the Olympics for seven years, during which I moved to San Diego, specifically Point Loma, to work with J.J. Isler (Fetter) & Pease Glaser and be a training partner for Paul Foerster & Bob Merrick. Both teams went on to win silver medals. Soon after, J.J. and Peter Isler invited me to train with them, and that evolved into coaching the sailing team at Point Loma High School (PLHS), which I’ve now been doing for 20 consecutive years.
During this time, I also transitioned into professional sailing. The moment I realized I could make a living doing what I love—sailing—I left my job as a defense contractor and took a leap of faith. Since then, I’ve continued to sail professionally and coach PLHS, where I’m proud to say the team has won 12 National Championships over the past 14 years.
Coaching high schoolers remains a passion of mine. We train three times a week, and I often lie awake at night thinking about how to help the team improve and win. I take that responsibility seriously—it’s personal for me. Over time, I started thinking about how I could expand my coaching to reach more sailors beyond PLHS. That’s when the idea for Steve Hunt Sailing began to take shape.
One story that really inspired me to move forward with the online platform, involves a remarkable young woman who joined our team during a tough period in her life. She had just moved to San Diego from Costa Rica while her mom was battling cancer. She wasn’t enrolled at PLHS, but I invited her to practice with us to give her something positive to focus on. She was a big wave surfer, a former Cirque du Soleil performer, and just an incredible human being. Once she joined the team, she found a community, her grades improved, and she eventually enrolled at PLHS, allowing her to officially compete—and she was phenomenal.
Her father later reached out to thank me for helping guide his daughter through that difficult time. As it turns out, he owns a website development company. I asked if I could bounce some ideas off him about creating a coaching site. We were just chatting casually on WhatsApp when he said, “Steve, I’m going to have it done for you.”
Originally, I thought I’d launch something like this later in life, but this generous gift accelerated the timeline. With his support, the website launched and has now been live for over a year. The platform continues to grow—both in content and community. With contributions from legends like Dave Ullman, Victor Diaz de Leon, Willem van Waay, Will Ryan and other top sailors and coaches, it’s been incredible to see the momentum build.
TCO: Tell me about the platform that you created with Steve Hunt Sailing.
SH: Early on, I noticed that high school kids—and younger sailors in general—really connect with visual learning. Most coaches tend to stand up and talk, but that style can quickly lose the attention of an audience. So, when I started Steve Hunt Sailing, my goal was to create a video-based learning platform that keeps things engaging, concise, and effective.
The site features a large library of short, focused videos—most between 3 to 5 minutes long—organized by topics like speed, tactics, and starting. There’s even a dedicated coaching section designed to help other coaches elevate their game and become more effective on and off the water. Some people have even described the site as the “Instagram of sailing,” which I take as a compliment.
For those looking to dive deeper, we also offer longer-form lessons ranging from 45 minutes to two hours, on core subjects like boat speed, race starts, and strategy. These videos are detailed and comprehensive. I use footage from drones, coach boats, GoPro’s, and even cameras capturing me coaching in real time. The result is a clear, easy to understand breakdown of complex sailing concepts for sailors of all levels.
One unique feature is that I’ve worn a live microphone while racing, so viewers can hear real-time communication between me and the crew. These become short “Quick Tip” videos that are super insightful and available throughout the site.
We also have boat specific content, including lessons for 420s, 29ers, Optis, and more. The fundamentals apply across all classes, but I’m continuing to expand into specialized areas. Right now, I’m working on a new three-part, two-hour series on foiling, which is becoming a major part of the sport—especially with over half of the Olympic classes now foiling.
At the end of the day, the website is an ever-growing library for all levels—whether you’re a junior sailor, a high school or college team, or a coach looking to improve. There’s something useful for everyone.
TCO: Is your website a membership based platform, or can someone just log on to check a specific topic?
SH: The best way to take full advantage of the platform is by becoming a member. For a small monthly fee, individual sailors get unlimited access to everything the website has to offer. For Junior Sailing Programs, there’s a slightly higher monthly rate, but it allows multiple coaches and their sailors to share access—making it a great fit for youth programs, sailing teams, and small keelboat fleets.
While some of the premium lessons are exclusive to members, many of the larger programs are also available for one-time purchase if you’d prefer not to commit to a subscription. That said, with a monthly membership, you’ll not only get full access to all current content, but also every new program and video added to the site in the future.
It’s a flexible system designed to fit individual sailors, coaches, and full programs—so everyone can get the most out of the resources available.
TCO: Is there an opportunity that subscribers can get personal feedback from you? Do you have a Q&A section on the site?
SH: Members have the option to work with me directly through virtual coaching, with different levels of access available throughout the year. One popular feature is the ability to submit sailing videos for personalized analysis and feedback, which has been a really cool way for many sailors looking to improve.
In the future, I’m considering launching a private Facebook group where members could join live Q&A sessions every month or so—a place to connect, ask questions, and share ideas as a community.
At the end of the day, I simply enjoy helping people get better at sailing. So, if you’re a member and reach out to me, you can count on hearing back. Several sailors are already taking advantage of this direct connection, and it’s been incredibly rewarding.
TCO: I know that you do a lot of coaching for junior sailors, how often do you get pulled aside by some of these sailors that have gone through some of your online courses and approach you personally when they see you for a more in-depth study on something they learned?
SH: It actually happens more often than you’d think. Just this week, I coached a junior sailor who had watched every single video on the site—she was totally hooked! We spent two full days on the water putting all those techniques into action, and it was incredible to see how quickly she applied what she’d learned.
Now, she’s heading back to Newport Beach with a clear plan to keep practicing and refining her skills. We’ve already scheduled a follow-up in about a month to reconnect, check on her progress, and build on everything we worked on.
That’s the kind of connection and growth I love to see and it’s exactly what this platform is all about.
TCO: I noticed that many of the courses you focus on are towards youth sailing. Is that where you see the biggest demand?
SH: There’s definitely strong demand in the youth sailing world—but honestly, what’s surprised me the most is that the majority of my members are actually adults. And not just weekend sailors—many are highly accomplished. In fact, Jonathan McKee, Olympic gold medalist, was one of the very first people to sign up! I’ve got several other professional sailors in the membership as well.
Don’t get me wrong—there’s a solid group of junior sailors involved too. But if I had to guess, I’d say the current split is about 80% adults to 20% juniors.
That ratio was unexpected, especially since I initially geared the content toward younger sailors with tutorials on the 420, 29er, and Opti. But the way things are growing, I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts to shift soon. I’m excited to see where it goes.
TCO: How do you address the different levels of skill and experience of users on your platform? Do you offer any tailored programs for beginners versus advanced sailors?
SH: The program is designed to start with the fundamentals, making it a great resource for sailors who are just getting into racing. But the beauty of it is that the same lessons apply just as well to those who’ve been racing for years. I think of the learning process like a pyramid—you need a strong base of fundamentals before you can build toward higher-level performance. We also have plenty of intermediate and advanced content as well. I have found most people love the higher level tips more than anything.
The site is set up how I coach my high school team: we start with the core principles like boat handling, starting techniques, sail trim, and situational awareness, then move into more specific skills as each sailor progresses. Once those fundamentals are solid, the learning path naturally branches into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
For newer sailors especially, winning early can be a huge confidence boost. And while results aren’t everything, those early wins often validate the time and effort being put in. But the key is that you can’t consistently, win or grow, without mastering the basics first.
This structured approach helps sailors at all levels refine their skills, progress with purpose, and build success on the racecourse.
I really believe in a simple but powerful learning principle: "Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Let me experience it, and I’ll learn."
TCO: Transitioning from traditional coaching to an online platform must come with its challenges. What have been some of the biggest obstacles you’ve faced so far?
SH: I really believe in a simple but powerful learning principle: “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Let me experience it, and I’ll learn.”
That’s the heart of what Steve Hunt Sailing is all about. The website is designed to show, not just tell. Most online sailing resources rely on people talking into a camera or sketching on a whiteboard. But here, everything is video-based with real sailing footage, and that changes the game.
With over 30,000 video clips collected from years of sailing and coaching, I break down key concepts by actually showing what’s happening on the water. I overlay voice explanations on real-time race footage, GoPro shots, drone views, and coach boat angles. It’s not just two people discussing a scenario—you’re seeing it unfold, hearing the communication, and visually connecting the dots.
The real power comes when a sailor can see the technique, then head out on the water and experience it for themselves. That’s when the learning sticks.
I also believe that good coaching is about clarity. For example, when I’m working with a brand-new FJ crew, I don’t overload them with a 10-minute explanation full of jargon. I just say, “Trim the jib well and move your weight to keep the boat flat. That’s your job. If you’re unsure, match the skipper—trim the jib to mirror the main and shift your weight with them.” That’s it. Then we get on the water and start doing it.
That kind of simplicity and focus is rare, but it’s exactly what helps sailors grow faster. And it’s what makes this site valuable not just for sailors, but for coaches too. I teach through repetition, refinement, and progression—we master one thing before moving on to the next, always circling back to reinforce what’s already been learned.
That’s the goal of the platform, to create clear, practical, and experience-based learning that helps sailors of all levels make real progress, one step at a time.
TCO: As a coach, and having and being an all-around accomplished sailor, what do you think your specialty areas are?
SH: Without a doubt, the number one thing I bring to the table is passion. I absolutely love sailboat racing, it’s on my mind constantly and I think that energy rubs off on the people I coach and sail with. Sailing should be fun, and I work hard to make sure every session is something people genuinely enjoy. Beyond the passion, I’ve developed some real strengths over the years. I know how to make a boat go fast. I’m solid on tactics. I work hard on tactics for starts, a great start sets the tone for the entire race. If you start well and you’re fast, the tactics almost take care of themselves.
As a coach, I’m all about clarity and simplicity. My strength is explaining things in a way that’s easy to grasp—short, sharp, and effective. I don’t believe in talking sailors to death. Instead, I focus on creating
fast-paced, challenging practices that push people to figure things out on the water.
My philosophy has been, if you train harder than you race, the regattas feel easy. The goal is to build confidence, resilience, and results through top-tier coaching and real experience.
TCO: What’s one key mistake you often see beginners make?
SH: When it comes to sailing, one of the most common mistakes beginners make is not keeping the boat properly angled to the wind. You’ll notice the top sailors are always pointing high. The result is the boat is fast but sails less distance. It’s no secret, they’ve mastered the art of reading the wind and adjusting the boat to the perfect angle for maximum speed. New sailors, on the other hand, often struggle with this, they reach around upwind and part of that comes down to not paying enough attention to the telltales. It’s something that should really be ingrained early on.
Another crucial aspect that can make a huge difference is keeping the boat flat, especially when sailing upwind. I always tell new skippers there are three key ways to do this: bodyweight, sail trim, and steering. They all play a part in getting the boat balanced and performing at its best. It’s all about refining those small details – once you’ve got them dialed in, the results will come.
TCO: Steve, what is one of your proudest coaching moments?
SH: Winning our first High School National Championship was awesome! After years of working for the title, we finally did it – and we did it with the Team Racing National Championship in Seattle, WA. The conditions were brutal – freezing cold and super shifty winds, nothing we were used to sailing in.
We had come agonizingly close before, finishing 2nd multiple times, so finally breaking through and claiming the top spot was so cool. And to top it off, we had a race to spare! In fact, we actually let our crews skipper the final race, and they almost took down the second-place team! It was a celebration of everything we had worked for.
TCO: What about one of the most exciting finishes/outcomes that you have seen with a sailor that you have coached?
SH: One of the happiest moments of my sailing career had to be another Team Race Nationals. We were up against Ian Barrow’s team – who is the current Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, making it that much more challenging. It came down to the final beat, and one of my sailors was slowing down Ian’s team for the entire last leg. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet was battling it out, but one of my guys was controlling one of the best sailors in the country!
Then, things got really exciting. Our team split off from Ian to, “find more wind,” and they hit the puff just at the right moment. They sailed back in, and suddenly, we were in the lead. But then, chaos – a massive pileup at the finish line. We thought we had won, but the judges flagged both us and Ian’s team, so we had to do 720’s for a penalty. Both teams started their 720’s at the same time, and we crossed the finish line just two feet ahead of them, claiming the National Championship!
It was the most intense, stressful race, but, what a great feeling.
TCO: When coaching, what is the #1 takeaway that you try to teach sailors?
SH: As sailors, we love to win, and sailing well usually leads to just that. But as a coach, my philosophy is all about meeting my sailors where they are and helping them grow. I always preach, don’t compare yourself to others – compare yourself to who you were yesterday. Focus on those small, steady improvements, and that’s how you’ll really progress. This applies whether you’re coaching a beginner or an experienced sailor.
To be an effective coach, it’s crucial to understand how to win yourself. I always recommend hiring coaches with a solid sailing background because it makes a huge difference. They know firsthand what works, what to focus on, and how to help sailors navigate those crucial moments.
TCO: Steve, I am sure that you have a had a busy schedule so far in 2025 with your personal racing. What does the remainder of the year look like for you?
SH: We’re gearing up for the High School National Championships in a couple of months, so our focus is on preparing for that right now. On my end, I have the Etchells campaign with the North Americans coming up next month here in San Diego. I’m also racing the TP 52s in the Great Lakes, and the next regatta is in Pensacola. It’s an awesome fleet with some top-tier crew, so it’s always a blast. On top of that, I’m part of a J/70 campaign with our sights set on winning the World Championship this year in Buenos Aires – we’ve got a fantastic team in place for that. And, of course, I’m still keeping busy with the Steve Hunt Sailing website.
Steve, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me and share more about Steve Hunt Sailing. Best of luck with all your sailing endeavors, and good luck to the PLHS Sailing Team as well!
SH: You are welcome! Thanks for having me. And please share that Zig Sailing members and friends can sign up for my site and receive 30% off any membership with this coupon code: ZIGTRAVEL30
Steve Hunt: Career Highlights
Career Sailing Highlights:
3x World Champion: Etchells Class
5x North American Champion: 470, Etchells, Martin 242, J24, J80
12x National Champion: 420, 470, Etchells, Melges 20, Melges 24, Express 37
J70 European Champion
2x Collegiate All American
Coaching:
12x National Champion High School Coach: Fleet Racing, Team Racing and Laser Nationals
420 National Champion Coach
2x Youth Champion Coach: 420
Orange Bowl Champion Coach
420 Midwinters Champion Coach
